Some like it hot… and those people should definitely be at Hot Springs Cove!

On my recent trip to Tofino, my family and I decided to embark on a little adventure to Maquinna Provincial Park. Our main purpose: to check out the all-natural, geothermal hot pools located just 32 km up the coast.

To get to the very secluded provincial park, we took a 90 minute boat ride, courtesy of the Whale Centre, in which we enjoyed beautiful scenery and even spotted a couple of bears along the way.

Once we arrived at Hot Springs Cove, we hiked a 2 km boardwalk through an old growth rainforest. The trail was so lovely and tranquil with interesting carvings in the planks and lookouts to capture the views.

When we finally reached the hot springs, we were able to soak in small pools of water at a toasty 107°F. We even found a pool at the opening of the rocky penninsula where the cold ocean water was seeping in. We thought we had found the perfect lukewarm pool until we began getting blasted with icy waves. The entertainment for the afternoon quickly became watching my brother squirm as the temperature switched from hot to freezing cold at less than a moments notice.

It was so great to see that the springs hadn’t been altered or expanded to make us tourists more comfortable. The rocks were slippery. The pools were small. And the location was remote.

The spot is definitely popular with more people than pools at times, but it’s still worth the effort and the crowds to experience such a unique natural phenomenon.