Liard River Hot Springs

The next day we headed out early……our destination, the Liard River Hot Springs! Today we finally saw mountains and wildlife.

One of the stops we made was at the Testa River Campground for their renowned cinnamon buns….I have to say they were wicked sweet so I’m glad we got a coffee to share while we sat at one of their outdoor picnic tables.

After getting our sugar quota for the day, we continued on our way…..we passed Summit Lake with fabulous mountain views. We passed through the MacDonald Bridge, the bridge and creek named after Charlie MacDonald who was a Cree Indian credited with helping Alaska Highway survey crews locate the best possible route for the highway.

We passed by Folded Mountains which were created by the continental shelf getting squeezed by the shifting of North America about 175 million years ago and the flat-lying areas underneath slowly buckling into folds. Over time, these areas sprang up into mountain ranges.

We passed by the beautiful Muncho Lake with its deep green and blue waters.

We finally arrived at the Liard Hotsprings…….we were able to dry camp across the road overnight, so once we got settled we headed over to experience what is one of the most favorite stops on the highway. It is the home to the largest natural hot springs in Canada…it is a natural river of hot water…it has a mineral content of more than 1000 parts per million…..a lot of it is calcium carbonate picked up from underground limestone….plus it has a wicked sulphur smell. You get to the springs by a boardwalk that was built over the marshlands that never freeze in the winter. Here are some pictures.

I have to say that it was a wonderful way to have a spa treatment!