Hot Springs in BC

Experience the heat at one of the many hot springs in the Kootenay Rockies. Top soaking spots include Radium Hot Springs in Kootenay National Park, where two open-air mineral pools, including Canada's largest hot springs-fed pool, nestle against the sheer walls of Sinclair Canyon. Bighorn sheep frequent the site.

For extra bliss, stop at the on-site Pleiades day spa for a massage, aromatherapy or wellness treatment. In winter, skiers and boarders can soothe sore muscles in the super-heated (41°C/105°F) mini-pool.

Alternatively, make tracks for Lussier Hot Springs, an undeveloped riverside spot in Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park, approximately an hour and a half north of Cranbrook. Choose from three warm pools tiered along the riverbank; these shallow, open-air, free-form wonders were built by locals, complete with boulders for backrests.

In summer, the top pool has an average temperature of 43°C/110°F while the lower pool on the Lussier River offers a relatively cool 34°C/94°F. Visit early in the day then relax with some birdwatching at Whiteswan Lake.

The Kootenay Rockies, a mountainous region bordering the Rockies, boasts the bulk of BC’s spring-fed pools. To find more, just follow the signs for the Hot Springs Circle Route. This five- to seven-day, 870 kilometer (540 mile) road trip, one of nine suggested self-drive tours  posted around the province, takes in seven hot springs, and passes through some of  BC's most stunning lake and mountain scenery.

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When visiting Tofino, take a day trip to Hot Springs Cove in Maquinna Marine Provincial Park - an all-round West Coast experience. These geothermal springs are only accessible by air or sea, followed by a mile-long rainforest walk, which makes getting there half the fun.

At the springs, a waterfall flows into a series of pools sheltered from the Pacific Ocean by granite walls. Once you get used to the heat, stand under the falls for a heavenly therapeutic shower.

Clayoquot Eco Tours @ The Whale Centre in Tofino run day trips to the springs; watch for whales and wildlife en route.

If you can’t bear to leave, book a night at the InnChanter, a 1920s heritage boat turned bed and breakfast moored nearby.

Feel the stress melt away at Harrison Hot Springs, just 90 minutes east of Vancouver. Long revered as a place of healing by the Salish First Nations people, these lakeside pools with mountain views have been attracting bathers since the late 1800s. Soak at either the day-use public municipal pool or guests at Harrison Hot Springs Resort’s can use the private pools a block away. Both feature spacious indoor swimming in soothing settings; the resort offers a separate family water play area and two other outdoor pools as well. A lavish spa at the resort, a sandy beach, and a mountain fringed lake complete the picture.

Looking for something a little more rustic?  Ask a Whistler local for directions to Skookumchuck hot springs. Also known as St. Agnes’ Well, these pastoral springs, about two hours by back road north of Whistler, are a great spot to commune with nature for a day or two. 

Bubbling from the banks of the Lillooet River on the historic Harrison Lillooet Gold Rush Trail, Skookumchuk’s multiple outdoor tubs, A-frame bath house and simple campsite create an ideal setting to contemplate the beauty of the surrounding wilderness. The bathhouse is open 24/7, so late night bathers can soak by candlelight.

Unwind in nature’s hot tub at Liard Hot Springs. These northern BC springs, the second largest natural hot springs systems in Canada, are an essential stop on the Alaska Highway. Follow the boardwalk to an open-air pool and take in the unique flora (orchids grow here, thanks to the heat from the springs) while watching for moose and other wildlife.

Water temperatures in the pool range from 42-52°C/107-125°F. For a special retreat, visit the hot springs during winter and relax in the steaming pool as snow covers the trees and marshland.

The springs are in Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park, about three hours north of Fort Nelson. Camping? Book early; the site here fills fast.