In Cariboo, scenic landscapes and traces of history can be found along a variety of trails. The Cariboo Regional District trail network includes 22 wheelchair-accessible trails spread throughout the region. The sites described offer a range of highlights: some lead to waterfalls or wetlands, while others bring the history of the gold rush and former telegraph routes to life.
Gold Rush History Along a Variety of Trails
The Bullion Pit Low Mobility Trail offers a view of a man-made canyon dating from the gold rush. At Quesnelle Forks, the Low Mobility Trail network covers about 860 metres. From there, you can enjoy views of a gold rush-era ghost town and the confluence of the Quesnel and Cariboo rivers. Here, landscape and history come into view together.
Barkerville is considered the best-preserved example of the types of communities and buildings established during the Cariboo Gold Rush. The Telegraph Trail offers a different historical perspective: within the Cariboo Regional District is a roughly 275-kilometre section of the Collins Overland Telegraph Trail and its successor, the Yukon Telegraph Trail. The remaining sections are used as recreational trails for hikers and people interested in the province’s history.
Rivers, Waterfalls, and Wetlands
Several trails focus on water and the surrounding landscape. The Horsefly Wheelchair Accessible Salmon Habitat Viewing Trail follows the Horsefly River and offers views of the salmon migration channel. The Hendrix Falls Low Mobility Trail passes through a forest to a viewpoint overlooking the waterfalls. From the Hotnarko Falls Low Mobility Trail, you can see Hotnarko Falls and “the Precipice”; there is an unguarded drop-off near the site.
Forests and wetlands also define some routes. The 1.7-kilometre Ninety-Nine Mile Low Mobility Trail passes through lush montane forest and has four viewpoints, including one overlooking a wetland. The Mountain Spruce Low Mobility Trail leads through a spruce and fir forest to a viewing platform overlooking Heron Lake and the surrounding wetlands. An information kiosk at the Interlakes Pioneer Heritage Trail viewpoint introduces the birds and animals found there.
Other experiences bring together nature and cultural history: the Bull Canyon Provincial Park Low Mobility Trail offers views of the glacier-carved, blue Chilcotin River and passes Indigenous pit houses. The trail themes vary considerably: at the Horsefly River, the focus is on the river and salmon migration channel, while at Bull Canyon, river scenery and pit houses come together.
Different Scales and Practical Orientation
The distances give an idea of the different scales involved: the Quesnelle Forks Low Mobility Trail network covers about 860 metres, the Ninety-Nine Mile Low Mobility Trail is 1.7 kilometres long, and the Telegraph Trail stretches for around 275 kilometres. These figures refer to different trails and trail sections; they show the variety of historical and scenic perspectives in Cariboo.
For planning a specific outing, the starting point is also important: one of the two trailheads for the 108 Lake and Sepa Lake Accessible Trails is at the 108 Mile Heritage Site and can be reached directly via Highway 97. Walking and cycling are permitted on the 108 Mile Greenbelt trail network. Together, these offer both a specific access point and another way to explore the region on foot or by bicycle.
Felker Homestead is also part of the cultural life of the area and is currently used as a community gathering place and venue for celebrations. Together with the historic trails and scenic viewpoints, it reveals another side of Cariboo: history is evident not only in traces across the landscape, but also in places that play a role in community life today.
Discover more destinations: Quesnel, Williams Lake, 108 Mile Ranch, Lac La Hache, Lone Butte, 100 Mile House, Riske Creek, Cariboo F, Canim Lake, Bridge Lake, Forest Grove, Nimpo Lake, Redstone, Puntzi Lake, Anahim Lake, Tatlayoko Lake.
For the broader travel overview: British Columbia.
