Thorsen Creek Hot Springs
Thorsen Creek Hot Springs
Hot Spring
Secluded hot springs near Bella Coola, accessible via tributary from Thorsen Creek. Overshadowed by nearby petroglyphs, these historic hot springs may have been used by early inhabitants.
The Thorsen Creek Hot Spring is located just outside of Bella Coola, just a short distance up a tributary from Thorsen Creek itself. These springs are not frequently visited, as their presence is often overshadowed by the petroglyphs nearby, as well as the plethora of things to do in and around Bella Coola. The petroglyphs are noted as one of the oldest archeological sites in all of British Columbia, making these hot springs likely a traditional site for some of the earliest people to arrive in the area.
Thorsen Creek Hot Spring is an excellent location if you are looking for a peaceful retreat from some of the busier hot springs in the province. This site is rich with history, and you can feel yourself engulfed with serenity as you immerse yourself in these historic waters. This site is best visited in late fall and early spring as you will have to cross Thorsen Creek to reach the site, which is safest to do when the water level is low.
Address
Notable GPS Co-ordinates
Detailed Directions
- From Bella Coola, head west along HWY 20 to the community of Thorsen Creek.
- From there, take the logging road, either by driving if it is open or hiking the roughly 5km/3mi on the east side of the creek, until you reach the major tributary coming in from the west.
- Cross here, and follow the tributary up stream a short ways until you reach the spring.
The coordinates for this spring put it on a tributary to Snooka Creek, but the description sure makes it sound like it's on Thorsen Creek. Either the coordinates or the description is in error. I'll be in Bella Coola this summer and will try to find this spring and the correct location. Thanks for the information.
Thursday, May 9, 2024 at 9:59 AMHi Brian, any luck finding the springs? Looking for more information if possible as I would like to try to visit them myself.
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 1:08 PMI talked to some locals and it sounds like it is indeed up Thorsen Creek, not Snooka Creek, but even the locals weren't sure of its exact location. Thorsen Creek is a bit tricky to explore as the area around the petroglyphs is sacred to the Nuxalk and they highly encourage taking a Nuxalk guide to enter the area. I have a Nuxalk friend that has promised to go with me to try and find it this winter when the steam cloud from the springs is easier to spot. Unfortunately that is all of the info I have so far.
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 8:38 PMThank you Brian this is valuable information, as I am not from the area I was unaware of the sacred land it was within! I had found vague directions regarding accessing the springs that seem to check out, but it requires crossing the creek while it is low in the late fall (around this time) and once on the other side continuing on to the springs.
Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 8:50 PMHi Chris, I'm not sure the hot springs are considered sacred as very few Nuxalk actually know their location or even of their existence. They are not listed under the Nuxalk sacred sites on the nation weppage. My Nuxalk friend seemed to think it was fine to go try and find them. The area around the petroglyphs is definitely sacred and I think the key is to avoid this area when trying to access the area past the petroglyphs where the springs are rumored to exist. You could avoid the petroglyphs by heading up the canyon on the East side of the creek. Interestingly, a government contracted report on geothermal resources lists the springs in the category of "Rumoured springs that might not exist" So who knows if the springs are even real!
Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 9:45 AMI would love to have a copy of the vague directions you found.
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