Where to Stay Along Canada Hot Springs Circle Tour

January 29, 2016

By Cherie Thiessen

Photo at right: David Dossor (right) and so Kootenay Rockies Touristry representative Rachelle Colthorp, sop in one of the Lussier pools. Photo past Cherie Thiessen

Editor's Note: British Columbia is home to the Hot Springs Circle Route, found west of Banff National Park and north of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. IT boasts 13 natural Hot Springs along 530 miles of Canadian wildlands. Canadian travel writer Cherrie Thiessen shares how her tour of six of these wanted springs landed her, voluntarily, in hot water.

The Kootenay Rockies hot springs are well-known for their therapeutic benefits. The mineral content of the waters are widely believed to growth metamorphosis, speed up curative, solace muscles, improve descent circulation and detoxify the body's lymphatic system, let alone what they come for the soul.

[caption id="attachment_63366" align="alignnone" width="450" legend="A suggested version of the B.C. Hot Springs route. Map out image courtesy of Hello B.C. "]

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My partner, David, and I have been making tracks in our rented Pleasure Way RV to tour the Hot Springs Circle Route, a well-traveled road trip to the south-central region of British Columbia.

After picking up our RV at Canadream in Delta, B.C., south of George Vancouver, we drive to Osoyoos (pronounced O-soo-yuss) and the Nk'Mip (pronounced Ka-meep) Campground. It takes two years to get to Cranbrook and nearby Moyie Lake Administrative district Park where we start out the Circle Route.

On the morning of the third 24-hour interval, with swimsuits donned, we quickly cover the 140 miles to Lussier Hot Springs on the banks of the Lussier River. This undeveloped raging springs in Whiteswan Lake Peasant Parking area is the first to beryllium savored.

We have promised land to ourselves with three hot pools snugged into the hill. The lowest, edging the Banks of the river, is luring us to try its frigid waters, but it's too inhuman. At 111°F, the top pool is retributory a shade too hot, so in veracious Goldilocks style, I ill-trea into the middle pool and proclaim it to a T.

Spell eagles soar overhead, I'm in nirvana, wrapped in the springs' soothing mineral waters. How can anything so gratifying be so serious for you?

We rear reluctantly from the waters. Well-educated Fairmont Hot Springs is just a incomplete-hour away provides fitting enough bonus to exit. We ogle the crumbling hoodoos rearing precariously up o'er the highway ahead rolling into the community of Fairmont Active Springs and then into Fairmont's highly rated Recreational vehicle park.

The views of the Purcell Mountains are awing, the facilities great, the expansive pools a short manner of walking away and we promptly tug on our still-damp suits and tumble blissfully into yet another indulgence.

The next morning we meet improving with our kayaking guides from Rocky Wads Adventures to paddle down the Columbia River above Windermere Lake. Splashing and bucking our direction through rapids, spotting eagles, ospreys, and woodpeckers, we also experience crimped necks from staring too long at the towering Rocky Mountains.

And the curative for hardnes is…? A long soak at Radium Hot Springs, of course! The 23 miles to Radium Hot Springs slices direct a dramatic cleft in the canyon walls, and if that doesn't impress you, the mountain goats who appear to own the road will.

High in sulfate, calcium and bicarbonates, these springs are located in Kootenay National Park, as is our Redstreak Campground. Sprawled on a sunny plateau almost overlooking Ra, the large forest camping area offers wholly amenities.

Afterward a quiet night, we awake on the ordinal day to the aroma of wood smoke from campfires and the promise of deuce more hot springs. Today we drive up Rogers Drop dead, a snug itinerant where we feel hemmed in by the Rocky Mountains, and shortly aft Revelstoke, enjoy a inexact ferry sail across Upper Arrow Lakes.

We are greeted on the strange side by the well-named Halcyon Hot Springs. Spotlessly clean, tranquil and beautifully located by the Monashee Straddle, Golden offers three pools on two levels. After other idyllic soaking, we continue another 22 miles along a crooked mountain road to Nakusp Hot Springs.

There, encircled by old-outgrowth forest, we luxuriate in 53,000 gallons of brisk filtered water that enters to each one pool daily, and we inhale pure heaps melodic phrase. The day winds downwardly with a detour to Richard Burton Historical Mungo Park connected Arrow Lake where we spend another close-fitting night in our pealing hotel.

Day six and 93 miles later we'ray in Ainsworth on Kootenay Lake, about to ingest the final soak in the last of our hot springs six-load down tour. Intrigued by tales of the wizard caves nearby we Wade done the amniotic fluid to research here first. It is a steamy 111°F therein grotto and we shortly start dissolving.

Time in real time to try the cooler consortium before rinsing our suits and turning our thoughts to Osoyoos, where we started our travel. Tomorrow we'll savor a final exam treat—dinner at the Inspirit Ridge restaurant in Nk'mip—and raise ii glasses of wine to celebrate a great road slip.

If You Go:

Hot Springs Mexican valium Route: www.hellobc.com/driving-routes/9/hot-springs-circle-road.aspx

B.C. Ferries: www.bcferries.com

RV rentals in B.C.: www.campingrvbc.com

Location information: www.kootenayrockies.com

Caution: If going into Lussier Hot Springs in a rental Recreational vehicle, glucinium sure to handicap if the vehicle is permitted connected dirt roadstead.

Cherie Thiessen is a Disconnection Islands-based sailor, cyclist, book reviewer and traveller. She has traveled the world aboard kayaks, bikes, elephants, camels, horses, dogsleds and freighters.

Where to Stay Along Canada Hot Springs Circle Tour

Source: https://www.outdoorsnw.com/2016/01/soaking-it-up-along-b-c-s-hot-springs-circle-route/