Wells

Wells may be small, but it is brimming with activity. Wells is a mining town and a centre for artists and outdoors enthusiasts. It is a surprisingly diverse town nestled in the mountains of the Cariboo.

Art

Whether you love visual, written, musical or theatre arts, you can find it in Wells. Over the years, Wells has attracted artists of all types and has encouraged the creativity of its youth. The result is that art is now an essential part of our identity.

History

The area around Wells actually had two gold rushes. The first created Barkerville while the second, in the 1930’s created Wells. The town was originally a company townsite for the Cariboo Gold Quartz Mine and reached it’s largest population size of over 4000 in the 1940s. The town takes pride in its history and many of the unique heritage buildings have been preserved and restored.

Adventure

Wells is the perfect place to begin your Cariboo adventure. At 1200 meters, you’ll find our clean, crisp mountain air invigorating. Wells is also the closest town to Barkerville and the Bowron Chain of Lakes, take a moment or a couple of days on your way through to see what other adventures await!

Information from wells.ca

Bowron Lake Provincial Park

Bowron Lake Provincial Park is a large wilderness area situated on the western slopes of the Cariboo Mountain Range. The worldrenowned Bowron Lake Canoe Circuit encompasses a 116 km chain of lakes, waterways and connecting portages. This wilderness canoe trip takes from 6 to 10 days to complete, depending on your time frame and skill level. For those looking for a shorter trip, the west side of the circuit can be paddled in 2 to 4 days. It is recommended that those who attempt the circuit have some wilderness canoeing experience.

The park has tremendous diversity in topography and vegetation. The rounded hilltops of the Quesnel Highlands on the west side of the circuit have a unique character quite different from the imposing Cariboo Mountains on the eastern and southern sections of the circuit. The park is a place of many moods, from bright sunshine and placid blue lakes to angry gray waters and torrential rains.

Bowron Lake Park also has a very pleasant 25 unit drive-in campground. The campground is located near the Registration Centre a short distance from Bowron Lake itself. There are also a few short walking trails nearby.

Increased park visitation during recent years has placed a great deal of pressure on the park’s resources. If we are to preserve the wilderness experience, it is up to each visitor to treat this special area with the respect it deserves.

Information from BC Parks

PHOTO BELOW: Enjoyed lunch with this guy at West Lake. A great place for swimming, playing and boating. Just keep track of your picnic!

Vanderhoof

Nestled in the fertile Nechako Valley on the banks of the Nechako River, Vanderhoof is the Geographical Centre of the Province of British Columbia. Vanderhoof gained the designation as the Geographical Centre of BC about 1865 by surveyors during the construction of the Collins Overland Telegraph Trail. The surveyors placed a plaque at the site, which they calculated to be at the outlet of Sinkut Lake. Although the centre of BC site has since moved to it’s current and more accurate location along Highway 16, the original plaque is on display at the Vanderhoof Community Museum.

Vanderhoof is on the Yukon/Alaska Circle Route, and on your way to and from the northwest coast of BC. Vanderhoof is a perfect place to stop for a rest and to take in some interesting history, shopping, and beautiful scenery. Please contact the Visitor Centre for more information on lodging, dining, and activities. Our community can accommodate any size tour, and we can help you plan the next leg of your trip, be it by bicycle, motorcycle, car, RV, or tour bus.

We are very proud to be the heart of it all, and we invite you to share in what we have to offer!

Information from vanderhoof.ca

PHOTO ABOVE: Goslings on Stoney Creek behind my house in Vanderhoof.

RIGHT: This photo was taken in my yard in Vanderhoof BC. I would recommend Vanderhoof as a place to visit because it’s a farm town with lots of open space. There are nature trails and a park by the river that is a bird sanctuary as well. You can see horses and plenty of other farm animals.

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY: Triniti Martens

PHOTO LEFT: The Nechako River in Vanderhoof is a birder’s paradise. There are no words to describe the beautiful birds that enjoy their yearly migration stop in the area.