Nakusp Hot Springs

What to expect

Nakusp Hot Springs is a small, unfussy public hot pool run by the Village of Nakusp, a lakeside town of about 1,600 people on Upper Arrow Lake in BC’s West Kootenay. The pools sit 14 km (9 miles) up the Kuskanax Valley in forest at the foot of the Selkirk Mountains. It feels like a community pool that happens to be fed by a hot spring, which is a large part of its appeal.

There are two outdoor pools. The small pool is the hot one, kept at about 104°F40°C. The large pool is usually around 98°F36°C, but in midsummer the operator cools it to roughly 80°F27°C so it works for swimming, then warms it again from mid-August. The water comes from mineral springs in the forest above the building, and more than 200,000 litres of filtered mineral water pass through the pools every day. The village publishes a mineral analysis that is high in sulphates and silica.

The building itself is a piece of BC history. Wikipedia notes that it was designed by Saskatchewan architect Clifford Wiens and officially opened in 1974 by Premier Dave Barrett, built with about $700,000 in federal and provincial grants on an old logging road. Before that, visitors in the 1930s drove partway and walked or rode packhorses the rest of the way.

Getting there

Nakusp sits where Highway 6 and Highway 23 meet on the east shore of Upper Arrow Lake. From the village, follow the signs to Hot Springs Road, a paved road that climbs about 14 km (9 miles) into the Kuskanax Valley to the pools at 8500 Hot Springs Road. There is parking at the building.

Most routes into Nakusp involve a free inland ferry across the Arrow Lakes:

• From Revelstoke, Kamloops or Calgary: Drive south on Highway 23 and cross on the Shelter Bay ferry at the north end of the lake. The operator puts the drive from Revelstoke at about 2 hours.
• From Vernon, Kelowna or Vancouver: Take Highway 6 east and cross on the Needles cable ferry at the south end. Kelowna is about 3 hours 45 minutes away.
• From Nelson: About 2 hours 24 minutes north through the Slocan Valley on Highway 6, no ferry needed.

Calgary is about 6 hours 30 minutes away. Ferry schedules and winter road conditions add time, so check DriveBC before you leave, especially on mountain passes between November and April.

When to go

The springs are open all year. They close twice a year for maintenance. In 2026 the fall shutdown ran from noon on Oct 12 to Oct 22. The small pool reopens on Oct 23 with a limit of 25 people, and the large pool is due back on the afternoon of Oct 26 after tile and grout work ran over. The spring shutdown is Apr 19 to May 7, 2027.

Winter is when the place makes the most sense. Snow piles up around the deck, the hot pool steams, and Winter Wednesdays (Nov 1 to Mar 31) cut the price to C$8.50 a swim. Summer is busier, with campers and families, and the large pool is at its coolest. Weekday mornings are quietest all year.

In summer, check for campfire bans. A Category 1 campfire ban covered the Nakusp Fire Service Area, which includes the hot springs, from July 22, 2026.

Prices and booking

No reservations are needed for the pools. Prices for 2026:

Ticket	Per dip	All day
Adult	C$15.00	C$22.00
Senior (60+)	C$14.00	C$20.50
Youth (6-17)	C$14.00	C$20.50
Family (2 adults, 2 youth)	C$46.00	C$65.00
Extra youth or child	C$10.00	C$15.00

Children 5 and under are free. After 6 p.m., a late swim costs C$27 for adults and C$25 for seniors and youth and includes a pass for the next day. Swim cards bring the price down to C$10 a swim with a C$100 minimum. Groups of 10 or more pay C$10 each.

Rentals: towels are C$4 plus a C$5 refundable deposit, locks C$2 plus a C$6 deposit, and swimsuits C$5. The front desk also sells swimsuits, goggles and swim diapers.

From Oct 23, 2026, hours are 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with last entry 30 minutes before closing. On Dec 24 the pools close at 5 p.m., and on Dec 25 they open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 250-265-4528 (toll-free 1-866-999-4528) to confirm.

Where to stay nearby

• Campground: The village runs a campground beside Kuskanax Creek with 30 powered RV sites, 8 walk-in tent sites, 3 overflow sites and accessible powered sites near the pool building. There are hot showers but no sani-dump (the nearest is in Nakusp, about 15 minutes away). It opens May 1, weather permitting, until mid-October. In winter, a few powered sites stay open for self-contained campers. Book online early.
• Cedar chalets: Four rustic chalets, each split into a front suite and a smaller back suite, sit a short walk from the pools. Every booking includes soaking passes for two. Winter 2026-27 rates run from C$145 to C$325 a night, and C$155 to C$350 from May 15 to Oct 15. Up to two pets are allowed per chalet for C$30 per pet per night.
• Nakusp: The village on the lakeshore has motels, restaurants, fuel and groceries.
• Halcyon Hot Springs, a private resort, is about 35 km (22 miles) north on the lake if you want to pair two soaks in one trip.

Nearby stops worth adding

The Hot Springs Source Trail leads through the forest from the facility to the springs that feed the pools. The village restored it in 2025, repairing erosion and building cedar boardwalks to protect the supply pipes and the habitat around them, and reopened it on Sept 17, 2025. The area has poison ivy, which is uncommon in BC, so stay on the boardwalk.

Safety notes

• Heat: The small pool is 104°F40°C. Keep soaks short, drink water and get out if you feel lightheaded.
• Poison ivy: Present along the source trail. Learn to recognise it before you go and keep children and dogs on the path.
• Winter driving: Hot Springs Road climbs into the valley and can be icy. BC requires winter tires on most highways from Oct 1 to Apr 30, and DriveBC posts current conditions.
• Wildlife: This is bear country. Keep food and garbage locked away at the campground.
• Fire season: Follow any campfire ban. Fires are not allowed in the campground during bans, even in the pits.