Northwest Territories · Protected / no bathing
Rabbitkettle Hot Springs
Rabbitkettle is known for delicate tufa formations built by mineral-bearing spring water. Its significance lies in the remarkable geological structure, rather than the promise of a conventional hot pool.
Historical source coordinate; not a trailhead. Accuracy and datum have not been independently verified. Historical water readings describe source samples, not safe soaking temperatures.
The largest travertine mound in Canada
Rabbitkettle is not a place you bathe — it is a place you are escorted to look at. The free-standing North Mound rises about 20 metres and spans roughly 70 metres across, making it the largest travertine mound in the country, and it is believed to be around 10,000 years old.
It forms because calcium carbonate precipitates out of the spring water and hardens, building intricate terraces and basins known to geologists as rimstone dams and gours. These are also understood to be the only tufa mounds in the world sitting on permafrost — a combination that makes them scientifically unique as well as visually extraordinary.
You need a guide, and that is not negotiable
The mounds are extremely fragile; a single footstep in the wrong place does damage that takes centuries to undo. Parks Canada designates the Rabbitkettle Hotsprings tufa mounds a special preservation area, and entry requires authorisation — in practice a permit and being accompanied by a park employee.
Access is by guided hike with park staff. Plan around that requirement rather than hoping to find your own way up.
Gahnįhthah, the kettle
The site is also known as Gahnįhthah, meaning kettle, and it holds particular significance in the lives of Dene and Métis people. Gifts such as tobacco and matches have traditionally been left at the springs to bring good luck.
The associated understanding is direct: as long as the kettle was overflowing it signified good luck, and an empty kettle signified the opposite. Visiting respectfully means recognising that this is a place of meaning and not simply a geological curiosity.
Opening hours & season
Guided tufa-mound visits unavailable for the remainder of the 2026 season
Protected formation; no bathing. Future guided access must be arranged with Parks Canada.
All times are local to the spring. Checked 2026-10-01; this is not a live opening-status display. Closure notices override regular hours.
Our take
A standout for visitors interested in the processes that create a thermal landscape. The fragile formation calls for a conservation-first visit, entirely on the park’s terms.
Editorial assessment based on published information. No firsthand visit or customer score is implied.
Before you go
Sources & record notes
Geoscience BC’s 2016 compilation · 1 historical sampling record · Source name: Rabbitkettle. References recorded in the dataset: NWT 2010.
Sources used for this guide
- Parks Canada — Nahanni National Park Reserve, geology and geomorphology
- Wikipedia — Rabbitkettle Hot Springs
- Wondermondo — Rabbitkettle tufa mounds
Written from the published sources above. Operator hours, access rules and closures change; the official link is authoritative.