Halcyon Hot Springs Resort - Canada, British Columbia

Halcyon Hot Springs Village and Spa is a hot spring resort and real estate development in Canada’s British Columbia. It started out as a rustic spot and later got developed into a premium location with a variety of recreational opportunities for visitors and residents.

The resort sits on the waterfront of Upper Arrow Lake with the Monashee Mountains in the background. Hot mineral water comes out of the source at a temperature between 124°F and 129°F (51-54°C) and gets treated with ozone and sometimes chlorine before it flows to pools. The water contains a high concentration of sulfate, sodium, fluoride, and lithium and has a noticeable but not very strong sulfur smell.

There are two decks with a few pools. A large pool on the upper deck is the hottest with temperature of 104°F (40°C), another warm pool next to it at 99°F (37°C) and a seasonal swimming pool on a lower terrace is at 86°F (30°C). There is also a cold plunge pool on the upper deck. All of the pools function on a flow-through system, so water is constantly replaced.

The resort has numerous accommodations from loft chalets to studio suites and cabins. Other options for accommodation include a full-service RV site as well as tent camping spots.

The Upper Arrow Lake and surrounding area is a prime location for a variety of summer and winter outdoor activities. While visiting the resort you can enjoy boat tours, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, whitewater rafting, golf, horseback riding, ATV riding, skiing, ice fishing, and dog sledding.

In 1890 the first hot spring sanatorium was built by Captain Sanderson. The building was constructed along with wooden pipes transferring hot mineral water from the source.

In the late 1890s ownership changed and the property was greatly enhanced including the construction of a water bottling plant for shipping water to the USA and UK.

In 1924 due to World War 1 and Prohibition, the owner decided to get rid of the resort so it was purchased by White Cross Society under the oversight of General Frederick Burnham. Burnham renovated existing structures and built new hot baths and cottages. Because of the great depression, the resort started declining.

In 1945 Burnham lost his wife Anna and he never recovered from this tragedy. Frederick’s story ended in 1955 when he started an accidental fire that killed him and destroyed many wooden buildings.

The resort wasn’t rebuilt for decades until 1998 when the construction of the new resort began. In 1999 the resort opened its doors to visitors and the construction was fully completed in 2003.