Liard Hot Springs

We roll into Liard Hot Springs (pronounced Lee-ard, named by a French explorer for the abundant poplar trees) about mid afternoon with the full intention of spending a few days to relax and enjoy the area. We cruise the campground and find a lovely site. Then we go on a short hike to explore the area and check out the hot spring.
We find a grotto like source of nice hot water which gives the immediate surrounding area a somewhat tropical feel with lush ferns and vegetation.

Hot spring source

Surrounding ferns

The pools are formed by a small dam over the stream which allows you to find your optimal temperature. That is, the closer the source, the hotter the water is and further down stream, the cooler the water becomes.

Spillway makes a nice jacuzzi like jet for your back

stairs for entering pool

view from boardwalk to the pools

The downside is with the heavy spring runoff and the warm weather, the mosquitoes are out in full force with clouds of them hungrily following you when venturing out into the open. The bug repellants I tested at Tassajara don't seem to be much of an deterrent, so we don our  mosquito suits Peter insisted we buy at Cabela's in Reno (yes - Peter you were right. We do need them!)

The creatures from the Black Lagoon

Peter BBQing our dinner

Testing the water

Almost everyone at the campground has a method (or two) for keeping the bugs at bay, some are more effective than others:

• Deet based sprays don't work as well as expected. 
• Walking quickly will outrun them, but once you stop they will pounce on you. Even the park staff are being bothered by the mosquitoes and say they are the worst ever seen.
• A German lady park ranger at the gate was burning a coil by her door and reports it works pretty good unless a dog enters as the mosquitoes will hang out on the fur
• A local couple swears by a clothing spray to keep them at bay (note to self - buy some!)
• The mosquito suits do work, but you need to keep the netting away from your skin so they can't probe through it to suck your blood.

The blood suckers trying to get to us via our ceiling fan vent

Needless to say our relaxing stay at the hot spring didn't quite turn out as planned, so we pack up and hit the road early the next morning and high tail it outta there.

Whew - open road (notice dead mosquito on upper left windshield)

take us way from them

far, far away from them.

We stop at a famous overlook of the Liard River, which was once used as a lookout by thieves to rob unsuspecting travelers when the Liard was the main route of travel through this region.

Liard River We vow never to camp by still water again on this trip and to favor high, dry, breezy campsites.