Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The wild, sparsely populated Cariboo region extends from Kamloops north to Prince Ge-
orge and west to the Pacific Ocean. Its most dramatic natural features are the mountain
ranges rising like bookends on either side. In the west, the
Coast Mountains
run parallel to
the coast and rise to a height of 4,016 meters (13,200 feet) at
Mount Waddington.
In the
east, the
Cariboo Mountains
harbor numerous alpine lakes, high peaks, and several pro-
vincial parks. Between the two ranges flows the
Fraser River,
which is flanked to the west
by expansive plateaus home to British Columbia's biggest ranches.
This is cowboy country, where horseback holidays and the Williams Lake Stampede are
the main visitor drawcards. This was once Gold-Rush country—most of the region's towns
began as stopping places along the Gold Rush Trail. Those such as
100 Mile House
owe
their names to the trail but have remained small, while others, such as
Williams Lake
and
Quesnel,
have continued to grow and are service centers for the ranching and forestry in-
dustries. The only coastal access in Cariboo Country is via Highway 20, which runs through
Tweedsmuir Provincial Park
to
Bella Coola,
at the head of a long fjord.
A town born with the fur trade at a spot where traders cached furs and food supplies, Cache
Creek was once the largest town between Vancouver, 337 kilometers (200 miles) to the
south, and Kamloops, 80 kilometers (50 miles) to the east. But since the Coquihalla High-
way opened in the 1980s, the town is but a shadow of its former self. The surrounding
desertlike climate is intriguing: Sagebrush and cacti grow on the relatively barren volcanic
landscape, and tumbleweeds blow through town. Due to the town's former highway prom-
inence, the main drag is lined with older motels, roadside diners, and gas stations.
MM
Historic Hat Creek Ranch
Between 1885 and 1905, the Cariboo Wagon Road bustled with stagecoaches and freight
wagons. One of the few sections of the original road still open to the public is at
Hat
Creek Ranch
(250/457-9722 or 800/782-0922,
www.hatcreekranch.com
, 9am-5pm daily
May-Sept., until 6pm in July and Aug., adult $12, senior $11, child $8 includes a tour and
stagecoach ride), 11 kilometers north of Cache Creek on Highway 97. Many of the original
buildings—some dating as far back as 1861—still stand, and visitors can watch the black-
smith at his forge, appreciate a collection of antique farm machinery, enjoy a picnic lunch
in the orchard, or take a guided tour of the ranch house.
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