SOUTHWESTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 350

Coalmont and Beyond
If you want to see some impressive canyon scenery off the main tourist drag, cross the
river at the north end of Princeton's Bridge Street and turn left, heading west toward Coal-
mont for 18 kilometers (11 miles). Coalmont came to the forefront when Gold-Rush activity
moved from Granite City to this village in 1911. Today, you can't help but notice that the
town's residents have a sense of humor. The welcoming sign states that Coalmont has no
industry but plenty of activity, in the form of sleeping and daydreaming. It also claims Coal-
mont has a hot, cold, wet, and dry climate, warns traveling salespeople to stay away, and
advises single women that their safety is not guaranteed due to the predominance of bachel-
ors. The attractive 1912 three-story Coalmont Hotel dominates the main street, while quite
a number of homes—some with backyards crammed with eclectic collections of rusting
mine machinery—line the streets.
The main road through Coalmont winds its way north to Merritt, providing a handy
shortcut, if that's the direction you're heading. The only town en route is the hamlet of
Tulameen (pop. 250). Along the main street, the museum in a one-room log schoolhouse
may or may not be open, while at the north end of town, you'll probably have the beach at
Otter Lake Provincial Park to yourself. The park's campground (519/826-6850 or 800/
689-9025, www.discovercamping.ca , mid-May-Sept., $21) is further along the lake to the
north.
Hedley and Vicinity
From Princeton, Highway 3 takes you on a scenic route through the beautiful Similkameen
River Valley, which holds lots of places to camp in either provincial parks or private
campgrounds. Between Princeton and Keremeos the road follows the Dewdney Trail, a
468-kilometer (290-mile) track used in the 1860s to connect Hope with the Wildhorse
Creek goldfields. This stretch itself has also been a major mining area, supplying a fortune
in gold, silver, nickel, and copper over the years.
One of the richest mines was the Mascot Mine, unique in that the mine entrance was
perched 850 vertical meters (2,800 feet) above the mining town of Hedley. To immerse
yourself in the history of the mining era, wander around the tree-lined streets of Hedley
or consider staying at the Colonial Inn (608 Colonial Rd., 250/292-8131,
www.colonialinnbb.ca , $105 s, $115-125 d, camping $24), a historic guesthouse surrounded
by mature gardens. Three of the five guest rooms have private bathrooms, and a cooked
breakfast is included in the rates. All guests enjoy the use of free wireless Internet.