June 14-15, 2024.
Several people recommended visiting Liard River Hot Springs on our trip up the Alaska Highway. I added it to our trip idea spreadsheet. I have found this an excellent way to keep track of the myriad suggestions that come through the pipeline! So when our route finally got within reach, I did a little info search online and pointed Google Maps to the campground.
It was a two hour drive from our campsite at Summit Lake. We made a pit stop at Muncho Lake for gas. While we were there, the proprietor sold us on a fresh-baked cinnamon roll. While it was not as good as the one we’d gotten at Tetsa River Lodge, it was both substantial and delicious. (Still, my all time favorite cinnamon roll came from the Denver Biscuit Company). But, I digress.
When we arrived, the campground was already full. The person at the check-in booth offered up a spot in the overflow lot across the street. Since we’re self-contained in our van, this worked out just fine. And since it was just an open lot, we actually had enough sky view for Starlink.
We decided to hang out in the van for awhile. Later that afternoon, we packed up our towels and took a walk to the hot springs. It’s about 0.7 miles of walking, mostly on a gorgeous boardwalk, to get to the developed hot springs area. There’s a nice changing room, basic bathroom and cubbies for storing your things. Various steps and ramps lead down into the variably hot water below. Despite all the amenities, the soaking area is remarkably natural. There are a few wooden benches in the water but otherwise it’s a natural river course with a sandy bottom and that’s it.
There were many people in the water when we arrived, but it felt spacious enough for everyone to spread out. We chatted with some fellow Alaska Highway travelers and enjoyed a delightful soak.
I could hardly take my eyes off the lush wall of horsetails at the edge of the springs. It felt like we were in some tropical paradise, not rural Canada. Everyone was having a wonderfully relaxing time. It was heavenly.
The next day, we repeated the walk and soak. Except this time, we got up early and walked in right when the gate opened at 7 am. The sun was low in the sky and a delicate frost coated the vegetation along the cold, shaded boardwalk. Even the water was cooler but for a few tiny hotspots. I could tell where they were because those spots were quickly occupied by people. Still, we spent the good part of an hour here. It was mostly quiet and much less busy than the day before.
Even the walk back was extraordinary. I stooped down to take a closer look at the orchids, sundew and other wildflowers. In the meantime, a flurry of bird songs and calls filled the air. I logged 20 different species, just on that short walk between the van and the springs, and that’s with my pretty moderate birding skills!
Liard River Hot Springs is open year-round, with reduced services in the winter. I’ve seen snowy winter photos and it looks absolutely stunning. If I’m ever in that part of the world during winter I will make a point to visit the hot springs. I’m generally not a fan of visiting developed springs and especially ones that are well known and heavily used, but this one was absolutely worth the stop.