Permafrost thaw is spatially heterogeneous, driven by site-specific interactions among thermal, hydrological, and landscape controls. In the Taiga Shield, sharp transitions between land covers result in sharp discontinuities in permafrost conditions over short distances. This study investigates how adjacent bedrock uplands influence ground thaw in soil-covered hillslopes through lateral hydrological connectivity and associated advective heat fluxes. Frost probing, soil temperature, soil moisture, and runoff measurements were collected across a hillslope bordered by exposed bedrock in 2023–2024 to assess spatial patterns in thaw depth and quantify conductive and advective energy contributions. Spring frost probing revealed significantly deeper thaw near the bedrock margin, with maximum thaw depths of 0.5–0.6 m compared to interior hillslope means of 0.20–0.32 m. A clear transition in thaw response occurred ~11 m from the bedrock–soil interface. Elevated soil moisture and deeper subsurface wetting at edge locations during snowmelt indicate that lateral inflows from the bedrock enhanced early-season thaw. Energy balance calculations show that advective heat flux from bedrock runoff was substantial during snowmelt, when conductive heat flux was suppressed by near-isothermal soil conditions. Over the full thaw season, however, conductive heat flux dominated total energy inputs, and end-of-season active layer thickness did not differ significantly between edge and interior locations. These findings provide rare observational quantification of advective heat contributions to ground thaw and demonstrate their transient but important role in shaping spatial patterns of permafrost thaw. Improved process understanding will inform the development of numerical schemes that better represent permafrost dynamics in Earth system models.