Best Bath Facilities on a River Trip

[Chip]

At the time I took this photo, I was naked and drying off in the wind, thinking, this is the nicest bathroom ever. Reflecting on it now, my thinking was probably influenced by how good it felt after 7-days of desert heat and accumulated, caked-on, wind-blown dust. It's the Green River, and the wash water was gritty, so not that great a bath, but it sure felt great.



I've bathed in clear mountain streams and mountain lakes where the 10' deep bottom looked, through the still, clear water, like I was going to hit bottom if I jumped in. But I never paused for a photo.

Anybody else have a nominee for best bathroom?

 

[JohnSand]

On Coast Guard cutters we had limited water, and took "sea showers" 30 seconds water to get wet, turn it off and soap up. One minute water to rinse off. While off watch during a squall, I have stripped down and had an unlimited shower on deck.

 

[recped]

This one is a classic, I have not been there myself

Kraus Hot Springs

These Springs are a popular and much-anticipated rest break for those traveling down the South Nahanni River on a long and tough journey.

hotspringsofbc.ca

 

[Chip]

On Coast Guard cutters we had limited water, and took "sea showers" 30 seconds water to get wet, turn it off and soap up. One minute water to rinse off. While off watch during a squall, I have stripped down and had an unlimited shower on deck.

When traveling, I often carry water in re-purposed, gallon, Arizona Ice Tea jugs. I regularly take "jug showers." I start by pouring water on my head and splashing it around the critical areas, then soap, then douse myself with more water. Usually, there's about a third of a gallon left in the jug, so I get squeaky clean on about 2/3 of a gallon of fresh water. However, when traveling through areas with only rare sources of potable water... into the river I go.

A minute and a half of shower is probably more water efficient than a jug shower, or else the CG would probably just hand you a jug of water.

 

[Chip]

This one is a classic, I have not been there myself

View attachment 136305

Kraus Hot Springs

These Springs are a popular and much-anticipated rest break for those traveling down the South Nahanni River on a long and tough journey.

hotspringsofbc.ca

I've heard about hot springs but have never had the good fortune to paddle near any. I thought I might run into some on the Rio Grande (another "don't drink the water" river), but I'm betting they'd not be as clean and clear as those on the Nahanni.

 

[JohnSand]

When traveling, I often carry water in re-purposed, gallon, Arizona Ice Tea jugs. I regularly take "jug showers." I start by pouring water on my head and splashing it around the critical areas, then soap, then douse myself with more water. Usually, there's about a third of a gallon left in the jug, so I get squeaky clean on about 2/3 of a gallon of fresh water. However, when traveling through areas with only rare sources of potable water... into the river I go.

A minute and a half of shower is probably more water efficient than a jug shower, or else the CG would probably just hand you a jug of water.

Recently aboard my sailboat, I had cause to swim under the boat to check something. The shower isn't working yet after some repairs. I did have a gallon of bottled water aboard and was pleased to find that was enough to rinse off the saltwater. Recalling the days when I used a five gallon camp style shower on smaller boats, I got several showers from one bag.

 

[Foxyotter]

I think back fondly of a solo trip through the North Channel in Lake Huron. The water and air were warm and after taking my evening bath in the lake I would circumnavigate the small island that I camped on while only wearing Chaco sandals and Tiley hat. I would post picture of the islands but my camera was forgotten on an island after my mid afternoon siesta and was not noticed for a day and half and about 30 miles away. So far it has been one camera, a shirt and my perscription glass that have been left behind while traveling and I am a little bitter about those mistakes.

 

[PaddlingPitt]

recped referred to Kraus Hot Springs on the South Nahanni River. Kathleen and I paddled the South Nahanni River in 1990 with two other couples. Pretty much all travellers down the river stop at Moore's Cabin, where in 1978-79 Joanne Moore, on her honeymoon built a cabin with her husband John and over-wintered here on these banks. Most canoeists I know have read her book "Nahanni Trailhead", and now stop here to contemplate her stories shared in her book, and to pay respect to those who dare to pursue their dreams.





For camp we drifted 3 km (2 miles) downstream from the cabin to camp on a gravel bar at Moore's Hot Springs. Moore's Hot Springs offered a layover day, and a relaxing soak. We had 5 layover days planned for hiking, resting, and as insurance against bad weather when we might not be able to travel. Carey and Janice spent pretty much the entire day soaking in the warm water. Carey had a bad back, which he said had been bothering him quite a bit during the day. He didn't think he could have gone on without this rest day.



On our last night, we camped at Kraus Hot Springs, referred to by recped. From left to right, Carey, me and a member of a canoe trip guided by Nahanni River Adventures in Kraus Hot Springs. These Hot Springs provided an intermittent homesite for Gus and Mary Kraus between 1940 and 1971. The site had many chokecherries, and a black bear circled impatiently, while we soaked in the warm water, much appreciated on this 20th night of the journey. It was the best bath of any of my wilderness canoe trips!

 

[PaddlingPitt]

Kraus Hot Springs is more like a hot tub than a "bath," as presented by Chip, the original poster. Along the lines of Chip's bath, I offer the following from my trip report of when Kathleen and I paddled the Yukon River from Whitehorse to Dawson City in 2017.

After about an hour, we passed by the “Big White Rock” indicated by Rourke on river left, and began looking for camp, about 20 km (12 miles) from Dawson City. After a frustratingly long search, we finally found an acceptable camp about 14 km (8.5 miles) from Dawson. There was no value in reaching Dawson City today, on a Sunday. We wouldn’t be able to pick up our van until tomorrow. So we sat on the beach, enjoying our gorp snack, in what was our first calm afternoon that we could remember. Sandbar willows swayed gently in the breeze. Flies and bees buzzed softly. The river murmured over shoals on the distant right bank.


We were camped in a sloughy side channel of the river. Any passing canoes would stay on the far outside bend to ride the strong current. The nearly constant parade of power boats would avoid the shallow water of our slough. We deemed it safe to strip and bathe, to wash our hair, and to lie about in the sunshine as we drip-dried.




Life was good. Life was easy. Only 14 km (8.5 miles) to go. Spicy Thai noodles for supper. In the tent at eight-thirty for the last of the brandy. Only 14 km to go to Dawson City. Life was very good, indeed.

 

[Nick Pending]

I've heard about hot springs but have never had the good fortune to paddle near any. I thought I might run into some on the Rio Grande (another "don't drink the water" river), but I'm betting they'd not be as clean and clear as those on the Nahanni.

Chip,

I've been in both Moore's and Kraus Hotsprings on the Nahanni run, which weren't real clear either time we were there (I've done the Nahanni twice). Kraus's water was clearer as the river comes up fairly regularly and flushes the riverside pools out, but there was lots of algae in it that we had to clean out on both runs as I remember. The Rio Grande does have hotsprings downstream in the Lower Canyons stretch, and we utilized at least two or three of them on our run there several years ago. I've not yet done the canyons upstream of there but don't think there are accessible springs up there, if any at all. We've also been in several hot springs here in Oregon, others in Idaho, maybe more that I'm not remembering now. And that's a classic shot you show on the Green River from the Lower Anderson Bottom campsite. There's a small spring upstream of your camp a half mile or so, but it's not hot, and is used as a human drinking water source, so no climbing into it. Thanks for the memories.