BC鈥檚 Cariboo Chilcotin Coast is one of the most diverse, idyllic, mind-blowingly exciting regions to visit in the province. History buff, sightseer, outdoor recreation or backcountry enthusiast, fishing addict, wildlife lover? Whatever your intended direction, we鈥檙e sending you there, one road less travelled at a time, and the best thing about it is that all of those roads are connected!
Nowhere else in the world can you take a week or two road trip that will allow you to retrace the famed route of First Nations peoples and gold rush prospectors; fish over 100 lakes in less than 100km span; roll through cowboy country, panoramic peaks and backcountry vistas in the same day; and then end up at the ocean watching whales and wolves swimming in the inlets while rare white Kermode Spirit Bears fish for salmon nearby.
British Columbia was built on gold 鈥� in the form of massive placer deposits discovered along the Fraser River and all the way up into the Cariboo district. Once word of the discovery caught on, droves of prospectors from all over the world flooded into Victoria and New Westminster, BC where, after gathering provisions for the harrowing three-week journey inland, they set out in search of fortune. Follow their journey up the Fraser and beyond to strike gold on the Gold Rush Trail.
If you live to fish, you haven鈥檛 lived until you鈥檝e fished BC鈥檚 famous Fishing Highway 鈥� Highway 24. With over 100 well-stocked lakes within a tiny 97km stretch of highway, the fish are always biting and the fishing tales are always being passed around. Even if fishing isn鈥檛 your thing, with numerous campsites, luxury and rustic resorts, and water sports available in this gorgeous, wildlife-heavy area, there is always something to strike wonder even if you鈥檙e not casting a line.
Cowboys, epic adventures, grasslands, mountains, rivers and lakes. The Chilcotin Highway will send you back to a quieter time where people lived off the land in small communities, enjoyed being surrounded by big skies and backcountry and life was slower and simpler in this land without limits.
Spirit Bears, swimming wolves, whales and wildlife; coastal rainforest and majestic mountains; First Nations culture and ocean creatures abound in this ancient area of BC鈥檚 coast. The Great Bear Rainforest loop passes through diverse climatic regions and offers a taste of it all鈥攈istory, culture, panoramas, seascapes, and nature 鈥� guaranteed to strike awe in everyone.
The has it all, so grab your gear and a sense of adventure, and get on the road!