Liard River Hot Springs: One Icon, Many Highlights
For weary road trippers taking on the Alaska Highway, the thermal waters of Liard River offer a moment of stillness amid one of the world’s great drives. But linger a little longer and you’ll find it’s more than just a relaxing rest stop.
But linger a little longer and you’ll find it’s more than just a relaxing rest stop.
Tucked into the forest deep within Northeastern BC’s expansive wilderness, it sits within striking distance of some of the region’s most spectacular parks — from the rugged peaks of Stone Mountain and the turquoise waters of Tā Ch’ilā (Boya Lake), to the remote boreal wilds of Northern Rockies and Dune Za Keyih Park.
With so much to explore in the surrounding landscape, it’s worth spending a few days around this stretch of highway.
Liard River Hot SPrings
A soak in Liard River Hot Springs is a highlight of any trip through the Northern Rockies. Follow the boardwalk through a warm marsh ecosystem to the Alpha Pool, where naturally heated mineral water flows year-round. The park is also known for its wildlife viewing and birdwatching opportunities, particularly along the boardwalk. With camping nearby, it makes an easy overnight stop and a great place to unwind after a day on the Alaska Highway.
Stone Mountain Provincial Park
Two hours south of Liard River Hot Springs sits Stone Mountain Provincial Park. Here, the Alaska Highway climbs to its highest point — Summit Pass — topping out at an elevation of 295 meters (4,250 feet). From the park’s campground, trails fan out in every direction, ranging from the short Erosion Pillars Trail — named for the striking rock spires at its end — to the rewarding Summit Peak Trail, a five-kilometre return hike through lodgepole pine offering sweeping views of the Northern Rockies. For experienced backcountry hikers, multi-day routes push deeper into the Wokkpash area of the Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park. Whatever hike you choose, keep an eye on the cliff faces and valley floors: this area is home to some of BC’s largest population of Stone’s sheep, which can be regularly spotted ambling their way across the terrain.
Muncho Lake Provincial Park
Muncho Lake sits on Liard River Hot Springs’s doorstep, a short 50-minute drive south of the hot springs. This stretch offers some of the most scenic views of the entire highway: a 12-kilometre-long lake with waters that run deep jade-green, colored by the minerals that leach out from surrounding bedrock. For paddlers, there’s plenty of shoreline to explore and its calm waters make for ideal kayaking and SUP conditions. The Northern Rockies Lodge, which sits right on the lake’s edge, offers canoe and kayak rentals, along with guided fishing excursions and flightseeing tours over the surrounding wilderness. Post-paddle, tuck into a great meal at the lodge before heading back to relax your muscles in the steamy waters of the hot springs. Tip: don’t miss “Folded Mountain,” a unique geological landmark that reveals layers of stacked limestone.
Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park
Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park is the third-largest provincial park in BC. It forms the centrepiece of the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area, a vast wilderness corridor often called the “Serengeti of the North” for its staggering concentrations of wildlife. Here, grizzly bears, wolves, caribou, elk, Stone’s sheep, and mountain goats all move freely through never-ending valleys and along dramatic ridgelines. For travellers looking to experience true wilderness, the rewards are extraordinary. You’ll find pristine rivers teeming with rainbow and bull trout, untouched alpine meadows to hike, and a sense of solitude rarely found elsewhere. Getting deep into this backcountry requires some planning; Northern Rockies Lodge operates guided fly-in day excursions from Muncho Lake, while operators like MK Adventures have been running guided horseback expeditions in the area for over 35 years.
Dune Za Keyih Park
Few parks in BC are as remote as Dune Za Keyih Park. Centered at the confluence of the Kechika, Gataga, and Frog rivers deep in the Rocky Mountain Trench, the park has no road access, no designated trails, and no facilities. Getting here means arriving by floatplane, helicopter, or jet boat from Northern Rockies Lodge, which sits adjacent to Dune Za Keyih, or the community of Fort Nelson located three hours southeast of Liard River Hot Springs. The Kechika River — BC’s largest unlogged watershed and a provincial heritage river — runs for 250 kilometres through the park, and the Gataga River offers an exceptional multi-day paddling route for experienced canoeists. (Guided trips are available from Northern Rockies Lodge.) The park also carries deep cultural significance: the Altse Dene Tunna (Davie Trail), a historic Tse’Khene route that once connected Fort Ware to Lower Post and served as a path to the Klondike, passes through the park’s heart. Like the Muskwa-Kechika, this is wilderness travel in its truest sense. Make sure to plan carefully, be fully self-sufficient, and leave no trace as you explore.
Tā Ch’ilā (Boya Lake) Provincial Park
One of the last stops before the Yukon border, Tā Ch’ilā Provincial Park is technically situated along the Stewart-Cassiar Highway (which runs north from Highway 16 to Watson Lake). However, campers at Liard River Hot Springs can access this stunning turquoise-hued gem by cutting up and over the Yukon Border along the Alaska Highway and back down via Highway 37. The lake’s extraordinary aqua-green colour — the result of light filtering off marl and shell fragments on the lake’s floor — shifts throughout the day, depending on the hour and weather, while its maze of bays and inlets offer excellent paddling. Canoe and kayak rentals are available on-site from the park operators and the water, while still refreshing, is typically warm enough to swim by midsummer — rare for a lake situated this far north. There are also two short interpretive trails that start from the campground and wind through the surrounding boreal landscape. Keep your eyes peeled for beavers, moose, and caribou, common in this area.