The Top Seven Wonders of the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast

The Region’s Top Seven Wonders

Aspirational. Rugged. Unique. Here are seven sensational sites that should be on your bucket list.

Mount Waddington

Once named Mystery Mountain for its incredible inaccessibility, 4,016 m (13,175 ft) Mount Waddington in the Coast Mountain Range is the highest mountain peak entirely in BC. Experienced climbers and film producers compare it to the Himalayas for its jagged, near vertical profile. A difficult test, even for the most experienced of mountaineers, remote “Wadd” and its gnarly ranges are surrounded by long valleys and vast glaciers, rewarding visitors with jaw-droppingly beautiful scenery. If you’re not up for the climb—and let’s face it, not many people are— you can take a flightseeing tour through the region and take in other stunning highlights, including the Klinaklini and Tumult Glaciers and the Homathko Icefield. You can also heli-ski Mount Waddington’s pristine alpine terrain and carve a fresh path all your own on the snowy slopes of Mystery Mountain.

Tŝilhqox Biny (chilko lake)

Located at the head of the Chilko River on the Chilcotin Plateau in Tsʼilʔos (sigh-loss) Provincial Park, Chilko Lake is the largest high-altitude lake in North America at 1,171 m (3,842 ft). At 65 km (40 mi) long, with depths ranging up to 366 m (1,201 ft), it is also one of the largest lakes in the province. Fed by dozens of mountain creeks, the lake, which is now officially called Tŝilhqox Biny, is located in a preserved and remote wilderness region surrounded by glaciers, towering mountain ranges, impressive waterfalls and Douglas fir forests. You’ll find superb fishing and boating on the lake’s turquoise-coloured glacial waters. Be aware of windy conditions: fishers and boaters are advised to use larger vessels here.

One of the province’s best places to view grizzly bears, you might also spot black bears, cougars, moose, wolverines, bald eagles or even California bighorn sheep in the area around Tŝilhqox Biny. Backcountry hiking and camping are popular here, but you can also hang your hat at one of the area’s inviting adventure lodges. Check with the Xeni-Gwet'in (honey-gwe-teen) First Nations before heading here to see if there are any restrictions in place due to increased bear activity during salmon-spawning season, or stay with a private business who will be knowledgeable about current conditions.

Bella Coola Valley

Jesaja Class

The Great Bear Rainforest

Wild, rugged and remote, the world’s largest coastal temperate rainforest covers 6.4 million hectares (15.8 million acres) – almost the size of Ireland – on BC's north and central coast. The Great Bear Rainforest draws artists, photographers, naturalists, scientists and travellers, all keen to explore its natural wonders and Indigenous experiences. It’s also the only place on Earth where you may glimpse the white Kermode bear, also known as the Spirit bear. Other wildlife viewing possibilities in this vast green sanctuary include grizzly bears, eagles, seals, dolphins and whales. A true escape into wilderness, access to outer coast communities is mainly by ferry, seaplane or private charters, although one can drive into the inland Bella Coola Valley via Highway 20. For a novel approach, consider a small-boat cruise with an on-board chef and naturalist. Or fly or sail into a remote lodge on the coast and base your adventure there. (For more about the Great Bear Rainforest, see page 54.)

Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park

At 989,616 hectares (2.5 million acres), Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park is one of BC's largest provincial parks. Journey to this remote region with spectacular scenic vistas to hike, fish, explore by horseback, camp, view wildlife— especially grizzly bears—and canoe the storied Turner Lake Chain. One day-hike that should not be missed takes in the colourful Rainbow Range of shield volcanoes. The ancient volcanic mountain range is named for its vibrant red, orange, and yellow coloured lava rock. The park also includes Hunlen Falls, Canada’s third-highest single-drop waterfall. There are 78 switchbacks on the tough, forested trail to the falls, and you’ll cover a distance of 16.4 km (10 mi) with a vertical rise of 800 m (2,625 ft). An easier option is to take a 20-minute flightseeing tour by floatplane from Nimpo Lake.

Cariboo mountains Provincial Park

As the northernmost subrange of the Columbia Mountains, the Cariboo Mountain Range is 7,700 sq km (3,000 sq mi) in area, 245 km (152 mi) in length and is the only inland temperate rainforest in North America. A true wilderness, the 113,469-hectare (280,388-acre) Cariboo Mountains Provincial Park’s densely forested valleys, picturesque lakes and wetland are dominated by mighty serrated peaks and glaciers. More than 500 km (311 mi) from the coastline, this biodiverse region, with its mountain peaks and lakes in alpine valleys, extensive meadows, large wetland complexes and ancient Pacific redcedar and hemlock forests is home to endangered caribou herds and one of the BC Interior’s largest populations of grizzly bears. You’ll find abundant opportunities for backcountry adventures here, including wildlife viewing, snowmobiling, hiking, hunting and fishing. You can reach the Ghost Lake recreation site by driving about 70 km (44 miles) from Barkerville on 3100 Forestry Road, an active logging road. Drive carefully with headlights on. Turn left on a sign-posted 4-km (2.5-mi) access road leading to the recreation site. You can also drive from Likely on the 8400 Road (Cariboo Lake Road) past Cariboo Lake, which meets up with 3100 Forestry Road. Follow 3100 to the Ghost Lake turnoff (signed), turn right and drive another 4 km (2 mi) to the recreation site.

Chilcotin Grasslands

The last intact grasslands on the planet, created millions of years ago by retreating glaciers, the Chilcotin Grasslands flank the Fraser River Basin and are home to diverse and at-risk species of birds, bats, bighorn sheep and insects. The canyons in this area experience extreme summer heat and dry, milder winters. Early spring heat allows a great variety of plants to flourish, including prickly pear cactus, big sage, rabbit bush and bunchgrass, which have sustained livestock on local ranches since the 1850s. Said to be one of the ecological wonders of the world and British Columbia’s most endangered ecosystem, these biodiverse grasslands are a place for cautious exploration, birdwatching and nature viewing. Chilcotin photographer Chris Harris showcased their beauty in his 2007 book, Spirit in the Grass: The Cariboo Chilcotin's Forgotten Landscape.

Farwell Canyon near Williams Lake

Destination BC/Nikita Pretty

Wells Gray Provincial Park

At 529,748 hectares (1.4 million acres), Wells Gray Provincial Park is a vast wilderness and one of BC’s largest and most scenic parks. From its location high in the Cariboo Mountains, it offers alpine meadows and flowers, snow-capped peaks and glaciers, major lakes, rivers and waterfalls, small lakes and streams, extinct volcanoes, lava beds and mineral springs. With 41 named waterfalls, it is perhaps best known as Canada’s waterfall park. Guide outfitters offer horseback riding, canoeing, river-rafting, fishing and hiking excursions through the park. They can also tell about the area’s early homesteaders, trappers and prospectors and the natural forces that produced Wells Gray’s unique geology. Hike through ancient forests, explore the waters of Eagle Creek, Canim Lake and Mahood Lake—and be sure to return to the park in the winter to view frozen waterfalls and explore pristine backcountry skiing. ¤