Located on the Thompson River, Ashcroft is in one of Canada’s driest climate zones. Sagebrush is more prominent on the hills than trees. Its riverside location and dry slopes give the town a distinctive landscape, alongside traces of railway and gold rush history and places that recall the Chinese community. When planning your visit, you can focus on different aspects, from landscapes and activities to cultural sites.
Landscape and Activities
Ashcroft has mountain bike trails for cross-country and downhill riding. Trail conditions can change, so check them before setting out. For a different kind of viewing, viewpoints along the Inuksuk Trail offer opportunities to watch trains. Both provide their own reason to explore the routes around Ashcroft, without requiring the same kind of activity.
Heritage Place Park has a path with benches and a shaded picnic area. The park also includes a historic cabin with a sod roof. It brings together a path, places to sit and a historic landmark. Visitors more interested in these park features will find a different combination here than on the mountain bike trails or at the Inuksuk Trail viewpoints.
Railway and Community History
With the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 19th century, Ashcroft became mile “0” on the route to the goldfields. The Ashcroft Museum is housed in the historic Dominion Building, built in 1917. Its collection includes artifacts honoring Ashcroft’s Indigenous peoples, Chinese community and pioneer settlers. The museum also has a coal mine exhibit; details of the exhibit may change.
The Chinese Cemetery also tells the story of the Chinese community. The CPR established it over 100 years ago; today, 49 gravesites are visible, seven of them with original headstones. In 2012, a stone monument was erected in memory of Chinese workers who helped build the Canadian Pacific Railway in British Columbia. Right beside it is a memorial plaque with pictures and information about Ashcroft’s Chinese community. Together, the gravesites, monument and plaque provide several specific historical points of reference.
Art and Places in the Townscape
The Harmony Bell Tower features four mosaic panels, a bell tower, interlocking brick paths and benches. Ashcroft’s Art Walk uses murals, signs and installations to tell stories about cultural diversity and history. The two attractions have different emphases: architectural features and mosaics shape the Harmony Bell Tower, while the Art Walk shares stories through different forms of public art.
For orientation, Ashcroft’s map collection includes an interactive map for the Art Walking Tour and an Ashcroft Trail Map. Map links and formats may be updated. If you use one of the maps to plan your visit, check that the current version meets your needs.
Events and Getting There
The Plein Air Art Show takes place annually and attracts artists from across the region. Check the latest dates before your trip if you plan to attend. The Desert Hills ranch and farm attracts visitors for its products and annual events; here, too, you should confirm seasonal dates before your trip. Both add a time-specific element to your plans, while the museum, cemetery and art sites described above highlight other cultural themes.
Ashcroft is on Highway 97C, 10 km south of the junction of the Trans-Canada Highway 1 and Highway 97. Check road conditions for your travel day separately.
Discover more destinations: Avola, Cache Creek, Lytton, Logan Lake, Spences Bridge, Merritt, Barrière, Blue River.
For the regional travel overview: Thompson-Nicola.
