The Beta pool is the hottest pool and this guy tried every spot until he found one he could stand for more than five seconds. He did swim for about a minute. Most decided the pool was too hot for them.
Another person who had to prove they could handle the heat:
The woods between the Beta and Alpha pools:
This is the Hanging Garden. At the right time of year and with rainfall it is full of blooms. This was not the right time:
This is the Alpha pool. The water comes in this end at about 127 degrees (53C) and mixes with a cooler creek to 104 (40C) to 120 (49C) closer to the stairs and even cooler on the far end. When we came to swim earlier more people were in the hot end, but it was 86 degrees (30C) out so now most were in the cooler end:
Roses blooming above the pool:
The lower part of the pool:
There was one spot close to the boardwalk that reminded us of the Ochre Beds in Kootenay National Park, BC.
On a cooler day later in the summer we would see more flowers and appreciate the hot springs more. But it was a nice stop.