Meager Hot Springs are right beside the wild Meager Creek and at the foot of the mountain massif known as the Meager Group.
Meager Group with Mt. Meager in the centre
Mount Meager itself is well known to geologists because 2400 years ago this volcano erupted and spread ash as far away as Alberta. The mountains all around the hot springs are very steep and high and are still home to huge glaciers. Although not much of that is visible down at the level of the creek, this area is known for frequent major landslides and flash floods. Visitors are cautioned to be aware of the risks and if necessary to be prepared to move to the well-marked ‘refuge’ locations that are safe from slides.
The site is beautiful, and the pools are restful. The constant roar of the creek and its dynamic flow actually becomes white noise that is part of the springs’ calming magic.
On Sunday, when we drove to Railroad Pass on the Hurley River Road in search of snow to ski, and found none, we decided to drive to the hot springs. After the bridge was washed out in 2003 the Springs were closed. A new and very robust bridge was built and the facility re-opened late last summer. In the past it has had a reputation of wild parties. This year, we found that there was an attendant who was using a pressure washer to clean the algae off the largest pool, and collected a $5 fee from each of us. We saw only seven other people. The site was tranquil and beautiful.
To visit, take the highway NW out of Pemberton (north of Whistler) for 25km. Watch for an intersection and turn right. A short paved road crosses the Lillooet River and continues on a dirt road along the north side of the river. 9 km farther is the intersection with the Hurley River Road — a rough summer road that is the quickest way to travel north to the South Chilcotin. Don’t take the Hurley River Road. Stay left and continue on the Lillooet River Forest Service Road for 38km. The road is fairly rough but you will not need 4×4. There is a primitive (but attractive) camp site and then the intersection with the road along Meager Creek. Turn left on the Meager Cr. Branch and a rustic wooden bridge crosses the Lillooet River. It is about 6km farther to the parking lot for the Hot Springs. There is a short walk across the new Meager Creek Bridge to the path to the Springs. The Springs are about 600 metres along this path.
The geothermal activity in this area results in another, more remote, hot springs called, Keyhole Falls/Pebble Creek hot springs. I have heard that access requires some route-finding that might appeal to the adventurous. Also, high above the Springs is a major geothermal electricity generation project.
great video! thanks so much for posting! we’re travelling to BC soon, and definitely want to check out Meager Creek. looks awesome.
Good to know Meagar Creek Hot Springs reopen. Been there years ago. Great film, but wonder I can’t hear audio in your film. Thank you.
Polar, I have checked both the video and the audio here on the blog and at Viddler. It works on my iMac and on friends’ computers, so I don’t know why you don’t hear the audio track. I should mention that the audio track is simply what the camera picked up at the time, which is mainly the white-noise-like roar from Meager Creek. You can hear a little dialogue over that when we are paying the fee at the large pool. And there is throb of the gasoline power washer at that pool. So, while it is perhaps nice to have that track, you are not missing too much.
A good-sized debris flow has blown out the Capricorn bridge for the rest of the year – the caretaker shot some video, I’ve embedded in our web site – Warning, there is some salty language!
http://www.bikeco.ca/mudslide-at-meager-creek/
Pete, thanks for the story and the link to the amazing video.
The story appeared in PIQUE, Whistler’s news magazine. http://snipurl.com/s9ukb [www_piquenewsmagazine_com]