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British Columbia, Cariboo Region

Highway 26 -
On the Gold Rush Trail

Day trip to
Barkerville and Bowron Lake

Highway 26 Log

km0Quesnel
km21Wildlife fences
km24,5Cottonwood River
km26,9Cottonwood House
km32,4Swift River Forest Road
km34,5Lover's Leap
km43,6Memorial plaque for Charles Morgan Blessing
km60,1Turnoff to Boulder Gold Mine
km62,2Chisholm Creek (on Stanley Road)
km64,7Devil's Canyon
km69Slough Creek
km75,2Wells White Cap Motor Inn & RV Park
km79,8Barkerville Provincial Park Forest Rose and Lowhee Campground
km80,5Bowron Lake Provincial Park Canoe circuit
7 days
km80,7Barkerville
km81,7Cameronton
km81,9Cemetery
km82,1Historic Barkerville St. George Hotel Barkerville

Road condition
Additional Links

Quesnel

Quesnel is the starting point for a day trip to Barkerville and Bowron Lake.

From July 18 to 21, 2002, goldrush times are revived in Quesnel, when the annual Billy Barker Days celebrate the memories of bygone times.
Further information.
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Wildlife fences

The wooden fences with their wood covers allow wild animals like deer and moose to jump the fences without being hurt. Cattle are held back by them.
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Cottonwood River

The river is named for the cottonwood trees growing along its banks.
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Cottonwood House

Cottonwood House is a National Heritage Site. It was built in 1864 and was used as a road house along the Cariboo Wagon Road. Today it houses a gift shop as well as a coffee shop. There is a picnic area and historic trails, that were already used by the goldseekers. Guides in historic costumes explain what happened in the building. Open May to September.
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Swift River Forest Road

The forest road is still used by forestry workers and leads 0.3 kilometers to a turnoff (first road to the left) to Lightning Creek Forest Service recreation area, where there is a free campground. Maximum duration of stay: 14 Tage.
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Lover's Leap

Lover's Leap viewpoint on the summit of Mexican Hill. During the time of the goldrush the Cariboo Wagon Road went through here, and this was one of the steepest hills on it. The original road passed south of here.
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Memorial plaque for Charles Morgan Blessing

This is where Charles Morgan Blessing lies buried. He was murdered by John Barry in 1866 on his way to the goldfields of Barkerville.

Barry was caught when he gave away Blessing's tie pin which resembled a skull to one of the dance hall girls in Barkerville. He was hanged for his crime. Barry was the only white man who was executed during the goldrush in Barkerville.
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Turnoff to Boulder Gold Mine

The turnoff to Stanley Road is well worth a sidetrip. It leads to the Boulder Gold Mine and brings you to the ghost towns of Stanley and VanWinkle, to the old Lightning Hotel and gravesites from the goldrush period.
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Chisholm Creek (on Stanley Road)

These are the remains of the town of Stanley. The cemetery dates back to the 19th century. Stanley trail leads from here through the ghost town of VanWinkle to the court building of Barkerville.
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Devil's Canyon

This was the highest elevation on the Cariboo Wagon Road.
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Slough Creek

In 1870 John Shaw discovered gold at this point. Later hydraulic gold mining took place here.
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Wells

300 inhabitants, 1280 m above sealevel
Since the 1930s gold was mined in the Cariboo Gold Quartz Mine. Fred Wells attracted many miners to the region. The mine was closed in 1967, but the town continues to exist and offers attractions like art galeries and gift shops. Some of the houses dating from the 1930s were restored. Guided and self guided tours are offered, and a museum for the mining history of the region informs interested visitors. Open daily from June to September.

The region of Wells offers 50 kilometers of marked hiking trails. In summer people can hike on historic trails, or use mountainbikes on them (these can be rented in town). They can wash gold, travel through the region on llama trecks or fish. In winter the trails are prepared for long distance skiing, snowmobiles or dog sleds.

Numerous celebrations and acitivites attract visitors in summer and winter: horseshoe and boccia contests are organized in summer. In fall and winter a number of events take place: the Yama Celebration in November, the Gold Rush Dogsled Race in January, the Snowarama in February and the Great Canadian Hillclimb in March.

White Cap Motor Inn & RV Park

Close to Barkerville and Bowron Lakes Provincial Park the White Cap Motor Inn & RV Park offers a good nights rest either for campers or those, who are looking for an inexpensive way to spend the night.

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Barkerville Provincial Park Forest Rose and Lowhee Campground

North of the road is Barkerville Provincial Park Forest Rose Campground. South of the road Lowhee Campground offers 170 sites, picnic area and sewer.
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Bowron Lake Provincial Park


© www.trailpeak.com 		29 kilometers of gravel road lead to Bowron Lake Provincial Park. The lakes in this area are known to be interconnected. Thus they allow a canoe round trip of 116 kilometers in length, which takes between seven to ten days. Canoeists have to register at the Visitor Center and pay their fees
for the tour. It is strongly recommended to make reservations for July and August for groups of more than seven people. (Phone: 250/992-3111).

There is a campground in the provincial park with 25 sites, water, dry toilets, firewood and a boat launch. Swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking and hiking.
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Barkerville

Former center of the gold rush in the Cariboo. Entrance fee.
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Cameronton

This was where Cameronton used to to be, which was named after John A. "Cariboo" Cameron, who discovered gold here. Williams Creek provided the highest gold finds.
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Cemetery

The side road leads 2.9 kilometers to the gold rush cemetery. 0.4 kilometers past the turnoff is Government Hill Campground, 0.7 kilometers further the modern town of Barkerville.
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Historic Barkerville

In the historic town of Barkerville numerous houses from the gold rush period have been renovated. The Visitor Center is open yearround. Phone: (604) 994-3332, after September most attractions and the theatre are closed.

Barkerville is named after Billy Barker, the first prospector who discovered gold on Williams Creek. What followed was the gold rush of 1862. After gold mining stopped the town fell into disrepair and turned into a ghost town. Only in 1958 the provincial government of British Columbia started to restore the old houses. Today visitors can again wash gold, visit a smithy, shop in the old store or watch the Vaudeville show in the Theatre Royal. The best time to visit Barkerville is between June 1st and Labor Day. Then all attractions are open to the public and the theatre shows are scheduled regularly. In summer costumed guides lead visitors through town and tell of "current" events during the gold rush.

At the other end of Barkerville the Cariboo Wagon Road continues for another 1.6 kilometers to the court house, where "hanging" judge Begbie watched over law and order in Barkerville during gold rush times. This part of the road is only open to pedestrians.

St. George Hotel Barkerville

Stay right in historic Barkerville in a B & B, which has been established in a house from the goldrush days. This will give you a taste of how it has been.

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Road condition

Since this is a minor road its condition is not optimal. An average driving speed between 80 to 100 km/h is possible.
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Additional Links

Barkerville Historic Town
Official page of Barkerville Historic Provincial Park
Barkerville Provincial Park
Official page for the surroundings of Barkerville
The Cariboo Gold Rush
Excellent guide through the history of the goldrush,
B.C. Archives
Bowron Lake Provincial Park
Official page of Bowron Lake Provincial Park
Cottonwood House Provincial Park
Official page of Cottonwood House Provincial Park
Cariboo Highway - North to Alaska
From Cache Creek to Prince George

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