Aug 13

Driving the Haines Highway (150 miles on a Dead-End Road, but Loving Every Minute of It!)

Have you ever driven almost 150 miles on a dead end road?  That’s basically what you’re doing if you’re driving the Haines Highway from Haines Junction, Yukon (located on the historic Alaska Highway) to the charming town of Haines, Alaska.  Driving the Haines Highway and hanging out in Haines for a couple nights was one of the highlights of my trip to Alaska.  I hadn’t originally planned to do the trip to Haines as it was quite a distance to back track, but after hearing several other travelers rave about it, I decided to make the trip and I’m glad I did! 

Sunset after 10pm on the Haines Highway

The Haines Highway

Haines Highway is highway 3 in Yukon and British Columbia and highway 7 in Alaska that runs from Haines Junction to Haines.  The quality of Haines Highway is excellent!  It’s paved all the way from Haines Junction to Haines and beyond.  The only parts that weren’t maintained were the last few miles of gravel road to the Alaska State Park and state recreation park and those road bits were terrible – many potholes so be careful.  I ended up with a low pressure tire, perhaps from the poor conditions of those gravel roads to the parks. 

Fireweed and scenery on the Haines Highway

What to See on the Haines Highway

The entire drive is scenic, with views of many mountains, lakes, and glaciers.  A worthy stop along the highway is the short detour to Million Dollar Falls (accessed through the Million Dollar Falls campground).  It’s worth doing this drive during any kind of weather – from sun to gray days.  It looks different under all conditions and the glaciers change with the sky.  I was even lucky enough to see a rainbow after a mix of a short downpour and sun.

A rainbow over the Haines Highway

Crossing the Border to Haines

Unlike Hyder, Alaska which has not connections to anywhere else in Alaska and therefore no US customs, since Haines is on the Alaska Marine Highway, you will need to stop at immigration/customs both going into Alaska and back into Canada on the way back.  You will need a passport or enhanced driver’s license.  Questions going both ways asked about weapons, alcohol, and cannabis products (event CBD).  Going into Alaska, they also asked about items purchased in Canada and produce (but they didn’t confiscate the half bag of carrots I declared). 

Wildlife on the Haines Highway

While I did not see loads and loads of wildlife on the Haines Highway, I was lucky to see a wide variety of animals including swans, hawks, foxes (8 of them in total), ground squirrels, and a single black bear eating berries.  But the highlight of all was making an evening stop at the day use area at Kathleen Lake where I saw a lynx!   The foxes were also amazing, including a male with a massive tail that just found his lunch, to a mother fox playing with her pups – I watched them play for nearly 15 minutes.   The best place to look for animals on the Haines Highway is between the pullout at Chilkat Pass and Twin Lakes, as this is where the fox dens are located.  As mentioned earlier, if you visit in the fall, the eagle viewing is also excellent on highway 7 along the river just north of Haines. 

Male fox and his kill (I think a rabbit)
Mother fox and 2 over her 4 pups
Mother fox keeping a watchful eye on me
Baby fox jumping over a fox hole
A berry content bear

What to Do in Haines

Haines is a small town.  If possible, avoid when there is a cruise ship in port (there are not ships every day).   Here are my favorite things to do in Haines:

Go to the Chilkat State Park.  There are great views of the glacier and waterfalls across the bay.  Also watch for moose, a mother moose and young ones are often seen in the park.  The Alaska State Parks around Haines are free for day use only (fee only applies for camping), unlike most other parts of Alaska where state parks are $5 a day – somehow the fee hasn’t made it’s way to Haines (yet). 

Hit one of the museums and go shopping in downtown Haines.

Watch the Alaska Marine Highway ferry of cruise ships sail into dock.  At nighttime, you can see the commercial cruise ships that visited Skagway sail out to the ocean. 

Princess Ship leaving inlet to Skagway

Look for Bald Eagles.  Haines is famous for their eagles.  If you visit in the fall, there are many along the river in the eagle reserve.  But during my visit I saw a couple dozen bald eagles around town and towards the state park and reserve.

Juvenile Bald Eagle catching breakfast in the mud flats

Go to the cannery.  If you visit during the work week, you can see them processing fresh caught salmon.  There are windows to watch the workers and see them in action.  Warning: if you’re squeamish about fish guts and blood, this free self-guided tour isn’t for you.  There’s also a gift shop with locally made crafts and a shop selling canned salmon and fresh seafood on site.  The cannery is located about half way between town and the state park.  Watch for eagles here – there was an eagle catching fish in the turquoise bay just outside the cannery.

Haines Cannery, with glacier in the background

Use the wifi at the public library and get cheap used books at their book sale for your journey (25 cents).

Head out on Lutak road towards Chilkoot State Recreation site to look for bears, either Grizzly or Black Bears.  The weather had been warm right before my visit so many of the bears had headed for the hills, but I was lucky to see a young Grizzly Bear digging in the seaweed at low tide for his dinner.  He patiently hunted and ate for over half an hour.   Near the reserve there is a salmon weir where there were plenty of salmon were crossing but my visit was a little too early to see bears.  In a typical year, in late summer and early fall, around 8 grizzlies will regularly hunt in this space. 

Young Grizzly Bear grazing, and crows heckling him.

Best Time to Visit Haines

According to locals, my visit was just a little too early.  While I visited in mid-July, it seems late August or early September would be a better time. 

Where to Stay in Haines

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For boondockers, there are many free places to stay along the bay either on the drive to the state park or state reserve.  I stayed at a sweat little picnic area with a bathroom halfway between the town and the Alaska ferry terminal – it was one of my favorite free campsites in Alaska.   If you’re not camping in a van, there are RV parks in town and several great choices for people who aren’t camping (Check rates and availability in Haines).

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Aug 09

Things to Do in Atlin, BC – Jamming at the Atlin Arts and Music Festival

The thing about traveling to Alaska is that many of the interesting things to do and see along the way are down dead end roads.  I had read about Atlin in the tourist literature available at nearby tourist centers and the Milepost guidebook and it sounded like it was interesting, but decided to go there on another trip.  But the thing about traveling and going where the wind takes you, is that the wind may take the smoke of a forest fire and put it right over the places where you’re heading.  The smoke is so thick, not only can you smell and see it, but it can negatively impact your health.  So, I arrived in Whitehorse, Yukon on a very smoky morning, planning to make my way north to the Dempster Highway.  However,  the smoke predictions were that the entire highway was smoky, with the worst of the smoke being around the Arctic Circle.  This smoke was sticking around for at least a week, so I wondered what I could do instead, even considered going home the smoke was so bad.  But then I turned on local radio and heard about the Atlin Arts and Music Festival, starting the next day.  I got online at the Whitehorse Visitor center and found you could no longer buy tickets online, and the place to purchase the tickets locally was to stop pre-sales the day before.  I didn’t give up and headed over to the local office.  They weren’t sold out and they would still sell me a ticket for the pre-sale price of $145 for the whole weekend festival.  So, I bought my ticket, had a nice lunch, filled my tank with gas, and started driving to Atlin.  I’m so glad I went because the festival was great and there were interesting things to do in Atlin, BC: 

Things to do in Atlin – Check out the cool old buildings

Atlin is the most northwest town in British Columbia. It connects by road only to Yukon, and Whitehorse is the closest major city, about 2 hours by driving. Many of the older buildings in town have amusing plaques describing the use of the buildings in the early 1900’s.  There are signs on many shops, the church, theater, etc.  Some have other purposes today, such as the hardware store and craft shops. 

Things to do in Atlin – Go Aboard the Historic Ship Tarahne

The Tarahne ship is open on weekends in the summer and admission is by donation.  This ship was used in the early 1900’s to bring tourists to Atlin. 

Tarahne Ship on Lake Atlin

Things to do in Atlin – Lake Atlin

Lake Atlin is the largest natural lake in British Columbia. It’s possible to rent houseboats and do other boating and stand up paddleboarding.

Things to do in Atlin – See a Show at the Globe Theater

The refurbished Globe Theater is a small venue for film and music during the Atlin Arts and Music Festival, but it’s a community gathering place for film showings and speakers at other times of the year.  Look at the bulletin boards around town for what’s playing at the Globe Theater.   

Globe Theater and Downtown Atlin

Things to do in Atlin – Explore further

There are many miles of roads that go east and south of Atlin.  These roads contain historical and natural sites.   Natural sites include fishing lakes, mountain and beach hikes, and several campgrounds, some of them free.  I particularly liked the Pine Creek Falls, found only about 3 km east of town.   I happened to see the falls marked on my maps.me app and had the view of the falls all to myself.  Not many tourists make their way out to Atlin, even post festival. 

Pine Creek Falls

Things to do at the Atlin Arts and Music Festival

Music –

Even though I had never heard of any of the artists (but many Canadian attendees were familiar with them – they were singing along), I LOVED some of the artists that were new to me!  I especially liked Dan Mangan, Terra Lightfoot, DJ Shub, and Sarah MacDougall.  There was a mix of music from Rock, Folk, Country, and more and there was usually 2 shows at the same time so everyone can find some music they like.

Said the Whale Rocking in the big tent at the Atlin Arts and Music Festival

Visual Arts –

There isn’t loads of visual arts, but even more fun is that you can take classes in various visual arts from printmaking to painting to mixed media.  I took a 2-hour landscape painting class using acrylic paints for a very reasonable $20 CAD, and had a painting of the Atlin mountains to take home with me. 

My painting of the Atlin landscape

Film –

The Yukon Film society put on two pre-festival showings on Thursday night plus films during the first 2 days of the festival.  I was lucky to view “The Edge of the Knife”, the first full length feature film in the Gaida (First Nations) language and a Documentary about mountain life in British Columbia.

The Atlin Arts and Music Festival After Party –

The festival grounds and town clear out by 5 pm after the festival officially closes.  Many of the people from Whitehorse need to work the next day.  But one of the festival goers mentioned I should stay the night (the camping pass let’s you stay until Monday) and go to the after party.  At 9 or 10 pm, some of the festival attendees, volunteers, and performers show up at the Atlin Rec Centre for an informal jam session.  It was cool so see a few relatively known Canadian performers hanging out, talking to fans, and singing cover tunes of Prince and Weezer.  I met some people from Whitehorse that attend the party each year and they said 50% of the years, the after party is better than the festival. 

Atlin Arts and Music Festival After Party

Where to Stay in Atlin

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If coming for the Atlin Arts and Music Festival, most people camp. Camping used to be free (there is still an informal free campsite for tents farther from the festival), but I paid $50 for camping for the whole weekend. Most people just stay Friday and Saturday night, but I stayed Thursday through Monday morning.

There are a couple hotels and several B&Bs around town (View Rates and Availability).  Note that during the Atlin Arts and Music Festival, many of the rooms at the hotels are reserved for the performers. 

Aug 03

Driving the Cassiar Highway to Alaska

When driving to Alaska from the USA, there are two traditional routes, the Alaska Highway and the Cassiar Highway.  I had the joy of driving the Cassiar Highway on my way up to Alaska.   While Driving the Cassiar highway, you will have nice views, but the various detours you can do off the highway were the highlight for me. 

Where and What is the Cassiar Highway?

The Cassiar Highway is Highway 37 that runs largely South to North in northwestern British Columbia and southern Yukon.  It connects the Yellowhead Highway to the famous Alaska Highway about 23 km west of Watson Lake, Yukon.  The Highway is 722 kilometers long and will take about 10 hours if you drive without stopping, but there are plenty of things to see so you will be stopping. 

What to See on the Cassiar Highway

The following were my favorite things to do and see on and near the Cassiar Highway, going from south to north:

Gitwangak Battle Hill National Historic Site

The first stop is almost immediately after you start your drive on the Cassiar.   You can take a short detour to this battle hill.  There are interpretive signs in three languages – English, French, and native and you can hike one km to the summit of the battle hill. 

Gitwangak Battle Hill National Historic Site

Gitanyow Hereditary Chiefs – Totem Poles

Head a couple km into Gitanyow town to see the incredibly high totem poles.  This is also the last place to get gas before Meziadin junction. 

Gitanyow Totem Poles

Detour: Nass Valley

One of the interesting things to see as a detour from the Cassiar Highway is the Nass River Valley.  The Nass Valley is home to several interesting first nations villages, free hot springs, nice waterfalls, and the most recent lava flows in Canada (approximately 250 years ago).  Tip: it’s better to visit this from Terrace, BC and then take the short-cut over to the Cassiar Highway on the Nass River Forest Road (check locally for conditions as this is not a maintained road).  Read more about the Nass Valley here.

Lava flows with looming mountains

Meziadin Lake

Meziadin Lake is a beautiful lake and one of the busiest State Park campgrounds in this part of BC.  Make sure you look for the white-ish Spirt Bears that live around the lake.  You will be extremely lucky if you see these elusive bears. 

Detour: Hyder, AK and Stewart, BC

At Meziadin Junction, you can head west on highway 37A to Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK.  If you only have time to do one detour while driving the Cassiar highway, make sure you do this one!  The highlights include lush valleys, waterfalls, bears, and glaciers.  Read more about Hyder and Stewart here. 

Glacier view at Granduc Mine

Detour: Telegraph Creek

Another fun detour you can take from the Cassiar Highway is the exciting drive to Telegraph Creek.  The drive takes you through the Grand Canyon of Canada on roads that are at times one lane with 20 degree inclines.   You definitely need to keep your eye on the road for this detour. Read more about my crazy drive to Telegraph Creek here. Mudslides were involved.

Cassiar Mountain Jade Store

In nearly every country other than the USA, the cable Discovery Channel airs a series on Jade Mining in the Cassiar area of British Columbia.  The girl in the gift shop said they hope eventually it will be aired in the USA, as it will bring even more business.  The store has free coffee (although that’s a trick to guilt you into buying something – I ended up buying a cute, tiny bear figurine made of white Yukon marble, with a tiny little jade fish in it’s mouth.  They have loads of jewelry, statues, and merch from their TV show like mugs and T-Shirts.  The jade items are quite pricey but they have a few things for under $20 CAD. 

Cassiar Mountain Jade Store

Detour: Cassiar Asbestos Mine

I didn’t know what to expect when taking the short detour to the abandoned town of Cassiar.  All the information I had read or been told was that the town had been demolished and the only reason to go there was to see the scenery.  But the old mine and a massive pile of greenish-gray dirt were still there, it was super fascinating.  Read more about my trip to the abandoned Cassiar Asbestos Mine here.

Discarded dirt from the Asbestos Mine

Boya Lake Provincial Park

It was very smoky and hazy (due to Yukon and Alaska wildfires of 2019) during my visit to Boya Lake, but this lake is gem blue on a sunny day.  You can camp and rent kayaks at this provincial park.

The Magnificent Views

There are lots of great mountain views on the Cassiar Highway.  I especially liked the northern half of the highway from Dease Lake to the Yukon border.  Even driving through the barren wildfire areas was great, with some beautiful ponds and lakes (even saw a pair of loons in one pond). 

A serene lake in the morning on the Cassiar Highway

British Columbia/Yukon Border

Of course you need to stop at the border to get your photo of the Yukon sign!  The British Columbia side has toilets and signage.

Cassiar Highway – Other Logistics

There were well-stocked pit toilets every 90 km or so along the Cassiar Highway, so a bathroom break is never too far away.  Some of the stops also have interpretive signs, including maps and mileposts to nearby services and campgrounds. 

Know where the gas stations are and fill up if you go below half a tank.  Some of the gas stations have limited hours so you don’t want to be stuck waiting all night for a station to open.

Typical rest area on the Cassiar Highway

How Long Does it Take to Drive the Cassiar Highway?

According to Google maps, the total driving time to do the Cassiar Highway is a little over 10 hours.  Hypothetically, you could do this in a day, but I would recommend at least 2 days to do the Cassiar and more if you plan on doing any of the detours listed above. 

Cassiar Highway Wildlife

I met a guy in a rest area near Smithers, BC who said “there are so many bears on the Cassiar highway!  I got so many pictures I eventually didn’t stop for all of them!”  So I was excited.  I had seen a couple bears near Barkerville and again near Smithers, but I was waiting for that great National Geographic type of shot of bears.  Well, after driving the entire length of the Cassiar highway, I saw but one bear, and it crawled into the bushes after a few seconds of seeing it!  I did see a couple other things along the Cassiar including a moose, a beaver, a fox, and a porcupine.  It was the first time I’ve ever seen a porcupine in the wild – I pulled over to the side of the road when I spotted it walking towards me and it just took it’s time walking by my van and beyond.   The best time to see wildlife on the Cassiar Highway is early morning or evening, most of my wildlife fines were seen early one morning as I got an early start for my drive.   I have the maps.me app on my phone and that allowed me to find water features like rivers, lakes, and ponds that might be good places to spot wildlife. 

Porcupine just minding his own business
Moose seen in pond north of Dease Lake

Where to Get Gas on the Cassiar Highway

The cheapest gas on the Cassiar Highway was at Kitwanga (actually, it’s even cheaper at New Hazelton, so fill there if you can).  Next cheapest was in Stewart, BC and then at Iskut.  You can check gas buddy for recent prices. 

Where to Stay on the Cassiar Highway

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If you’ve detoured to Stewart and Hyder, you definitely should spend a night there (Check Rates and Availability in Stewart/Hyder).

There are several cottages, B ,n Bs, motels, and campgrounds along the Cassiar Highway.  The largest concentration is around Dease Lake, a good half-way point if you’re planning to drive the Cassiar highway in two days (Check Rates and Availability in Dease Lake). 

A couple places I camped on the Cassiar Highway included the $10 per night Lion’s club campground just south of Dease Lake, and the free Sawmill Point Rec Site, shown below.

An incredible free place to camp on the Cassiar Highway – Sawmill Point Rec Site

Are you planning to travel the Cassiar Highway? Make sure you have the Milepost guide, the bible for driving to Alaska with all attractions, campgrounds, gas stations, and other notable markers on the way.

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Jul 29

The Grand Canyon of Canada – Grand Canyon of the Stikine River

One of the highlights of a drive up the Cassiar highway is a detour to the “Grand Canyon of Canada” – the Grand Canyon of the Stikine River located in British Columbia.  This is one of Canada’s premier canyons and a really fun drive to boot!  The road leads to the historic Telegraph Creek and some First Nations camps at Glenora.

The Drive

Sign seen before the road gets really crazy!

Although the drive from Dease Lake to Telegraph Creek is only 108 km, you should expect the drive to take around 3 hours… one way!   The road is gravel pretty much from the time you leave Dease Lake.  I had read warnings that this drive was narrow and steep and after doing more than half of the drive, I came upon a beautiful lookout and a big downhill drop.  Hmm, this must be the narrow and steep part, I thought.  But I was wrong.  I came upon an even steeper and narrower bit, but that still wasn’t the most steep and narrow.  Finally, I came upon a steep and narrow crossing into a canyon and back up the other side.   The grade on this road is 20 degrees.  I put my car in 1st gear and I still had to brake all the way down the hill!   There are some parts that are so narrow, you don’t want to look down the side, because it’s over 100 yards to your impending doom if you slip off the cliff.

There was a vehicle that had fallen off the road – please be careful on this drive.

If the cliffs weren’t enough, I also had to drive through a mud slide!  It had rained buckets the night before an there were several small mud slides on the road from Dease Lake to Telegraph Creek, one of which I almost got stuck!  But the department of transportation was hard at work and the mud slide had been totally cleaned up by the time I returned to Dease Lake in the afternoon.

The Grand Canyon of Canada – Grand Canyon of the Stikine River

I’ve read that this canyon has been compared to the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River in Arizona but I’m sorry to say I’ve been to Grand Canyon National Park several times and this is no comparison.  That being said, it’s a beautiful canyon and the drive is worth it.  The canyon makes up a 45 mile span of the Stikine River.  There are multiple viewpoints along the drive. 

Grand Canyon of Canada

Telegraph Creek

Telegraph Creek is a historical city at the bottom of another steep hill.  It had poured rain the night before and alas, there were mudslides (another consequence of the 2018 wildfire that consumed half of the historical buildings) that had closed the village on the day of my visit.  Locals expected the road to be closed for 3 days.

All I saw of Telegraph Creek

Grand Canyon of the Stikine – Horses

Horse ranching is a tradition in this area.  On the day of my visit, a woman rancher was going to swim 20 horses across the Stikine River at Glenora.  I didn’t have hours to wait around because I needed to continue up the Cassiar Highway, but it must have been an incredible site.  The river is very swift.

The Tahltans

A posted sign along the road reads “Lifeblood of the Tahltans – The Stikine River at the Tahltan has always been the lifeblood of the Tahltan Nation.  Each year the Tahltan returned to the Stikine when the salmon were running as the fish it provided was a main food source.  One fishing method involved using a gaff (long pole with a large hook at one end) to catch the salmon, which were dried in the smokehouses.  The Tahltan has been a main gathering place for meetings, potlatches and other ceremonial traditions.”  In fact, you will likely see smokehouses (wooden buildings with space between the boards) and maybe even come upon a traditional Tahltan fish camp during your drive of the Grand Canyon of the Stikine.

Regrowth in the Canyon

The canyon had a major fire in 2018 but you can see the colorful regrowth starting – although my visit was in early July, it looked a bit like fall colors.

Regrowth after fire

Tips to Visit the Grand Canyon of Canada

Fill up with gas at Dease Lake.   There is gas at Telegraph Creek, but best to be full leaving Dease Lake as you will burn gas faster than normal on such a slow speed gravel road. 

Watch for wildlife and horses.  I saw a fox just after leaving Dease Lake.

Make sure you stay in the lowest gear possible on the downhill drops, to not burn out your brakes.

Are you driving to Alaska? Yes, the road to Telegraph Creek – Grand Canyon of Canada is covered in the Alaska Milepost Guidebook. I recommend this book to get off the beaten path.  

Single Lane, Wood Plank Bridge in the Grand Canyon of Canada

Where to Stay

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It is possible to do this trip as a day trip from Dease Lake. (Check Rates and Availability of motels and cabins)  Alternatively, there are a couple Bed and Breakfast spots in Telegraph Creek (Check Rates and Availability).  There is one rest area along the road to Telegraph Creek before the very steep descent that would make a nice, free camping spot that has a pit toilet and a great view.

Jul 24

The Abandoned Cassiar Asbestos Mine in Cassiar, British Columbia

On my big trip to Alaska, I was always looking for interesting side trips.  The useful road and provincial park map of northern British Columbia provided by the helpful BC visitor centers depicts a short road up to a town called “Cassiar”.  Since I was driving the Cassiar highway to Alaska, I figured this must be an important place.  But the Milepost travel guide said about Cassiar road and town “which leads west 6.2 miles/10 km to the former Cassiar Asbestos Mine and Cassiar townsite.  Much of the world’s high-grade chrysotile asbestos came from here.  The mine closed in March 1992, and the townsite was dismantled and sold off then reclaimed by BC Chrysotile Corp.  No services available.”    The girl at the Jade Store said there really wasn’t anything to see up there, only scenery.  Well, both were wrong, it was a short, fascinating trip to a unique location.

Wikipedia told me a bit more about the Abandoned Cassiar Asbestos Mine and town…  the mine opened in 1952 and the town of Cassiar once had 1,500 residents (quite large for a town in northern BC).  The town even had a hockey arena and swimming pool.  What wasn’t sold off was bulldozed. 

The Road to Abandoned Cassiar Town

Given that the mine was totally closed by the year 2000, the road is paved and surprisingly good.  The views on the whole drive are spectacular.  I was intrigued by the huge hill of greenish gray dirt as I neared the bulldozed townsite only to discover this was the earth that was dug up in the days of Asbestos mining.   As I was driving back to main Cassiar highway, I saw a large animal on the road… it looked like it could have been a cougar.  I didn’t get close enough to get a picture or better view, but locals say there are cougars in this area. 

Views on the way to Cassiar
Discarded dirt from the Asbestos Mine, with Indian Paintbrush in the foreground

The Junk Yard

I was expecting the entire town and mine to be completely gone, based on the stories I had read online, but there was a massive junk yard with lots of cool, rusting equipment and a view of the abandoned mine.

Left over mining junk

Abandoned Cassiar Asbestos Mine

You cannot visit the mine, and there are signs posted that you will be prosecuted for trespassing.  I crossed the barrier to get a quick picture of the mine but quickly left.  As I was driving out, there was a guy on an ATV and a dog… were they coming for me?  I’ll never know.

You may have to trespass just a little bit to see the mine.

Cassiar Mountain Jade Mine and Store

Just south of the junction to Cassiar town, on the Cassiar highway, is “Jade City”, a small town that’s home to the Cassiar Mountain Jade Store.  In nearly every country other than the USA, the cable Discovery Channel airs a series on Jade Mining in the Cassiar area.  The girl in the gift shop said they hope eventually it will be aired in the USA, as it will bring even more business.  The store has free coffee (although that’s a trick to guilt you into buying something – I ended up buying a cute, tiny bear figurine made of white Yukon marble, with a tiny little jade fish in it’s mouth.  They have loads of jewelry, statues, and merchandise from their TV show.

Cassiar Mountain Jade Store

Cassiar Mountain – Where to Stay

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The Cassiar Mountain Jade Store provides free RV camping and they have a couple cabins available too.  To the north, the Boya Provincial Park has some really nice campsites for $20 CAD. 

For another unique detour on the Cassiar highway, check out the drive to Canada’s Grand Canyon on the way to Telegraph Creek… if you dare the crazy drive! Or, head out to the coast, lava beds, and free hot springs in Nass Valley BC.

Are you driving to Alaska? Yes, Cassiar is covered in the Alaska Milepost Guidebook. I recommend this book to get off the beaten path.

Jul 19

Exploring the Nass Valley, BC (Lava, Hot Springs, Eagles, and Fish -n- Chips)

While at the Williams Lake Stampede, I met a guy from Smithers and he gave me lots of great ideas for side trips on my roadtrip to Alaska.   One of his suggestions was to visit the Nass Valley in northeastern British Columbia for interesting First Nations (Native American) villages, lava flow, and hot springs.  I found the Nass Valley to be a great day trip with diverse attractions and plenty to do.

Terrace Visitor Center – Auto Tour Guide

Before setting off on your personal tour to the Nass Valley, I recommend you stop at the Terrace, BC visitor center and pick up the Nisga’a Nation Auto Tour brochure.  It points out 19 interesting spots along the way, of which the Nass Valley highlights are detailed below.   If you don’t get a chance to pick up a guide, you can find all the points of interest by looking for the blue Auto Tour points of interest signs along Hwy 113.

How to Get to Nass Valley

It’s an easy drive, just a few km west of Terrace on the Yellowhead Highway (Hwy 16) and turn north on Highway 113.  Highway 113 goes all the way to the Pacific Coast.

Lava Lake

If visiting on a clear day, you will have views of glacial capped mountains along the drive of Lava Lake.   While this lake is a glacial lake, it became larger after the lava flow.  On the north end there is a great launching area for SUP and kayaks.

Lava Lake

Waterfalls

A little north of the lake is two short walks to see the Beaupre Falls and Vetter Falls.  Both are easy walks and beautiful little waterfalls.  It’s well worth stopping at both falls.

Vetter Falls

Lava Flows

The lava flows engulf a large portion of the valley.  It’s believed the volcano erupted only around 250 years ago, and as many as 2,000 native people were killed in the eruption.  There are a few spots you can hike in the lava flows and even see some casts of trees that caused tubal shapes in the lava. 

Lava flows with looming mountains

Nisga’a Villages

There are four First Nations villages in the valley, each with it’s own artwork, totem poles, etc.  If you dare, try to cross the suspension bridge in the village of Gitwinksihlkw (Canyon City).   Until the auto bridge was built, it was the only way to get to the village.

Would you dare cross this suspension bridge?

Hlgu Isgqwit Hot Springs

There is a large cement pool with gravel bottom and two cedar hot tubs at these free natural hot springs.  There is also a toilet at the car park and a couple changing rooms at the springs.  Warning: these tubs can be very hot!  Check the temperature before jumping in.  If the pools are too hot, there is a hose with cooler water from the stream you can use to adjust the temperature or to cool off.  Bring deet – the mosquitoes like the bathers. 

Hlgu Isgqwit Hot Springs

Gingolx

My favorite of the Nass Valley villages was Gingolx, located on the Pacific Ocean.  Drive to the end of the road which is the boat docks.  Many Bald Eagles hang out there hoping for handouts from fishermen (fish guts and such).  Park by the water and take a walk on the waterfront for views of the Nass River and sea.

Gingolx View
Bald Eagle devouring something (dead, bloated seal?) on the Nass River

“U Seefood U Eat it!”

Almost all tourists that travel the Nass Valley make their way to the “seafood” restaurant in Gingolx aptly named “U Seefood U Eat It!”   The most popular dish is their halibut fish and chips.  Don’t come to this restaurant expecting to eat healthy.

U Seefood U Eat it!”

The Infamous “Nass Forest Road”

The next day, I was planning on heading north on the Cassiar Highway.  I had already traveled the southernmost section of the Cassiar Highway since I had already made the trip out to Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK.  There was a huge shortcut back to the Cassiar on the Nass Forest Road, but even Google wasn’t directing me there, but rather back thru Terrace.  I decided to try the first section of the road to the Dragon Lake Campground (see below).  Once there, I met a couple in a big RV that had done the remainder of the road and said it wasn’t so bad.  So the next morning, I finished driving the entire Nass Forest Road in the pouring rain (at least the rain made it easy to see the potholes).  A highlight was following a young male moose run down the gravel road.

Young moose in the pouring rain

Where to Stay in Nass Valley – Dragon Lake Campground

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I spent a very thunder-y and lightning-y night at the free BC Rec Site of Dragon Lake.  It was a beautiful Campground, my spot with a picnic table, fire ring, and great view of the lake.  Lower in the campsite were two swimming docks.   Early in the morning, I could hear a moose call in the distance… really peaceful and magical. It was one of my favorite campgrounds on my drive to Alaska.

Dragon Lake Campground

If camping isn’t your thing, there are several B&Bs in Nass Valley and plenty of hotels and motels in Terrace (Check Rates and Availability).

Are you driving to Alaska? Yes, Nass Valley is covered in the

  • British Columbia, Canada, Hot Springs, Lakes, Moose, Ocean, Rivers, Road Trip, Scenic Drives, Scenic Roads, Wildlife

    • Jul 15

    North Pacific Cannery National Historical Site (Overfishing on the Skeena River)

    On my big road trip to Alaska, I decided to make a detour to Prince Rupert.  I had met some nice people from Prince Rupert at the Fountain of Youth Spa on the Salton Sea in California.  Prince Rupert has a nice waterfront, but the tourist attraction that had the biggest impact on me was the North Pacific Cannery National Historical Site.  I expected to learn about the now-defunct fishery but I also was saddened by the history.

    This post contains affiliate links.  This website earns a small commission for items purchased through these links with no additional cost to you. 

    A Little History about the Cannery

    The cannery was one of several canneries along the entry to the Skeena River.  They operated from the 1880’s to the 1970’s and 1980’s and primarily canned Sockeye Salmon for export to Europe.   One by one the canneries closed and after sitting abandoned for years, there was a push to burn them to the ground to reduce liability.  Fortunately, a historical group managed to save most of the North Pacific Cannery (most of the Native houses were burned but the rest was saved).

    North Pacific Cannery National Historic Site

    Visiting the Cannery

    The North Pacific Cannery National Historical Site is located south of the village of Port Edward, which is south of the larger port city of Prince Rupert.  Entry fee is currently $13 CAD.  Make sure you do one of the guided tours that’s included in your ticket price, the tours are at 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00 (check their website for latest updates).

    Fishing net untangle and repair room

    Exploiting the Natives and Asians

    70-80% of the manual labor was First Nations/Native Americans from the area.  There were also some Chinese and Japanese (mostly ship builders).  You only had to look at the home sizes at the cannery to see the inequality – the European managers had large, stand alone, two story houses while native families of 8-12 people had to share a one-room cottage.  Some of the jobs were under terrible conditions with little pay and high expectations. 

    Cannery Machine Shop

    Automation

    With the plant operating almost 100 years, technology and automation had greatly changed the way salmon was canned, with many of the menial jobs being automated away.  Another parallel to the changes we see in the world today. 

    Politically incorrect automation machine

    How Salmon Spawn

    You have probably heard of this, but to understand salmon fishing, you must understand the spawning process.  Salmon eggs hatch in a river or stream, the salmon then swim downstream to the ocean where they take 3 years to grow.  Some are caught by ocean fisherman.  Those that aren’t caught then swim back to the exact place they were born to spawn, with some of those being caught by river anglers.  Of those that make it to spawn, they die quickly, becoming food for eagles and bears. 

    Where Have all the Salmon Gone?

    The Skeena River is a wide river that runs many miles to the Pacific Ocean.  The stories of the ancestors of the Native population used to have two sayings about the salmon runs of old – one is that the river was completely red and black, no water to be seen.  The other story is that you could walk across the river, without getting your feet wet (on the backs of salmon).  Experts guess that at one time there were 3,000,000,000 (that’s billion!) salmon in the Skeena River.  Last year there were 950,000.  This year they are predicting half of this.  At this rate, how many years will it take to totally decimate the wild salmon population?  Who is at fault?  The popular opinion is the Asian fishermen that fish just into international waters of Canada and cast great nets to catch tons of fish daily. 

    Unsuccessful Fisherman on the Skeena

    After the tour, I hit the road, as I was planning to visit the Nass Valley the next day, so I returned to camp at the boat launch of the Exchamsiks River Provincial Park.  I had met some super friendly people there on my way out to Prince Rupert and they told me I could camp for free at the boat launch as long as there was space.  The guys from Alberta said they had been fishing 12 hours that day without a single bite.  They had been coming back to this same place for 26 years, but reckoned that this might be their last year fishing the Skeena.

    What Else to Do in Prince Rupert

    The prettiest part of Prince Rupert is Cow Bay, home to shops, restaurants, and the great PR visitor center.  There are several tours and fishing that can be done from this port.  If you want to see Grizzly Bears in the sanctuary, there’s an expensive tour (around $200 US) departing from PR.  I chose to skip this since I had seen grizzly bears in Campbell River only a couple years ago and I was hoping to see many more bears on my way up to Alaska.   The bay is also nice for sunset, although if you’re visiting in summer, you may have to wait until after 10pm. 

    Cow Bay
    Cow Bay Sunset

    Where to Stay in Prince Rupert – Prince Rupert Hotels

    There are a few decent places to stay in Prince Rupert, including a couple great B&Bs.  Check Rates and Availability for Prince Rupert.

    Jul 11

    Things to Do in Hyder, Alaska (4th of July – Glaciated and Hyderized)

    When planning my big trip to Alaska, I originally figured I would be in British Columbia (BC) for the 4th of July, since I was going to be spending Canada day in Barkerville, smack dab in the center of BC.  But then I got to researching and found there is one small outpost of Alaska in the far southeast corner that is only accessible by Canada.  So, I found I could spend Independence Day in America after all by celebrating the 4th of July in Hyder, AK.  Here’s my guide of the best things to do in Hyder, tips on visiting, and what it’s like to spend the 4th of July.

    For those who want a taste of Alaska without driving all the way up – Hyder is ONLY an 18 hour 36 minute drive from Seattle (according to google maps)

    Hyder is a true gem – and not heavily visited (yet).  I reckon during my visit, maybe only a 100 people a day manage to visit some of the glaciers mentioned in this post, and probably less than a dozen make their way over to the Granduc mine mentioned below.  Get there before the glaciers melt (all of them are retreating quickly). 

    Driving to Stewart and Hyder

    Neither the BC nor Alaska ferry system makes their way to Stewart, BC and Hyder, AK.  The only way to get there is by private boat, sea plane, or the most common way is to drive.  Highway 37 is the famed Cassiar Highway that’s one of the two main routes up to Alaska, but Stewart and Hyder are a 60 km detour on Highway 37A out of Meziadin Junction.  I met a few people on the Cassiar that skipped this detour and they missed one of the highlights of northern BC.    Driving Tip:  Gas is about 15 cents cheaper per liter at the Stewart gas station, rather than the station at Meziadin Junction.

    Waterfalls on Highway 37A

    Bear Glacier

    The 60 km drive to Stewart is spectacular with green mountains, roaring rivers, and dozens of waterfalls.  But the highlight is the Bear Glacier.  Locals say this glacier is retreating very quickly.  I’m not sure where a person is supposed to park to photograph this glacier, as the signs claim the berm is unstable and there are no parking signs everywhere.  I pulled over to take a few photographs, but didn’t stay long. 

    Bear Glacier

    Hyder “Downtown”

    You cross the border and you will be on Main Street Hyder.  There’s only a few restaurants, shops, and motels that are still operating.  There are a few deserted shops that obviously haven’t been open for years. 

    Downtown Hyder, AK

    Things to Do in Hyder – Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site (US Forests)

    Hyder is most famous for the easy bear viewing, and I was hoping to get a glimpse of the Grizzlies and Black Bears that frequent the observation point to eat the salmon, but the rangers quickly informed me the salmon was not yet running a no salmon means no bears.  July 15th is the average date the salmon start to run, and they’ve started as early as July 1 but I wasn’t so lucky on my visits on July 3 and July 4.   Unlike other Grizzly expeditions in BC and Canada that can cost thousands of dollars for a few days, this place only costs $5 to park.  Luckily, they don’t charge anything until the bears arrive, so I got to look around for free.   The best time to visit Hyder is mid July to early September, when you can see both the bears and the glaciers. 

    Things to Do in Hyder – Drive to Salmon Glacier

    Beyond the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site, the road turns into twisty gravel road.  There are a few interesting points along the way (pick up a free guidebook at the Stewart visitor center).  Stops include seeing the rusty mining parts at the Riverside Mine, an overlook of the active Premier Mine, and the least secure border crossing between Canada and the US (literally, it’s a sign).   Driving tips: make sure you have at least a ½ tank of gas, especially if driving to Granduc.  Make sure you down shift while driving back down the mountain, you don’t want to burn out your brakes.

    Views up the drive to Salmon Glacier

    Salmon Glacier

    OMG!  This is one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.  There are multiple view points as you drive up the canyon, from the foot of the glacier to the summit observation point.  The views change with the weather, and it’s worth seeing both on a cloudy/foggy day or a sunny day.  On a foggy day, the summit was under fog, but you could see the sun trying to peak out under the cloud cover from the foot of the glacier viewpoint, and the blues are so brilliant on a cloudy day.  On a sunny day, you can see for miles and really appreciate the vastness of the glacier – a sign says this is the 5th largest glacier in North America.

    Salmon Glacier on a cloudy day
    Enjoying the view at Salmon Glacier

    Mining Road and Mining Tunnels

    The road beyond the Salmon Glacier Summit observation point is an old mining road and is sometimes closed.  If you are lucky, it will be open!  If you thought the drive up to the Salmon Glacier observation point was too rough, you better not continue.  The road becomes more potholed and there are many rock falls.  That being said, if you have a couple hours to spare, this is one of the most beautiful drives I’ve ever done in my life!  Just beyond the Salmon Glacier is Salmon Lake, the lake must have already cleared during my visit, as it was mostly dry.  A highlight was exploring a couple mining tunnels.  Locals said this tunnel was 11 km long!  It was used for mining trucks in the winter, so they didn’t need to cross the pass at the Salmon Glacier Summit. 

    11 km deep tunnel… who dares to go?

    Granduc Mine and Even More Glaciers

    I continued down the pot-holed road to see the mostly deserted Granduc Mine.  The mine reminds me of Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut in Egypt.  There are a few guys still working in the area (geologists doing exploration, the owner reckons there’s a bunch of gold somewhere), but the camp looked pretty deserted.  But the highlight of driving this far is the view of the two fingers of the Salmon Glacier that merge and melt into a muddy lake below.  Further afield, there are views of other snow capped peaks and glaciers.  I sat in the quietness and enjoyed the views.  Not another tourist in sight.  I would guess less than a dozen tourists come this far each day.

    Granduc Mine
    Glacier view at Granduc Mine

    Wildlife

    Keep your eyes open for wildlife along the drive up to the glaciers and beyond.  There was plenty of bear scat, but unfortunately I didn’t see bears.  I did however, see many chirping marmots and the mating dance of a Blue Grouse.

    Blue Grouse
    Marmot

    Back in Hyder Town – Getting Hyderized

    Now that you got that harrowing drive out of the way, it’s time for a drink.  Both of the bars in Hyder will get you “Hyderized” – they will give you a shot of mystery alcohol (but I reckon it’s Everclear in a brown paper bag), followed by a chaser of water.  The shot glasses are flipped upside down on the bar and set ablaze.  You then get a credit card -sized certificate and can have your photo taken. 

    Get Hyderized

    Things to Do in Hyder – Visit the Hyder Port

    It’s possible to take a short drive or walk from Hyder village to the sea plane and boat dock.  I highly recommend this – the views are great!   It reminded me of the fjords of Norway.

    Hyder Port at low tide

    4th of July Festivities in Hyder

    I have to admit I was a little underwhelmed by the Hyder 4th of July festivities.  I had read about the famed days of parties from July 1 Canada Day in Stewart to July 4 Independence Day in Hyder.  But despite the small-town size, there were some fun activities.  Kids events were at noon, and the adult activities started at 4pm with ax throwing, followed by the 22nd annual Bush Woman contest.  The Bush Woman Contest was a running game with stations that included chopping a log, casting a fishing line, scooping a bucket of water and taking it to the washing line, hanging up 3 socks, then shooting a (teddy) bear that came running from the woods.  Then running to the kitchen (a picnic table) and flipping a pancake, diapering a doll, and putting on lipstick while crossing the finish line.  It was a great spectator sport.   After having a drink with some other tourists, we watched the parade and ugly vehicle contest.  It wasn’t a very long parade, but there were some interesting “floats” that included Smokey the bear, “Newfies in Hyder” which was a bachelorette party that wore pajamas and masks, and the “Miss Hyder” pageant float  (how hilarious was the boy sitting on the back of the float hiding behind a sign that read “I’m a teenager.  The contestants are my mom, my sister, and my aunt.  Way to ruin a beauty pageant. #pleasenoswimsuits”).   There were no fireworks – with such a small population, there was no money to do fireworks.  Maybe they should start a gofundme!  The bars closed early that night, as a few locals tailgated on main street after the parade.

    Miss Hyder float
    It sure is dangerous hanging laundry in Hyder

    Crossing the Border Between Stewart and Hyder

    The Stewart/Hyder border crossing might be one of the most interesting border crossings between the US and Canada.  There is absolutely no check going into Hyder (the USA), but there’s a serious check going back into Stewart (Canada).  They will ask you all kinds of questions like when did you first enter Canada, are you carrying any tobacco, drugs, alcohol, or weapons (including bear spray).  You can either drive or walk across.  This border crossing is open from around 7am to midnight, although there is a number to call to cross if needed in the night (but who wants to be the one to wake up the person who gives you permission to enter Canada?)  Make sure you have your passport or enhanced drivers license.

    Where to Eat in Hyder

    Sadly, the Seafood School Bus was closed during my visit, but I had a very tasty and healthy pulled pork salad at the Glacier Inn Bar and Restaurant.  They have limited hours (kitchen had closed by 8, and if you still need dinner, some cafes in Stewart stay open later). 

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    Where to Stay in Hyder, Alaska or Stewart

    There are several motels in Hyder and Stewart (Check Rates and Availability).  For camping, there is the Runamok in Hyder and Rainy Creek in Stewart.  The showers at Rainy Creek were smoking hot!  For free camping, I found two spectacular places.  They don’t widely advertise, but you can camp anywhere along the road up to the Glacier, including the summit overlook which has toilets.  I slept up there on a very foggy night, hoping to wake up to the view of a glacier, but it took waiting until 8am to see the fog descend into the valley for a glacier view.  If you’re looking to get into Canada so you can get an early start the next day, there is the Clements Lake Rec Site, a peaceful little lake with space for a few small vans/RVs and tents.   I’m not sure I’d camp with a tent near Hyder.  Although I didn’t see any bears there, many other tourists I encountered had seen bears, including a mother and cubs.

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    Jul 06

    Canada Day at Barkerville BC (Celebrating the first Dominion Day)

    My time at the Williams Lake Stampede, a Canada Day weekend tradition, was fun, but I decided to move closer to Alaska and had googled “where to spend Canada Day near Williams Lake”.   I quickly discovered a historical village called Barkerville.  Canada Day at Barkerville is their biggest day of the year as they celebrate Dominion Day, the day that eventually changed to Canada Day.

    I had never heard of Barkerville, but it’s popular amongst Canadians, especially those from central BC.  Of the Dominion Day visitors, only 6% were from anywhere other than Canada (including the USA).  Driving around British Columbia, you can’t miss the billboards for Barkerville, but there certainly aren’t as many as billboards for Wall Drug. 

    What is Barkerville?

    Barkerville is a historical village, originally settled in 1862 as a result of the Cariboo Gold Rush when Billy Barker dug a deep hole and struck gold in Williams Creek.  This creek runs adjacent to the village and was one of the most concentrated pay dirts of gold in the world.  Barkerville was once the largest city north of San Francisco and west of Chicago. 

    Canada Day at Barkerville

    Historians believe that Barkerville was the first city to celebrate Canada’s Dominion Day, which soon became the July 1 Canada holiday.  To celebrate this historic feat, Barkerville has special celebrations all day long on each July 1 – it starts with the stagecoach delivery of the 8 foot by 4 foot cake of the Dominion flag in the morning.  Most of the afternoon is spent playing Victorian era games like tug of war, egg tossing, 20-pound hammer throwing, and climbing a greased pole to win a bottle of whiskey.  The night has a dance in the House Hotel Saloon- listening to old-time country and blue grass, dancing, and watching a very entertaining Contra Dance (basically an old-time square dance that was performed in the original time of Barkerville.  If you can make your trip to Barkerville coincide with Canada Day, just do it!

    The great big cake!
    Unsuccessfully climbing a greased pole
    Dancing the night away at the Saloon, a Dominion Day event

    What Else Can You Do in Barkerville?

    There were so many things to do in Barkerville, I didn’t do everything in my 2-day visit.  But some of my biggest highlights (other than Dominion Day) were:

    • The Victorian Town tour with Miss Wilson.  This guide was excellent and funny.  It was a great overview of the city and you can learn stories about the great fire as well as stories about some of the locals that lived in the early days of Barkerville.
    • The Barry vs. Blessing court case at Richfield courthouse.  It’s a 30-minute walk each way to the courthouse (or a stagecoach ride if you don’t wish to walk) but it was worth it so see the hilarious trial.  Who know murder could be so funny.  I won’t spoil the gag, so see it for yourself.
    • Mrs. McGinley’s Variety Show at the Theatre Royal.  The shows at the theater cost about $13 extra from the entry fee and I was thinking about skipping this, but I’m glad I paid the extra admission because the show was great!  I laughed out loud many times and the music was wonderful
    • Other various lectures – there are lectures all day by people in period clothing – I saw Billy Barker tell his life story, I learned how a waterwheel works, and so much more.  Sadly, the Intro to Edwardian Underwear program wasn’t on the days of my visit. 😊  What makes Barkerville education programs so great is that humor is used and that makes it so interesting.
    My town guide, the Librarian Miss Wilson

    Other Tips for Visiting Barkerville

    • Your ticket is good for 2 days, so it’s totally worth making a 2 day stay (see Where to Stay in Barkerville below). And if you visit for 2 days, you increase your chance to visit on a nice sunny day for pictures (on my visit, it rained one day and very sunny on the other).
    • Stop into the House Hotel Saloon for some Barkerville IPA or Pilsner.  This microbrew comes from an all-female brewery in Quesnel
    • If you like coffee, stop into the C. Strouss & Co shop.  For $6 you can buy a tin cup that includes free coffee refills all day.  I discovered this late on my second day.  Alternatively, if you want coffee in a formal setting, go have breakfast at Wake Up Jake Restaurant
    • For good Chinese food, head over to Lung Duck Tong Restaurant
    • A quick breakfast, lunch or snack can be purchased at the Goldfield Bakery… lots of homemade treats, including cookies, pies, and sourdough bread.
    • The parking is close to the town, so don’t worry if you need to go back to the car.
    • The wi-fi is excellent, from the entry to around the entrance to China Town.  There is no cell service in the area so the wi-fi is a good way to stay connected.
    • I didn’t get a chance to do the gold mining at the Eldorado, but I peaked and it looked fun for all ages.
    • Cross the creek near the waterwheel to get a nice overview shot of Barkerville.
    Barkerville from the viewpoint

    Barkerville Location

    Barkerville is about an hour and 15 minutes east of Quesnel (pronounced Queh-Nel) on highway 26.  It’s a nice detour if you’re making your way up to northern BC or Alaska via Highway 97. The drive is beautiful with views of ponds, lakes, wildflowers and many trees.  Watch out for wildlife, on my drive in and back, I saw a big female moose, deer, and 3 bears on 3 different occasions.  Surprisingly, this was a higher concentration of wildlife than seen in most other areas of B.C.

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    Where to Stay in Barkerville

    If you’re staying for two nights, it’s definitely worth spending a night at Barkerville.  They have a wide variety of accommodation, including stays in a small hotel or one of two B&Bs, and one of three campgrounds, with some having cabins available.

    I stayed at the smallest campground, Government Hill.  While not suitable for larger vehicles it’s great for tents or small campers.  I was pretty much expecting pit toilets, but they had other amenities including fire pits, picnic table, running water and firewood available.

    Have I convinced you to visit Barkerville?  Visit the Barkerville Official website for more information on hours, admission, etc. 

    Jun 30

    Fun Things to Do in Williams Lake BC (I Wanna Be a Cowboy…)

    I recently had the pleasure to spend the weekend before Canada Day in Williams Lake, British Columbia which happens to be the weekend of the Williams Lake Stampede.   For a town with a population around 11,000 and no marquee attractions, I found lots of fun things to do in Williams Lake. 

    I did this stop on my epic road trip to Alaska. This post contains affiliate links.  This website earns a small commission for items purchased through these links with no additional cost to you. 

    Fun Things to do in Williams Lake – Williams Lake Stampede

    If you can visit Williams Lake during the Williams Lake Stampede, do it!  The following were my highlights of the Stampede:

    Williams Lake Stampede Rodeo

    It’s fun to attend a rodeo to see a wide variety of rodeo events, from bull riding to calf wrestling.  One of my favorite events was a team event where 3 guys had to get hold of a wild mustang, get a saddle on it, and then one of them had to ride it around a barrel.  Hilarity ensued as the mustangs literally dragged them through the mud (it had rained the night before and the rodeo ground was thick mud. 

    Williams Lake Stampede Parade

    You have to love a small-town parade.   We braved the long lines at Tim Hortons to get coffee for our parade viewing pleasure.  The parade lasted a little under an hour.  If you were a kid in the first row, you got a nice stash of candy!  After the parade, we had the treat of seeing horses and stagecoach in the drive-thru at Starbucks. 

    Williams Lake Stampede Stage Entertainment

    The rodeo beer garden, just behind the grandstands, is the location of lots of live entertainment all weekend.  All the young folks go for the late-night bands.  Insider tip: try to arrive before 10 pm when there is little line.  By 11:30, the line was 2 blocks long and they were only letting people in as people left.

    Fun Things to do in Williams Lake – Williams Lake Attractions

    Williams Lake Discovery Center, aka Williams Lake Visitor Center

    The visitor center and museum is one of the nicest visitor centers I’ve seen.  They have a café, big shop, all the free materials you might want to pick up on British Columbia and visiting further north to Alaska.  There’s also free wi-fi and if you register your vehicle, you can sleep overnight in the parking lot.

    Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex – Williams Lake Rec Center – West Fraser Aquatic Centre

    Since I was camping over at the Stampede Campgrounds, after a couple of days I was in need of a shower.  One of my top tips for overnight camping in van is to look for a local swimming pool if you need a shower – gives you a chance to shower and use a pool for one small fee and this one is really nice with a water slide and lazy river.  Be sure to check their hours as the complex is sometimes closed for certain activities.

    Scout Island

    Scout Island is a small nature preserve on the edge of town.  While it’s not a quiet as a provincial park, with noise from the wood mill and the road, the sound of chirping birds nearly drowns out the noise once you take a short walk on the island trails.  I only came across a couple locals strolling on a late Friday afternoon.  Most of the wildlife is birds, but there were signs to stay clear of a mother moose and calf that have be frequenting the park.

    Scout Island

    Catch a Movie at Paradise Cinemas

    I like visiting small town cinemas.  Sure, they’re not IMAX megaplexes, but they’re cheap and it’s fun to check out a new theater.  I didn’t get a chance to go to a movie on this trip because I was busy at the Rodeo and entertainment, but the cinemas is a good evening or rainy day activity in Williams Lake.

    Where to Stay in Williams Lake – Williams Lake Hotels

    There are a few places to stay in Williams Lake town.  Two of the nicer places are the Best Western or the Fraser Coast Hotel.  There are a handful of other decent places to stay, including a couple great B&Bs.  Check Rates and Availability for Williams Lake

    For Camping, the Williams Lake Stampede grounds is a campground even when the Stampede is not going on.   It’s run by volunteers and profits the rodeo association.   It’s a beautiful campground with nice grassy areas, a bathhouse, and wi-fi that occasionally worked.  It’s a popular place to stay for RVer’s on their way to or from Alaska.

    How to Get to Williams Lake

    Williams Lake is best visited by Car or RV.  It’s located on the very busy Highway 97, a good stop if you’re driving from Vancouver or Seattle to Alaska.  The Vancouver to Williams Lake drive takes about 6 hours.  If driving, it’s worth stopping at Bridal Veil Falls near Rosedale, BC for a short hike to the waterfall.  

    While it appears there used to be Greyhound Bus service to Williams Lake, this has been discontinued.  One must connect by bus to Kamloops, BC to connect to Vancouver.   There are also short, direct flights from Vancouver to Williams Lake on CMA or Pacific Coastal Airlines, but expect the flight to cost more than $200 USD.

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