These partially developed hot springs with cedar tubs are located near the Stikine and Ketili Rivers. They are the most popular of three hot spring options accessible from the lower Stikine River and are maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. Popular with kayakers and day-trippers from Wrangell and Petersburg, the springs are marked on the USGS Petersburg C-1 map, with the Bradfield Canal C-6 map, also useful for navigation.
The springs feature a cedar tub about 2 meters in diameter inside a small bathhouse, surrounded by Sitka spruce and hemlock. A second open-air pool lies near a meadow, suitable for camping, especially later in the summer when bugs are fewer. Facilities include tent sites, changing rooms, and fire pits. The tub has two hoses, hot and cold, for adjusting water temperature. Water is odorless, low in algae and minerals, with main components being sulphate, sodium, and silica. The main spring feeds into the tub area from a cliff about 100 meters away, with smaller, cooler springs near the bathhouse.
From the lower Stikine River, head north along the Ketili River. After passing old cabins, turn upstream (right) along the Ketili. About 3 km from the Stikine and just beyond a small island, turn north into a narrow, slow slough until reaching a landing with wooden steps. If coming downstream from Canada, turn north at the east end of the Ketili River, about 8 km past the international border. Follow the main channel downstream for about 10 km. After a small slough joins from the right, just before an island, turn right into a narrow estuary and paddle 200 meters to the same landing with wooden steps. A short trail leads from there to the springs.
The main spring emerges at the base of a cliff and is piped down to the tub. Additional smaller springs are located near the bathhouse. Reaching the springs requires navigating narrow sloughs or estuaries which may be challenging, especially during low water or if water levels are unclear.
