Embark on the Gold Rush Trail, where British Columbia’s vibrant history and stunning landscapes await. Journey through mountain gaps, canyons, and plains, uncovering ancient civilizations and diverse cultures. This land of natural beauty invites explorers to endless adventures. Let the Gold Rush Trail captivate your spirit and ignite your imagination.
Barkerville, named after English prospector Billy Barker, who discovered gold here in 1862, was the heart of the Cariboo Gold Rush. Today, this preserved historic town brims with colour and vitality. History enthusiasts can delve into the stories of the land’s Original Peoples, food lovers can savour the offerings of its cozy restaurants, and those eager to learn can explore the rich heritage of Chinese culture.
The Gold Rush Trail features thousands of lakes, rivers, and streams teeming with rainbow trout, cutthroat, steelhead, and sturgeon, with knowledgeable guides emphasizing wildlife conservation. Spences Bridge, in the Fraser Canyon, is known for its late-season steelhead runs, while sturgeon fishing is popular between Lytton and Lillooet along the remote Fraser River. The Cariboo region, from Little Fort to 93 Mile House, is famed as “The Fishing Highway,” with Sheridan Lake and Bridge Lake offering excellent trout fishing. The Interlakes area, with over 100 lakes within an hour’s drive, is a fishing paradise. Fly fishing enthusiasts flock to Horsefly River and Quesnel Lake, home to abundant rainbow trout, sockeye, and chinook salmon. Dragon Lake near Quesnel is renowned for its trophy trout.
The North American mountain biking community often refers to this region as Canada’s “unofficial mountain biking capital.” With endless trails for both leisure bikers and thrill-seeking free riders, you could spend an entire summer here without riding the same path twice. These trails and communities offer uncrowded paths, friendly locals, and an extended biking season. From canyons and valleys to gravel roads, forests, and mountains, this vast region of BC caters to all levels and riders’ preferences.
The Gold Rush Trail offers unique pasture-raised meats, craft beer, locally grown hops, birch syrup, fresh veggies, baked goods, regional wines, honey, artisan crafts, and more. Farmers, specialty producers, and ranchers along the trail are eager to share the art and science of sustainable farming and ranching, emphasizing healthy soils and free-range pastures. Many tourism operators source food locally and open their barn doors for visitors to experience “farming with the season” while sampling and purchasing local delicacies.
