| Visitors seeking
to rejuvenate their soul should venture out to Meager Creek Hot Springs,
tucked away in the Coast Mountains near Pemberton, northwest of Vancouver.
The Japanese-style
hot spring, in a natural outdoor setting, offers three natural rock
baths, a self-composting toilet, and a change room. The spring is
maintained by Recreation Sites and Trails BC, with a nominal entrance
fee. The day-use only Meager Creek is a favourite spot for residents
of southwest BC. Clothing is optional. Primitive no-service camping
is available nearby at the Upper Lillooet Campsite, and a serviced
campsite is planned for the future.
The Meager Creek
is one of the most unstable valleys in BC, and has been the site
of a number of dangerous landslides, normally during heavy rains
or soon after a serious deluge. Spring and fall may bring flooding
and washouts, with a high risk of snow avalanches in the winter.
The gravel forest road to the site was washed out during severe
flooding in October 2003, but has since reopened, providing easy
access by road from Vancouver and Whistler to within a few hundred
metres of the springs. As the area is still very geologically active,
it is prudent to confirm the state of the access road with the Forestry
Service before visiting.
Visitors are
required to haul out whatever they haul in, particularly garbage,
and should please note that No Dogs are allowed at Meager
Creek Hot Spring. The dog ban is entirely a health matter, as the
springs are not required to be chlorinated, and the Coastal Health
Authority has threatened closure of the springs if dogs are permitted
on site.
Meager Creek
Hot Springs are being managed as a pay site recreational area by
an independent contractor. There is a site operator at the gate
to cross the bridge to the site. A
nominal $5 fee for day use applies, for site cleaning and maintenance.
The site is now restricted to day use only.
Location
Meager Creek Hot Spring is located west of Pemberton in the Coast
Mountain Range, 3 hours north of Vancouver. From Highway 99 in Pemberton,
drive through Pemberton town centre. Turn onto the Pemberton Meadows
Road and travel for 27km on this paved road before turning right
onto the Lillooet River Forest Service road - watch for green directional
signs. Stay on this gravel road for approx 24 miles (39km) - watch
for kilometre signs on the road. Turn left at the junction at 39km,
and drive over a bridge crossing the Lillooet River. Continue on
for a further 8km, staying to the left at the fork. Park only in
the parking lot, not near the bridge, and do not park on the other
side of the new bridge over Meager Creek. Walk across the bridge.
The trail to the hot springs is on the right, just after the new
bridge.
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