Rabbitkettle Hotsprings

The name could be a little misleading, depending on your senses and preferences, as these 21C springs are lukewarm, not hot. However, for what the springs themselves lack in heat, the surrounding tufa deposits easily make up for in magnificence, as they are the largest such structures discovered in Canada and the only deposits in the world known to be located on permafrost. The springs are about 5km from the warden station on Rabbitkettle Lake on the south side of the Rabbitkettle River, about 2km upstream from its junction with the South Nahanni River, at 61°56'N and 127°10'W in the Flat River map area.

One old story describes how the local indigenous people once caught rabbits in the nearby area and cooked them in the springs, hence the name Rabbitkettle. This tale is likely apocryphal, however, as the name is derived from the Dene word gahnhthah, meaning "kettle," which English-speaking residents translated as "Rabbitkettle" based on the unusual shapes of the surrounding basins. The Dene people saw these springs as a sacred place and were known to leave offerings such as tobacco to ensure good fortune.

The main attraction of these springs is a breathtaking flat-topped mound of tufa about 27m tall and 60m in diameter, consisting of individual terraces around 4m high that strongly resemble a giant yellow-white layer cake. These deposits are also extremely fragile and easily break apart under human feet. Due to this instability, explorers wishing to visit the springs must be chaperoned by one of the park wardens stationed at Rabbitkettle Lake, who run twice-daily guided tours throughout the summer. Guides and visors alike must climb the hill barefoot to minimize damage to the delicate tufa.

Despite the large size of these deposits, the water's flow is quite small at under 2 litres per second. The main spring originates from the centre of the tufa mound. The water forms a pool about 4m across and perhaps 10m deep with bubbles rising from the bottom. The water has a low dissolved mineral content, mainly calcium and bicarbonate, and is completely odourless.