NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 649

Sights
On the west side of the highway at the north end of town, Fort Nelson Heritage Museum
(250/774-3536, 10am-7pm daily mid-May-early Sept., adult $5, senior or child $3) contains
a great collection of Alaska Highway construction items and First Nations and pioneer arti-
facts. An interesting 30-minute movie, shown throughout the day, uses footage taken during
the construction of the highway to effectively convey what a mammoth task the project was.
The building is surrounded by machinery and vehicles used during the early days. Around
back is a trapper's cabin crammed with antiques. At the end of Mountain View Drive is
the Native Trail, a four-kilometer (2.5-mile) self-guided interpretive trail that passes two
First Nations-style shelters and holds signs describing First Nations foods, local wildlife,
and trapping methods. Allow at least one hour round-trip.
Practicalities
Fort Nelson has many hotels and motels spread out along the Alaska Highway. The nicest
is Blue Bell Inn (4103 50th Ave., 250/774-6961 or 800/663-5267, www.bluebellinn.ca ,
$100-105, RV sites $31), next to the Petro-Canada gas station. The 57-room two-story
lodging has air-conditioned rooms (some with kitchenettes), a laundry, Internet access, and
an adjacent 24-hour restaurant. Beside the museum is Westend RV Park (250/774-2340,
Apr.-Oct., $21-28), where you can choose from tent sites in an open area or hookups sur-
rounded by trees. Facilities include coin-operated showers, wireless Internet, a laundry, a
grocery store, a restaurant and saloon, RV service bays, and free firewood.
As you enter town from the south, Dan's Neighbourhood Pub (4204 50th Ave. N., 250/
774-3929, 11am-midnight daily, $12-19) wouldn't look out of place in a big city—although
it's not that family-friendly.
At Mile 300.5 of the Alaska Highway is Fort Nelson Visitor Centre (5319 50th Ave.,
250/774-6400, www.tourismnorthernrockies.ca , 7am-8pm daily mid-May-mid-Sept.).
CONTINUING TO WATSON LAKE
Awaiting the traveler on this 525-kilometer (326-mile) portion of the Alaska Highway are
mountain peaks, glacial lakes, mountain streams, provincial parks with some great scenery,
and the mighty Liard River.
Soon after leaving Fort Nelson, you'll come to a junction with the gravel Liard High-
way, which runs north 175 kilometers (109 miles) to Fort Liard in the Northwest Territories.
From this junction, the Alaska Highway climbs the lower slopes of Steamboat Mountain,
which, with a certain amount of imagination, resembles an upturned boat.