Meager Creek Hot Springs are CLOSED INDEFINITELY. A major landslide in 2010 has wiped out the access roads in several locations. The Upper Lillooet Forest Service road passed the Hurley is closed, and the campsite at 36km is also closed indefinitely.
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 springs, in a natural outdoor setting, offer three natural rock baths, a self-composting toilet, and a change room. The springs are 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 later reopened, providing easy access by road from Vancouver and Whistler to within a few hundred metres of the springs. The roads were washed out again in 2010, and the site is now closed indefinitely. As the area is still very geologically active, it is prudent to confirm the state of roads with the Forestry Service before visiting the area.
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 Springs. 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 Springs are 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.
Nearby Regions & Towns
Services in or near Meager Creek Hot Springs
Biographical Info
Enjoy the quiet and spectacular mountain setting, the unparalleled views, and the contemporary West Coast wood construction of Greenwood Country Inn. Relax and unwind in our elegant Chalet-style home perched on a bluff above Pemberton, and within walking distance to town. We offer country living and warm hospitality, private air-conditioned bird-theme rooms, a romantic Honeymoon Suite, many view decks, and an expansive First Nations Art Collection. The guest lounge features 18-foot vaulted ceilings, fireplace and a piano. Delicious breakfast and warm atmosphere. German and English spoken.
Greenwood Country Inn is only 25 minutes away from cross-country and downhill skiing at Whistler Blackcomb, or try our local heli-ski company for an unforgettable day of fresh powder tracks. The area offers some of the best snowmobiling in North America, so rent a sled or bring your own.
