Laird Hot Springs Provincial Park

June 22, 2012    LAIRD HOT SPRINGS

Wow!  What a day!   We had such a great trip from Fort Nelson to this beautiful Provincial Park in British Columbia!  The weather was just gorgeous, and we saw LOTS of animals along the Highway.

We saw our first bear before we got very far down the road.




We stopped at the very rustic Tetsa River Services and Campground to sample their home-made cinnamon buns.  They were excellent and HUGE.  Soon after leaving there we began to see groups of Stone Sheep along and on the road.  These sheep are indigenous to the mountains of northern British Columbia and southern Yukon Territory. They are darker and smaller than the bighorn sheep found in the Rocky Mountains.  They are often mistaken for mountain goats, which are not found in this area.  There were some very young lambs among the groups we saw.    A bit further along the road we saw a grizzly  bear, but not in time to get a picture.

We stopped for lunch at a turnout by the Racing River which was very aptly named as it was moving very fast.  On the road again after lunch, we saw what we think were two moose beside the road.  They looked like moose except for the color, which was lighter than we thought it should be.

Barb and Daisy at Racing River

A moose we think!

We stopped to admire the blue-green water and beautiful mountains at Muncho Lake, and we saw more black bears and Stone Sheep along the roads.

Muncho Lake

 We decided to camp for the night at Liard Hot Springs Provincial Park.  This was a truly beautiful campground, but we were dry camping which Steve doesn't like.  Fortunately the weather was still wonderful and we didn't miss the electricity too much.

Laird Hot Springs Campground

 On the way to the springs, a boardwalk trail crosses the wetlands environment that supports more than 250 boreal forest plants, including orchids and other plants that survive there because of the springs.  It looked a lot like Florida!  We all took a dip in the in the water, which was really HOT! The temperature  ranges from 108 to 126 degrees, and it was quite an experience.  The closer you get to the spring, the hotter the water gets.  I made it all the way to the spring but didn't stay there long!

We enjoyed happy hour outside and it was lovely, but that hot water had made us all sleepy.  We were sound asleep before 9 PM and slept until 7 in the morning!

Note:   Steve is always ready to capture that perfect picture!