Picturesque

Communing with nature on a tour of northern B.C.

We departed from Surrey, and began our real adventure in Prince George. From there we travelled to Fort St. John, then north to Fort Nelson, and Muncho Lake Provincial Park.

We explored sites in all the towns along the way, but spent a day or so in Muncho Lake Park. The lake contains Arctic grayling and Dolly Varden trout and it’s a beautiful jade green colour.

Along the shore we spotted grebes, mergansers, loons and many other birds. We also got to see Stone sheep and a moose.

There were many different wildflowers at the campsite in the park. We also saw a herd of wild horses just north of the park.

Next stop was Liard Hot Springs, where we swam in the Alpha Pool. This area has 14 species of orchids.

We then travelled to Watson Lake in the Yukon, went west to Johnsons Crossing, then north to visit Whitehorse, Haines Junction, Faro,

Mayo and Dawson City. Each of these places has interesting historical sites, scenery, museums, etc. On the way home we went from Whitehorse to Carcross and down to Atlin. We loved it there.

To begin the trip home, we returned to Watson Lake and took Highway 37 to Hazelton. On the way we visited Spatsizi Wilderness Provincial Park, Meziadin Junction, Hazelton, Smithers, Telkwa, Burns Lake, Vanderhoof and Fort St. James.

Along the way we saw deer, a couple of bears and a lot of beautiful mountain scenery.

There are numerous lakes along the route.

While in Fort. St. James, we visited the museum and went canoeing on Stuart Lake.

GRANT HARDER/DESTINATION B.C. There are plenty of trails to hike in picturesque settings near Smithers, located in northwest B.C. along the Yellowhead Highway. A road trip through the region is richly rewarding.

ANDREW STRAIN/DESTINATION B.C. A backpacker looks out over the Peace River in Fort St. John.

DAVE SILVER/DESTINATION B.C. A bird’s-eye view shows a boardwalk on a Boer Mountain trail.

ANDREW STRAIN/DESTINATION B.C. The world renowned Ksan Historical Village is located near the ancient village of Gitanmaax in Hazelton.

ANDREW STRAIN/DESTINATION B.C. The trip offered many wildlife encounters, including a caribou cow with her calf along the Alaska Highway at beautiful Muncho Lake.

ANDREW STRAIN/DESTINATION B.C. Canoeing is serene on Muncho Lake, a great spot for bird watching.