NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 572

the Yellowhead Highway runs west to the towns of Vanderhoof, Burns Lake, Smithers, and
Terrace, all jumping-off points for fishing and boating adventures on surrounding lakes and
rivers.
The western terminus of the Yellowhead Highway is Prince Rupert, a busy coastal city
at the north end of the BC Ferries network and a stop on the Alaska Marine Highway. It's
northern British Columbia's sole coastal city; north of here the coastline is part of Alaska.
Off the coast from “Rupert” is Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), part of British
Columbia yet entirely unique. The islands beckon adventure, with legendary fishing, great
beachcombing, ancient Haida villages, and a typical laid-back island atmosphere.
Two routes head north off the Yellowhead Highway. The Stewart-Cassiar Highway be-
gins west of Prince George and parallels the Coast Mountains, passing the turnoff to the
twin towns of Stewart and Hyder and some remote provincial parks. It ends at its junction
with the other route north—the famous Alaska Highway. Mile Zero of the Alaska Highway
is at Dawson Creek, northeast of Prince George. From there the highway winds through
kilometer after kilometer of boreal forest, past lakes and mountains to the great northland
of the Yukon and Alaska.