Yukon · Developed pools
Eclipse / Takhini Hot Springs
The Takhini spring system supplies the contemporary Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs experience near Whitehorse. Natural mineral water is combined with a Nordic-style spa setting, including hot pools and spaces for quiet relaxation. The historical Takhini pool photograph is clearly dated and does not show the current facility.
Historical source coordinate; not a trailhead. Accuracy and datum have not been independently verified. Historical water readings describe source samples, not safe soaking temperatures.
Yukon's soak, just outside Whitehorse
The natural hot springs water at Takhini, a short drive from Whitehorse, feeds the pools now operated as Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs. It is the Yukon's accessible soak — close to a city, open through the winter, and built around the contrast between hot water and genuinely cold air.
The site has run under more than one name over the years, which is why both Takhini and Eclipse appear in search results and older guides.
The International Hair Freezing Contest
Takhini is responsible for one of the odder things in Canadian tourism. Each winter the site runs a hair freezing contest, held from December through March on days colder than about −20 °C so that hair will actually freeze.
The mechanics are simple: soak, wet your hair, sit up in the cold air, and sculpt it as it stiffens — in sufficiently cold conditions that takes under a minute. The event has gone thoroughly viral and draws entrants internationally; the 2020 edition recorded 288 participants.
Going in winter
Winter is the point here rather than a compromise. The combination of hot mineral water, deep cold and northern darkness is the experience most visitors come for, and the aurora is often part of it.
Dress for the walk between the change rooms and the water rather than for the water itself, and check current hours before travelling — northern operating schedules shift with the season.
Opening hours & season
Daily 9 am–10:30 pm; last entry 8:20 pm
Age 19 and over. Confirm availability and reservation terms with Eclipse.
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 strong match for an adults-only wellness day with easy access from Whitehorse. Choose it for a designed spa experience, not for an undeveloped wilderness pool.
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: Takhini. References recorded in the dataset: Grasby 2000.
Sources used for this guide
- Eclipse Nordic Hot Springs — hair freezing contest
- Wikipedia — Takhini Hot Springs
- Wikipedia — The International Hair Freezing Contest
Written from the published sources above. Operator hours, access rules and closures change; the official link is authoritative.