Boulder Creek (Lillooet River tributary) facts for kids

Boulder Creek is a small river, also called a stream, located in the mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It flows southwest and joins the Lillooet River. This meeting point is about 95 kilometers (59 miles) northwest of a village called Pemberton.

Boulder Creek was first officially named Pebble Creek on September 6, 1951. However, people later realized that "Pebble Creek" wasn't a good name because the creek had many large boulders, not just pebbles. So, on June 22, 1979, its name was changed to Boulder Creek. A misnomer is a name that is wrong or unsuitable.

Hot Springs and Volcanoes

Boulder Creek is famous for its natural hot springs. These hot springs are known by a few names, like Pebble Creek Hot Springs, Keyhole Hot Springs, or sometimes Boulder Creek Hot Springs. These warm waters come from deep underground and are connected to a nearby volcano called the Mount Meager massif. This volcano last erupted about 2,350 years ago.

The hot springs get their heat from the volcano's activity. The hot water comes out from very old rocks, called Mesozoic basement rocks, near where the volcano's vents are. There are also other hot springs nearby at a place called Meager Creek.

Keyhole Hot Springs

The Keyhole Hot Springs are located about 42.5 kilometers (26.4 miles) along the Upper Lillooet Forest Service Road. You can reach them about one hour west of Pemberton. The pools at the hot springs are built using local stones. These pools were created by local builders and volunteers.

The area just above the hot springs is a special place for animals. It is called an "Ungulate Area." Ungulates are hoofed animals like mountain goats and sheep. This area is important for them because it's where they have their babies and raise their young.