Rabbitkettle Hotsprings (Gahnįhthah)

What to expect

Rabbitkettle Hotsprings, known to Parks Canada by its Dene name Gahnįhthah, is a place to look at, not to bathe in. It sits near the upper South Nahanni River in Nahanni National Park Reserve, in the far southwest of the Northwest Territories, and it has built the largest tufa mounds in Canada. Parks Canada describes the mineral spring cauldrons of Gahnįhthah as a sacred site.

Two mounds stand here. The North Mound is free-standing, about 20 m (66 ft) high and 70 m (230 ft) across, and is the one people come to see. The South Mound has grown into a hillside and is lower. Water rises through a fault in the limestone plateau from close to 2,000 m (6,600 ft) underground and comes out in a central pool at the top of the mound. From there it spills down a staircase of small rimmed pools. Calcium carbonate drops out as the water cools, building the grey and off-white rims, some up to 30 cm (12 in) tall, and every time a pool fills, the overflow starts a new one. According to Wikipedia, the mounds began forming about 10,000 years ago after the last ice age, and they are the only known tufa mounds in the world on permafrost.

The water is not hot. Wikipedia gives it as about 70°F21°C. There is no soaking of any kind here. The mounds are among the park’s eight Zone 1 Special Preservation Areas, which are closed to all visitors unless authorized by permit, and the way in is a walk led by park staff. Near the North Mound, everyone takes off their shoes and walks barefoot on a set route, so boot soles do not crack the rims.

Whose land this is

The name comes from the Dene word gahnįhthah, which means kettle. English-speaking locals turned it into Rabbitkettle, after the kettle-like shapes of the basins. The Dene regard the springs as sacred and left offerings such as tobacco there for good fortune. Parks Canada interpreters in Nahanni share Dene culture with visitors, and the park now uses the names Gahnįhthah for the springs and Gahnįhthah Mıę for the lake beside them.

Getting there

There are no public roads in Nahanni National Park Reserve. Parks Canada says visitors arrive by air or hike in, and almost everyone flies.

• Floatplane: Most visitors charter a floatplane. Parks Canada lists Fort Simpson, Yellowknife, Muncho Lake in BC and Watson Lake in Yukon as places to charter from, and publishes a list of licensed air operators, including several based in Fort Simpson.
• Guided river trip: Many people see the mounds at the start of a South Nahanni canoe or raft trip. Nahanni River Adventures, for example, flies its upper-river groups to Honeymoon Lake and includes a guided 7 km (4.3 mile) return hike to the tufa mounds on days 3 and 4, pending the availability of park staff. Its 9-day trip for July 2027 is listed at C$10,080 plus a C$246.67 park fee and GST, with a separate C$400 charter from Whitehorse to McEvoy Lake.

However you arrive, plan the mound visit with Parks Canada in advance. Staff are posted at Gahnįhthah Mıę (Rabbitkettle Lake) during the summer operating season, and a visit depends on them being there. The park office in Fort Simpson is at 10005 100 Street (867-695-6558, [email protected]).

When to go

July and August. Parks Canada’s summer season runs from July 1 to Aug 31, and that is when Rabbitkettle Lake is staffed. A park warden is on call 24 hours a day from June 15 to Sept 15. Outside summer, the Fort Simpson office keeps weekday hours and the Nahanni Butte office closes, and you should not expect anyone at the lake.

Rules and permits

Nahanni runs on a permit and registration system. The rules that matter for a Rabbitkettle visit, from the Superintendent’s Orders and the park’s trip pages:

• Reserve and register. Every overnight trip needs a Northern Backcountry Excursion Overnight Trip Reservation Form, submitted in advance and confirmed. You must also register by phone, email or in person within 24 hours of entering the park.
• Pay the excursion fee. C$37 per person per day or C$259 per year for northern backcountry excursions and camping.
• Stay out of the preservation zone unless you are with park staff or hold a permit.
• No soap or grey water in lakes or hot springs anywhere in the park.
• Group size is capped at 12 people.
• Aircraft landings and drones need a permit at all times of year.
• Fires only in fireplaces at designated campgrounds, or in a fire box or fire pan elsewhere, using deadwood from the ground. Do not cut live trees or snags.
• No motorized boats or ATVs.

Where to stay nearby

There is no lodging in the park. Camping space at Gahnįhthah Mıę (Rabbitkettle Lake) is limited, and Parks Canada describes the facilities there as rustic and unmaintained, citing the area’s high environmental and cultural significance. Expect to be fully self-sufficient. Fort Simpson, where most charters start, has the nearest hotels, groceries and fuel. Further downstream, camping at Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls) is capped at two nights, with a limit of 24 new arrivals a day.

Safety notes

• Remoteness: You are a floatplane flight from the nearest road. Carry a satellite phone or messenger, leave your trip plan with Parks Canada when you register, and build in weather days.
• Bears: Parks Canada shares recent bear activity at registration. Do not leave coolers, food, garbage or dishes unattended; staff may secure them.
• Fragile ground: The tufa rims break under weight. Follow the staff route exactly, barefoot where told.
• Cold water and weather: Mountain weather changes fast, even in July, and river water this far north is cold. Pack rain gear and a warm layer for the walk to the mounds.
• Human waste: Follow the park’s human waste directive and pack out what you are told to pack out.