Cariboo Chilcotin Coast BC

Welcome to the third edition of the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Backroad Mapbook. We have spent countless hours updating the book, most notably are the new look maps that are much easier to read, and now include contour labels.

This book opens up one of BC’s final frontiers. There are places far removed from the nearest road and relatively untouched by human development and industry. It is an area to preserve and to treasure.

Included in this dynamic area are a few relatively quiet highways that open up a lifetime of recreational fun. Highway 20 bisects the rolling plateau of the Chilcotin and provides a lifeline for the small communities out west. Names like Bella Coola and Alexis Creek might not mean much down south, but out here they are major centres. Branching from the highway are a few main arteries that lead past remote parks and lakes, eventually petering out near the mountains or major river crossings. This highway also takes visitors through the heart of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park into the lush Central Coast region. This beautiful region should not be missed. It is an area dominated by rugged terrain with towering, glacier-clad mountains forming an impressive background.

The highway stops at Bella Coola, and the only way to continue on is by boat or float plane. Beyond Bella Coola, the continent fragments and splits, and finally ends in a mess of islands and islets that are, for the most part, rarely seen and even less often visited by humans. There are a few small settlements and outside of a number of fishing lodges in the Hakai Area, this is a wild, remote area. However, it is a paradise for kayakers and boaters, who spend endless summers exploring the many channels and bays, inlets and islets that make up the rugged West Coast. To the east of the mighty Fraser River Highway 97 links the main centres of the area. 100 Mile House, Williams Lake and Quesnel are industry-based towns that have a long history. Part of this highway follows the infamous Gold Rush Trail that helped open up this area centuries ago. Today, people still come in search of gold, but it is the fishing, endless backroads and trails that really piqued the interest of outdoor travellers.

The other notable highway in the area is Highway 24 or the Interlakes Highway. This relatively short stretch of road takes visitors through an area that is loaded with incredible fishing lakes. From the popular Bridge and Sheridan Lakes to the many pothole trout hot spots, anglers can spend a lifetime just trying to sample them all. The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast is an outdoor recreationist’s paradise. Anglers and hunters love the area for its plentiful game and lakes full of wild rainbow. For the avid hiker, mountain biker or horseback rider, there is a lot of country out there to discover. It is also a chance to take in a bit of history and to follow one of the historical trade routes that have been used for thousands of years. Paddlers will find the world famous Bowron Lakes Canoe Route and other routes much less busy but equally as remote. Add in the large tracks of untouched wilderness and you certainly see why this area is considered the final frontier.

The Backroad Mapbook will help you explore this vast and wonderful section of our province. In addition to the maps, the writing will let you dream of places not so far away. So sit back and enjoy what we have to offer.