Liard Hot Springs

Laird Hot Springs Provincial Park is one of those incredible places you hear about along the Alaskan Highway.

During the 1942 construction of the Alaskan Highway, Laird was used for rest and recuperation of the troops - who would kindly once a week vacate the hot springs so the lady service people could use it.

After the war, the hot springs became a provincial park and a stop along the Alcan.

The government of British Columbia have turned this into an incredible must-do stop for travelers along the Alcan.  They have a large number of RV sites - unfortunately dry - that are large and comfortable.  They built a beautiful boardwalk (correction - rebuilt - The GIs in the 40s built the original) that snakes out over the warm water marsh leading to the hot springs and they also build a wonderful spring side bathing facility with changing rooms benches and toilets.

Liard Hot Springs

There is a faint sulfur smell from the hot water as it emerges from the earth.  The hot water keeps one end of the springs almost too hot, but as you get away from the source the temperature drops to more reasonable levels.  A tradition is to wade to the hot end and put a rock on the berm next to the water source.

Hot Water Source

Anyplace else in the world, this thing would be booked up solid years in advance.  It is truly one of the special places on earth.  It's remoteness keeps it accessible.

You can get a reservation for one of the RV spots, but the park keeps a large percentage of them on a first come first serve basis.  We got there just minutes after the park filled up.

Fortunately they have overflow parking in the rest area across the Alcan.  It costs the same as staying in the Park and it is one of the few rest areas on the Alcan that does not permit overnight parking otherwise.

So we paid our $28.00 Canadian and parked in the overflow.  But the next morning we were first in line and got a very nice back in spot.

All spots are dry - there was one water tap and a hand pump (really) for potable water.  There was no sanitary dump.  The rest rooms were all outhouses.

We think this helps keep the place accessible.

Liard will get another visit on our return to California - and anyother time we are on the Alcan.