Finished articles
Quick Trips: Kootenay Rockies Hot Springs Circuit
posted: 8 Feb 2010
Bookmark This
E-mail this page
PDF version
Printer-friendly versionThe most luxuriously appointed spa can’t hold a candle — not even a fancy aromatherapy one — to the spectacular views surrounding the hot springs of the Kootenay Rockies region in south-eastern British Columbia. As you soak in the natural healing waters, you’ll be surrounded by soaring mountains, tumbling waterfalls, lush forests, alpine meadows and, occasionally, inquisitive wildlife coming to check out the latest visitors. Ahh, now that’s bliss.
See
This remote area straddling the Rocky and Columbia Mountain ranges features wide swaths of rugged wilderness dotted with charming small towns. Remote it may be, but it is also historically rich, a place where the railway, logging and mining fueled opulent boom towns in the 19th century and where immigrant groups like Russia’s Doukhobors fled oppression in the early 20th. It is also here that Japanese-Canadians were interned during the Second World War, U.S. draft dodgers hid in the 1960s and eco-warriors arose in the 1980s and ’90s. Each group has left its unique mark on the area, which now attracts creative professionals, mountain athletes and average folks seeking a holistic retreat from the world.
Soak
One of the great draws of the region is the many natural hot springs that encircle it. Some have extensive facilities and resorts built around them; others are little more than hot puddles at the end of a forested hiking trail. All offer mineral waters that can improve metabolism, soothe muscles, improve blood circulation and detoxify the body.
Ainsworth Hot Springs: At Ainsworth just outside Nelson, you can enjoy the spectacular view of Kootenay Lake and the Purcell Mountains from the hillside pool, explore the stalagmites and stalactites in the steamy, 46-metre (150-foot) horseshoe-shaped cave, and refresh yourself in the cold plunge.
Hot stuff: Temperatures range from 40° to 42°C (104° to 114°F) in the cave, 35° to 38° C (96° to 101°F) in the pool, and 4° to 10°C (40° to 50°F) in the cold plunge. www.hotnaturally.com
Nakusp Hot Springs: On the shores of Upper Arrow Lake, in a narrow canyon surrounded by dense forest, you’ll find the big, divided circular pool of Nakusp Hot Springs. The bigger half is a comfortable, family-friendly zone; the smaller, a blistering test of your toughness. Just see how long you can last.
Hot stuff: Although the water at source is a scalding 54.4°C (130°F), the main pool is maintained at a comfortable 37°C (99 F) with the small section at a hotter at 41°C (103 F) www.nakusphotsprings.com
Halcyon Hot Springs: Not far from Nakusp are these rich waters with their unique combination of sodium, lithium, magnesium, calcium and strontium, which can provide relief from arthritis, osteoporosis and gout. No wonder the First Nations people who first used the springs went to war over them. In fact, it was when the chiefs of the competing Kootenay and Colville tribes sealed a peace treaty over the springs that they fired the arrows that gave rise to the name of the lakes that flow south of here. Today, there is a whole community built around the springs, and guests can indulge in massages and other treatments.
Hot stuff: Halcyon offers four pools of differing temperatures: a hot pool at 40°C (104°F), a warm pool at 38°C (100°F), a large mineral pool at 30°C (87°F), and a cold plunger at 13°C (55°F). www.halcyon-hotsprings.com
Canyon Hot Springs: Tucked in Albert Canyon between Glacier and Mt. Revelstoke National parks is the seasonal Canyon Hot Springs resort, open only May to September. Today the mineral-rich water is piped into a pair of large pools some distance from the springs, but when it was first discovered by rail workers at the turn of the last century, they simply dug a pit at the source, lined it with wood, and sat back to enjoy the view.
Hot stuff: The Hot Mineral Soaking Pool temperature is 40°C (104°F) and the swimming pool is 32°C (86°F). www.canyonhotsprings.com
Radium Hot Springs: Canada’s largest hot springs pool is located in Kootenay National Park, just a short drive from the more famous Banff National Park. The setting is breathtaking: two pools, one cool, one hot, surrounded by mountains and backed against a sheer rock face. Radium also offers plenty of amenities, including massage treatments in the surrounding spa, and provides special bathing chairs for people with disabilities.
Hot stuff: The water is a toasty 44°C (114°F) at the source, but after being filtered and chlorinated, enters the pool at a comfortable 39°C (103°F). The cool pool temperature is 29°C (84°F). www.radiumhotsprings.com
Fairmont Hot Springs: South of Radium Hot Springs, along Highway 95, you’ll find Fairmont Hot Springs and the growing spa community around it. Not only does the resort provide three pools — plus a private one for lodge guests — with the great views typical to the Kootenay Rockies, but it also offers a full menu of high-end spa treatments as well as fine dining, championship golf and luxurious accommodation. Who knows? Maybe you’ll enjoy it so much you’ll be tempted to buy one of the new condos here. Then again, for absolutely nothing you can soak in one of three small tubs in the undeveloped Historical Baths, a small two-person pool right at the source near the resort’s parking area.
Hot stuff: The hot pool is a relaxing 39ºC (102°F), the swimming pool is 32ºC (89°F) and the dive pool is a refreshing 30ºC (86°F). www.fairmonthotsprings.com
Wilderness springs: If you prefer a more rustic experience, then check out Lussier Hot Springs. Located at the end of a trail near the western boundary of Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park, four rock pools offer various degrees of heat, but there are few other amenities aside from a change room/toilet in the parking lot. Not far from Lussier is Ram Creek Hot Springs, a couple of lukewarm pools located in an ecological reserve.
Do
Should you get bored with soaking in the scenery — not to mention the hot mineral pools — there’s plenty of activity up in them thar hills. Heck, just driving through the Kootenay Rockies is a breathless adventure of winding cliffside roads that roller-coaster through the mountains.
Along the way, you can explore ghost towns like Sandon, Three Forks and Albert Canyon, as well as vibrant communities filled with charming shops and artisans, including the historic city of Nelson and the crafty town of Crawford Bay. There are quirky little stops along the way, too, like Kaslo, where you can tour the SS Moyie, a sternwheeler that plied the waters of Kootenay Lake from 1898 until 1957, or the Bavarian-themed alpine resort town of Kimberley, home to the world’s biggest cuckoo clock. And keep your eye out for wildlife like the Bighorn Sheep that like to wander along the side of mountain highways.
There are also unparalleled opportunities for outdoor activities: There’s downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, fishing, boating, horseback riding, mountain biking, lake swimming, golf, even snowmobile and ATV rentals in some communities. Plus there are plenty of things for the little ones to do, like splashing in water parks and exploring Revelstoke’s Enchanted Forest and Skytrek Adventure Park.
Taste
Cuisine in these mountain towns tends to be hale and hearty, often with a Bavarian influence. For instance, you can’t miss out on the terrific schnitzel and spaetzle in Kimberley and Radium Hot Springs. For higher-end dining, try the creatively gourmet cuisine at Nelson’s All Seasons Cafe or Fairmont’s Mountain Flowers Dining Room.
There are also several local breweries, ranging from the big one — Kokanee in Creston — to small craft operations including the Nelson & Fernie Brewing Companies and Mt. Begbie Brewing Company out of Revelstoke.
Stay
Each hot springs resort town offers a variety of accommodation that can range from camping and RV sites to chalets, motels and luxury lodges. Nakusp, for instance, is a popular camping spot but also has a few A-frame chalets. Halcyon and Canyon have one- and two-bedroom chalets, suites, campsites and a fully serviced RV Park. Radium Hot Springs offers a plethora of motel-style accommodation, as well as nearby campsites. And at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, the focus is the luxury lodge, including a growing number of condos in the area, plus a full-service RV Park.
There are a variety of charming heritage inns in nearby communities as well. Ainsworth, for instance, offers simple motel-style accommodation, but only a few minutes away is the city of Nelson, where you can stay at the historic Hume Hotel (formerly the Heritage Inn) in the town centre.
For more information, check each resort’s website.
Visit
You can easily do a circuit of the Kootenay Rockies Hot Springs area, visiting each of the springs over a five-to-seven-day, 850-kilometre (528-mile) driving trip. The region itself is a full day’s drive east along Highway 3 from Vancouver (or a flight into Canadian Rockies International Airport, near Cranbrook), but once you’re there you can create your own adventure. Access to the region is also available via our regional airports (Castlegar and/or Trail).
Here’s one possible itinerary:
Days 1 and 2: Start at Ainsworth Hot Springs just east of Nelson. While you’re here, take time to explore the historic city of Nelson and enjoy a day trip on the free Kootenay Lake Ferry to the artisan community of Crawford Bay and the town of Creston, where you can savour the locally-crafted Kokanee beer and see how many of the 250 species of birds you can recognize in the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area.
Day 3: Take Hwy 31 to Kaslo and a visit to the SS Moyie sternwheeler, then cut across to New Denver. In New Denver, stop to visit the Nikkei Internment Memorial Centre, a museum dedicated to the history of Japanese Canadian internees during the Second World War. Then continue north to Nakusp and Halcyon Hot Springs.
Day 4: Continue on to Revelstoke, with its restored period buildings, fascinating Revelstoke Railway Museum and scenic hiking trails in Mt. Revelstoke National Park and Enchanted Forest’s Wild Land Interpretive Walk. Then head out on the Trans-Canada Highway and cross Rogers Pass, one of BC’s great mountain crossings, stopping at Canyon Hot Springs (if you’re travelling from May to September).
Day 5: Continue travelling east, stopping at Golden, home to great backcountry lodges and North America’s largest wetland, then turn south on Hwy 95 to Radium Hot Springs.
Day 6: On to Fairmont Hot Springs with stops in Invermere, where the Pynelogs Cultural Centre hosts theatrical productions and concerts year-round, as well as the four-season alpine resorts of Panorama Mountain Village and Kimberley.
Day 7: End your tour in Cranbrook, once a thriving railway town, now the region’s largest mountain community and home to the area’s international airport. Don’t miss the Canadian Museum of Rail Travel’s award-winning collection of restored railcars and locomotives.
For more information, visit www.HelloBC.com