Liard Hot Springs, BC

Here we are at Mile 496, and the Liard Hot Springs.  We camped at the Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park Campground.

From Wiki:  The Liard River Hot Springs Provincial Park was created in April 1957. The first boardwalk and pool facilities were built by the United States Army in 1942. 

There are two hot springs with water temperatures ranging from 42°C to 52°C; the nearest is the Alpha pool. Beta pool is beyond Alpha and is larger, cooler and deeper. There are raised walkways from the parking area to the springs so that the delicate muskeg that forms the swamp is not disturbed. The walkway was the scene of a much-publicized black bear attack that killed two tourists on August 14, 1997. However, at least 50 bears were killed around the springs in 1998 to ease the public's concern.  The below pic was borrowed from the Provincial Park website.

 



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We arrived around 5 in the afternoon and it was cool, cloudy and a slight mist, and lots of "skeeters".  A lot of us went to the springs to relax in the very warm waters with a little sulfur aroma. 

OK, time to peel off those "outers" and get down to those bathing suits!

Now that's more like it.  Ah!  So soothing!

Now, the lower pool was cooler that the upper pool.  So, the plan was to wade into the 95 degree water and after about 10 minutes, move on up to the 100+ water.  Along the way however, one could sit on a ledge and let the warmer water from the upper pool flow over your back like a slow moving Jacuzzi. 

Miss Nancy wading into the lower pool.  We both moved to the upper, after sitting on the ledge foe a few minutes first.

The upper pool, with steam rising from the very warm water above the upper pool, which is around 120 degrees plus.

Now, the wagon masters told us about this place about halfway to the hot springs the evening before at the trip log book meeting.  This place served some very yummy warm, buttery cinnamon buns.  Below, Miss Nancy paying for two buns and a cup of coffee.  It was a cold, rainy day, so the stop was most enjoyable.  They so large, we should have split one.  Shame on us!

I think about half our group stopped here.  Some of the folks gathered up some souvenirs here as well.

Above, the bun stop place.  Below, the converted refrigerator storage trailer to restrooms.  Note the lock-proof handles on the doors.

Did I mention that it was a "yukky" day for driving on winding, two-lane, frost-heaved, gravely, muddy, wet roads?

Muncho Lake

The historic Liard River Suspension Bridge, built in 1944, is located at kilometer 798 of the Alaska Highway.  The bridge was just prior to arriving at the campground, if memory serves me correctly.  Note the wet surface.  Did I mention the pot-holed roads too?

Near the hot springs entrance were these Wood Bison.  From Wiki:  The wood bison or mountain bison (often called the wood buffalo or mountain buffalo), is a distinct northern subspecies or of the American bison. Its original range included much of the boreal forest regions of Alaska, Yukon, western Northwest Territories, northeastern British Columbia, northern Alberta, and northwestern Saskatchewan.  It is currently listed as threatened on Schedule I of the Species At Risk Act.

Well, that about wraps what I have on our visit to Liard Hot Springs.  This blog was written & published from Whitehorse, Yukon, on July 25.  So, till the next blog, RVing Beach Bums.