Tsek Hot Springs

Adjacent to the Lillooet River, in the Pemberton Volcanic Belt, you will find Tsek Hot Springs and the sacred location of the In-SHUCK-ch and St’át’imc people (nkúkwtsa) of British Columbia. The nkúkwtsa established a permanent village of (s7)ístken (pit houses) and plank houses along the banks of the Lillooet River, and a series of trails through the nearby forests to hunting grounds and neighbouring villages. The mineral hot springs at Tsek provided our ancestors with physical and spiritual wellness, while the loose, sandy nature of the soil made the cedar tree roots grow long and straight. Tsek’s hot and cold springs became the most important spiritual site in the lower Lillooet River Valley. It is said that the cool spring served as a healing pool where the Elder mothers trained men to be chiefs, watchmen, and other important positions in the In-SHUCK-ch Nation. Pronounced “chick”, Tsek Hot Springs (also known as Skookumchuck Hot Springs and St. Agnes’ Well Hot Springs) has continuously been occupied and utilized by the St’át’imc people as a location to heal and cleanse the body and spirit centuries before Europeans arrived along our shores.