Last Updated on September 11, 2016
Wanderlust always sets in for far away places and we have never been able to explore as much of British Columbia (BC) as we would like. This year we made a resolution to explore our own backyard more and our friend having her first beautiful baby up in Fort St. James gave us a great reason to stop making excuses and get out for another adventure in British Columbia.
We passed through many towns during our route from Vancouver to Fort St. James. Take a minute to take a look and see some of the beauty we encountered in supernatural BC during our ten hour plus venture into the Interior of BC.
Lytton
Lytton sits at the confluence of the Thompson River and mighty Fraser River on the east side of the Fraser. Lytton was on the route of the Gold Rush in 1858, but its importance lessened with the creation of the Coquihalla Highway in 1987, which gives a more direct route to BC’s Interior.
Ashcroft
Ashcroft was founded in the 1860s, during the Cariboo Gold Rush. The Ashcroft area is the driest place in Canada outside of the high arctic. It is a small town nestled along the banks of the Thompson River with ample hiking and a myriad of opportunities to get active outdoors.
Cache Creek
The name of Cache Creek is apparently derived from a Cache, a buried and hidden supply and trade goods depot that was used by the fur traders. We loved all the beauty and history we were surrounded by in Cache Creek. Stunning and picturesque views around every turn. Our best find along the route was the historic Hat Creek Ranch. We were able to sleep in a covered wagon and explore their Roadhouse, Native Village and take a ride in a stagecoach. The ranch includes 320 acres of fields and hills in BC’s Southern Interior.
100 Mile House
100 Mile House is the primary service centre for the South Cariboo and has a population of approximately 2,000. 100 Mile House is a centre for outdoor activities; the surrounding area features hundreds of lakes for boating and fishing.
108 Mile House
The 108 Mile House Heritage Site was a great break from the car and an easy visit from traveling along the highway. The heritage site is well groomed and kept clean and safe. It was interesting to tour the old buildings, or you could take a walk along the lake. It isn’t a very big heritage site, but it was more than enough to stretch our legs and learn something new. There’s also a nice picnic area overlooking the 108 Mile Lake.
Williams Lake
Williams Lake is a city in the Central Interior of BC. It is known for being the hometown of Rick Hansen, the Canadian paraplegic athlete and activist for people with spinal cord injuries, who became famous during his fundraising Man in Motion world tour.
Quesnel
Quesnel is claimed to be home to the world’s largest gold pan, although this is disputed by Nome, Alaska. It is located between the cities of Prince George and Williams Lake. The town has a lot of history, as it is located along the old gold mining trail known as the Cariboo Wagon Road and was once the commercial centre of the Cariboo Gold Rush in the late 1880’s (hence the name “Gold Pan City”).
Prince George
Prince George is the largest city in northern British Columbia, making it “BC’s Northern Capital”. The origins of Prince George can be traced to the North West Company fur trading post of Fort George and today the city is the service and supply hub for one of the fastest-growing regions in Canada.
Vanderhoof
Vanderhoof is the Geographic Centre of British Columbia. Due to nearby rural communities without services, Vanderhoof actually supports nearly 10,000 people, while only having under 5,000 within its own city limits.
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Fort St. James
Fort St. James is a former fur trading post in north-central British Columbia. It is also the gateway to a chain of rivers and lakes that traverse 400 kilometres of central British Columbia. The population of the Fort St. James area, including the municipality itself, rural areas and First Nations, is approximately 4,500 people.
We loved how much there was to do outdoors and how close and accessible everything was. The only thing we weren’t fans of was the water smelling like rotten eggs when we were having a shower.
And, of course, when you’re on a road trip in Canada, you definitely cannot forget to at least start it with…
A Canadian road trip essential…
Have you ever taken a long drive through small towns? Where did you end up?