Halcyon Hot Springs, British Columbia


Halcyon Hot Springs, originally Halcyon Hotsprings, also known simply as Halcyon, was a hot springs resort and spa located on the east side of Upper Arrow Lake, between Galena Bay and Nakusp, in the Kootenay Country of British Columbia, Canada. Halcyon Mountain nearby to the northeast derives its name from the resort.

History

The springs were well-known to the Sinixt and Ktunaxa peoples, who fought over ownership of the springs and of the Arrow Lakes region in general.
The name Halycon was conferred by Robert Sanderson, a steamboat captain who staked a mineral claim here and opened the first hotel in 1894, in reference to that word's meaning of contentment. The springs attained a worldwide reputation and water from them was bottled for export, reaching customers in London. When the local mining rush ended and steamboat traffic stopped, the hotel changed hands a number of times and became rundown. In 1924, British Army Brigadier-General Dr. Frederick Burnham, who was a surgeon, revamped the hotel as a sanatorium. In 1955, the hotel burnt to the ground, taking with it the life of Dr. Burnham. The site was abandoned due to lack of road access, although a resort has since been rebuilt.

Tourism

Halcyon Hot Springs, also known as Halcyon Hot Springs Resort & Spa, is a popular travel destination in British Columbia, found 35 km north of Nakusp, BC on the Upper Arrow Lake.
Halcyon Hot Springs Resort & Spa is open to the public year round and has two natural hot spring pools, a cold plunge pool and a seasonal swimming pool, located directly on the beautiful Upper Arrow Lake.
The Resort is equipped with a full service restaurant, 'The Kingfisher', that is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is a spa on site and 45 cabins, cottages & chalets dotted in the trees around the lake.