Rabbitkettle Hot Springs

<h2 id="formation">Formation</h2>
The water in the springs originates from a fault in the limestone plateau, and the mechanics of <a href="/facts/Piping_pseudokarst/yrjCajL2">piping pseudokarst</a> draw hot water from nearly 2,000 m (6,600 ft) deep in the earth upwards through the fault.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a>
The water emerges in a central pool at the top of the mound and flows downward through a terrace of surrounding pools.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14">14</a> The <a href="/facts/Travertine/k7yThLFw">travertine</a> walls of these pools can be as tall as 30 cm (12 in), and range in colour from grey to off-white.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15">15</a> The spring water is rich in dissolved minerals from the <a href="/facts/Limestone/8ntvtFnR">limestone</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Calcium_carbonate/UQ1wLFna">calcium carbonate</a>. These minerals are deposited on any surface the water flows over, gradually coating it and forming tufa structures known as <a href="/facts/Rimstone/VexV0DNq">rimstone</a> dams and gours.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16">16</a> Eventually, the older pools begin to fill with deposited minerals, which causes the water to spill over the edges and form new pools.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17">17</a>
The pools were formed after the end of the <a href="/facts/Last_glacial_period/mIYwj8e9">last glacial period</a>, some 10,000 years ago, when the continental ice caps retreated.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18">18</a>

<h2 id="visitors">Visitors</h2>
Due to the fragile nature of the tufa structures, tourists are only permitted to visit the hot springs with guided tours run by park staff.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19">19</a> Visitors must remove their shoes and walk barefoot on a prescribed path to get close to the North Mound.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20">20</a>

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Virginia_Falls_(Northwest_Territories)/32r9Y8sp">Virginia Falls (Northwest Territories)</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Rabbitkettle_Formation/JYzanDng">Rabbitkettle Formation</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">Observation, Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Earth Sciences Sector, Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth. "Place names – Rabbitkettle Hotsprings". www4.nrcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2017-07-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) <a href="http://www4.nrcan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique.php?id=LATQV" target="_blank">http://www4.nrcan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique.php?id=LATQV</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 309. ISBN 0-89577-087-3. <a href="0-89577-087-3" target="_blank">0-89577-087-3</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">Hartling, Neil; Jowett, Peter (2003). Nahanni River Guide. Rocky Mountain Books Ltd. ISBN 9781894765404. <a href="9781894765404" target="_blank">9781894765404</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 309. ISBN 0-89577-087-3. <a href="0-89577-087-3" target="_blank">0-89577-087-3</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">Noel, Lynn E.; Environment, Atlantic Center for the (1995). Voyages: Canada's Heritage Rivers (soft cover). Breakwater Books. ISBN 9781550810998. <a href="9781550810998" target="_blank">9781550810998</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">Hartling, Neil; Jowett, Peter (2003). Nahanni River Guide. Rocky Mountain Books Ltd. ISBN 9781894765404. <a href="9781894765404" target="_blank">9781894765404</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">Hartling & Jowett 2003, pp. 181–182. - Hartling, Neil; Jowett, Peter (2003). Nahanni River Guide. Rocky Mountain Books Ltd. ISBN 9781894765404. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=JRQ9YWG9kZcC&pg=PA74" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=JRQ9YWG9kZcC&pg=PA74</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">Thompson, Peter; Harrison, Marion (June 26, 1999). "North's Nahanni captivates with strength, beauty". Calgary Herald. Retrieved 2019-06-04 – via Newspapers.com. <a href="https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32262062/norths_nahanni_captivates_with/" target="_blank">https://www.newspapers.com/clip/32262062/norths_nahanni_captivates_with/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">Canada, Parks Canada Agency, Government of. "Geology and Geomorphology". www.pc.gc.ca. Retrieved 2017-07-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) <a href="https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/nt/nahanni/decouvrir-discover/natcul1c#rab" target="_blank">https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/nt/nahanni/decouvrir-discover/natcul1c#rab</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">"NWT Place Names Database – CPSPG | PWNHC". www.pwnhc.ca. LATQV. Retrieved 2017-07-25. <a href="http://www.pwnhc.ca/cultural-places/geographic-names/database-of-nwt-geographic-names/" target="_blank">http://www.pwnhc.ca/cultural-places/geographic-names/database-of-nwt-geographic-names/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">Canada, Parks Canada Agency, Government of. "Geology and Geomorphology". www.pc.gc.ca. Retrieved 2017-07-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) <a href="https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/nt/nahanni/decouvrir-discover/natcul1c#rab" target="_blank">https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/nt/nahanni/decouvrir-discover/natcul1c#rab</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">Noel, Lynn E.; Environment, Atlantic Center for the (1995). Voyages: Canada's Heritage Rivers (soft cover). Breakwater Books. ISBN 9781550810998. <a href="9781550810998" target="_blank">9781550810998</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">Hartling & Jowett 2003, pp. 181–182. - Hartling, Neil; Jowett, Peter (2003). Nahanni River Guide. Rocky Mountain Books Ltd. ISBN 9781894765404. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=JRQ9YWG9kZcC&pg=PA74" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=JRQ9YWG9kZcC&pg=PA74</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:14">Noel, Lynn E.; Environment, Atlantic Center for the (1995). Voyages: Canada's Heritage Rivers (soft cover). Breakwater Books. ISBN 9781550810998. <a href="9781550810998" target="_blank">9781550810998</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:15">Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 309. ISBN 0-89577-087-3. <a href="0-89577-087-3" target="_blank">0-89577-087-3</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:16">Observation, Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Earth Sciences Sector, Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth. "Place names – Rabbitkettle Hotsprings". www4.nrcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2017-07-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) <a href="http://www4.nrcan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique.php?id=LATQV" target="_blank">http://www4.nrcan.gc.ca/search-place-names/unique.php?id=LATQV</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:17">Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 309. ISBN 0-89577-087-3. <a href="0-89577-087-3" target="_blank">0-89577-087-3</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:18">Scheffel, Richard L.; Wernet, Susan J., eds. (1980). Natural Wonders of the World. United States of America: Reader's Digest Association, Inc. p. 309. ISBN 0-89577-087-3. <a href="0-89577-087-3" target="_blank">0-89577-087-3</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:19">Hartling, Neil; Jowett, Peter (2003). Nahanni River Guide. Rocky Mountain Books Ltd. ISBN 9781894765404. <a href="9781894765404" target="_blank">9781894765404</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:20">Hartling, Neil; Jowett, Peter (2003). Nahanni River Guide. Rocky Mountain Books Ltd. ISBN 9781894765404. <a href="9781894765404" target="_blank">9781894765404</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Rabbitkettle Hot Springs open-in-new

Rabbitkettle Hot Springs