I have often enjoyed the hot springs at Skookumchuck, southeast of Pemberton, but get even more enjoyment from what lies around and beyond the springs. I have seen cougar tracks in the soft sand of the eroding Lillooet River bank, and petrographs on the nearby cliff faces. Those ancient markers have both an old story and a new one. They may have been distance indicators for long-gone First Nations traders, but more recently a disgruntled man tried to burn them and destroy them. The road follows the route of Gold Rush trail, the Douglas Road. However, the big payoff for the drive down the gravel road is the village of Skatin with its astoundingly beautiful church. This church, the Church of the Holy Cross, was built by the local natives in the Carpenter Gothic style, and is not under the direct control of the national church. As such, it is most directly part of the spiritual life of the community. This secluded village and its church, listed as one of the top ten most endangered historical buildings in the whole country, should not be missed. You'll feel the spirituality of the place immediately.

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