Big Lake Ranch lies on the shore of Big Lake and was once an important stop for miners. Some buildings from the former ranch still stand today. The community and its history offer concrete points of interest for planning a trip; the wider Cariboo destination also has more trails focused on nature and history.
Local History and Getting Your Bearings
The Big Lake Community Hall houses the community post office, fire and rescue services, the district library, and a gymnasium. At Big Lake Ranch, the buildings from the former ranch and the hall, with its various functions, represent different aspects of local history and community life.
Trail and Water
The Big Lake Community Hall Low Mobility Trail is 500 m long. Current trail conditions may vary; check them before your visit. Nearby, MeadowView offers a guided three-hour paddle tour on Big Lake, exploring the shoreline and quiet coves. Tour availability is seasonal and may change; check before planning. These details offer two different scales: a short route on land or a guided water experience of a set duration.
Trails in the Wider Cariboo Destination
The Cariboo Regional District trail network includes 22 wheelchair-accessible trails spread across the region. Scenic examples in the Cariboo include the Ninety-Nine Mile Low Mobility Trail: it is 1.7 kilometres long, runs through lush mountain forest, and has four viewpoints, including one overlooking a wetland. The Mountain Spruce Low Mobility Trail winds through a spruce and fir forest to a viewing platform overlooking Heron Lake and the surrounding wetlands. One trail features several viewpoints, while the other has a platform with views of the lake and wetlands.
Also in the wider Cariboo, the Horsefly Wheelchair Accessible Salmon Habitat Viewing Trail runs along the Horsefly River and offers views of the salmon migration channel. The Bull Canyon Provincial Park Low Mobility Trail overlooks the glacier-carved, blue Chilcotin River and passes Indigenous pit houses. The trail descriptions emphasize different features: one follows the river and salmon habitat, while the other combines river views with a historical connection.
Gold Rush History and Regional Trails
In the Cariboo, the Bullion Pit Low Mobility Trail offers a view of a man-made canyon dating from the Gold Rush era. The Quesnelle Forks Low Mobility Trails network covers about 860 metres and has viewpoints overlooking a Gold Rush ghost town and the confluence of the Quesnel and Cariboo rivers. Landscape and history come together here in different ways: at Bullion Pit, through views of the canyon; at Quesnelle Forks, with the added features of the river confluence and ghost town.
Located in the Cariboo Regional District, the Telegraph Trail is the approximately 275-kilometre section of the Collins Overland Telegraph Trail and its successor, the Yukon Telegraph Trail. The remaining sections are used as recreational trails by hikers and people interested in the province's history. In the wider Cariboo destination, Barkerville is also considered the best-preserved example of the types of communities and buildings established during the Cariboo Gold Rush. In the wider Cariboo destination, Felker Homestead offers a different, present-day connection: it is currently used as a community gathering place and a venue for celebrations.
Discover more destinations: Redstone, Anahim Lake, 108 Mile Ranch, Puntzi Lake, Quesnel, Bridge Lake, Riske Creek, Lac La Hache
View the wider travel overview: Cariboo.
