HOT SPRINGS BC RIDERS SWEAR BY
soaking isn’t about recovery alone. It’s also where the day gets replayed. Lines get debated. Stories get better. Plans for tomorrow take shape.
photo: JS Media House
Across history, hot springs have been the reset after hard days — from Roman bathhouses to Japanese onsen to mineral springs across BC. Different places. Same purpose.
Big days in cold terrain leave a mark. Quads cooked. Shoulders tight. Hands still buzzing long after the sled’s loaded. Hot springs work because they change how your body recovers. Mineral-rich water, heavy in magnesium, calcium, and sulfate, helps muscles release and reduces inflammation from repeated impact and vibration. Heat forces blood vessels to open, pushing oxygen back into tired tissue and clearing out the buildup that keeps you stiff the next morning.
In British Columbia, soaking has become part of how riders reset between days. These are some of the best places to link serious riding days with a proper post-ride soak.
LUSSIER HOT SPRINGS
Best Paired With: Invermere & Cranbrook Riding
About an hour from Invermere or Cranbrook, the drive starts on the highway before turning onto Whiteswan Lake Forest Service Road for roughly 17 km. The springs are natural, undeveloped, and quietly iconic. A short walk leads to rock pools fed by a hot waterfall tucked along the banks of the Lussier River. There’s a change room at the FSR pullout — and in winter, a robe and ice cleats aren’t just practical, they’re locally approved.
Best Paired With: Nelson & West Kootenay Riding
Just 43 minutes from Nelson, Ainsworth is worth planning ahead — book your soak window online. What sets it apart is the combination of an outdoor mineral pool and a natural cave lined with calcium carbonate stalactites. The Lower Kootenay Band welcomes visitors to this place of healing, used by the Ktunaxa people since time immemorial as nupika wu’u — spirit waters — for recovery and restoration.
Best Paired With: Fernie Riding
One of BC’s most sledder-approved place to stay — and for good reason. While it’s not a natural hot spring, the Fox’s outdoor hot tub has become part of the Fernie sled routine, and it absolutely counts when it comes to end-of-day recovery. The hotel is pet-friendly, close to fuel and food, with easy parking, guest BBQ and kitchen space, and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability. The detail riders mention most? Staff who remember your name and make the place feel like home base, not just a hotel.
Best Paired With: Revelstoke & Sicamous Riding
About 33 minutes from Revelstoke and 20 minutes from Sicamous, Crazy Creek offers two hot pools at different temperatures plus an 8°C cold plunge that will absolutely reset you. It’s especially magical during a snowstorm. Family-friendly 7 days a week but with adult-only hours from 9–10 pm, and a great onsite shop for post-soak snacks.
MAKE IT A STANDOUT TRIP FOR TWO…
We almost hesitate to put these on the list — but they earn their place. These aren’t everyday sled bases. They’re the trips you book when you want serious riding and for your partner to feel just as excited about the weekend as you are.
Perched on a granite ridge south of Vernon, Sparkling Hill overlooks Okanagan Lake and the Monashee Mountains. European-inspired and unapologetically refined, this adults only resort delivers a thermal spa experience nearly unmatched in BC. Ride during the day, soak and dine at night — it’s a balance that works.
Well positioned for Trout Lake and Arrow Lakes riding, Halcyon offers lithia-rich mineral pools, lake views, and a calm, unhurried setting. It’s quietly special — a place that turns a winter sled trip into a true getaway without losing the soul of the ride.
Ride hard. Recover well. And leave space at the end of the day — that’s where some of the best parts happen!
