Premier Listings for Chilcotin
The Chilcotin region of British Columbia is located between the Coast Mountains and the Central Interior of BC. Highway 20 runs from Bella Coola to Williams Lake, linking the Central Coast with the Central Interior as it crosses the Coast Mountains and the Chilcotin Plateau. Highway 20 passes through diverse landscapes ranging from grassy plateaus and rolling meadows to picturesque canyons and high mountain peaks. Roads off the highway provide access to excellent views of the Coast Mountain Range, as well as important backcountry lakes.
Remnants of precontact Native culture include the site of Friendly Village, visited by Sir Alexander Mackenzie in 1793, pictographs near Big Rock, a burial ground and smokehouse near Stuie, and aboriginal trade trails. There are also obsidian quarries on Tsitsutl Peak.
Air services based in Nimpo Lake offer canoe and cabin rentals at Tweedsmuir Wilderness Camp, Turner Lake; floatplane flights to Turner Lake; and sightseeing flights to the massive Monarch Icefield in the Coast Mountains just west of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park’s southwestern border.
Although you’ll find cowboy boots and Stetson hats to be standard issue in many parts of the province, from Surrey in the Lower Mainland to Dawson Creek in the Northeast, the Chilcotin Plateau east of the Bella Coola Valley can rightfully claim to be the true bastion of the range rider in British Columbia. Very few of the roads are paved, restricting access to only the most adventuresome and savvy map readers. Vast expanses of the Chilcotin are worked by large outfits such as the Gang Ranch, at one time the largest ranch in North America with over 1 million acres (400,000 hectares). The ranch epitomizes the spirit of this isolated region. Wherever you stop along the Bella Coola Road, there’s always a pot of (mostly free) coffee brewing.
For more than a century, general stores throughout the Chilcotin region have played an important role as community centres and meeting places where hospitality is legendary and genuine. Stop in to get a taste of Chilcotin living today – and as it was in the past. Examples along Hwy 20 include the Riske Creek General Store, about 30 miles (47 km) west of Williams Lake; Lee’s Corner (Hanceville) General Store, 56 miles (91 km) west of Williams Lake; the Chilanko Forks General Store, about 35 miles (56.5 km) west of Alexis Creek; the Kleena Kleene General Store, 19 miles (31 km) west of Tatla Lake; and the Anahim Lake General Store, about 60 miles (95 km) west of Tatla Lake.
It’s a land where cowboys reign, but both outstanding fishing and adventure are making a run for top billing. Out here the interesting characters are friendly, full of stories, and are always ready to entertain. The locals also exude a certain independence of spirit. It is this spirit that opened up this rugged landscape, and it is in this spirit that you must take your journey into the Chilcotin.
Location: The Chilcotin region of British Columbia is located between the Coast Mountains and the Central Interior of the province. The area is accessed by Highway 20, also known as the Bella Coola Road, that runs for 282 miles (451 km) from Bella Coola on the BC coast to Williams Lake, located on the Cariboo Highway 97.
Alexis Creek
The small community of Alexis Creek on the Bella Coola Highway is the service centre for the East Chilcotin region.
Anahim Lake
The native community of Anahim Lake is a splendid base from which to embark on horseback or hiking trips into the surrounding Chilcotin wilderness of the Itcha Mountains, the Ilgachuz Mountains, and the multi-hued Rainbow Mountains. Located 61 miles (98 km) west of Williams Lake, Anahim Lake is the largest community in the West Chilcotin.
Bella Coola Hwy 20
The Bella Coola Road runs for 283 miles (456 km) from Bella Coola to Williams Lake, linking the Central Coast with the Central Interior as it crosses the Coast Mountains and the Chilcotin Plateau, including Tweedsmuir Provincial Park and Farwell Canyon.
Chilanko Forks & Puntzi Lake
Chilanko Forks is a small settlement and First Nations community of the Tsilhqot’in people, located on the north bank of the Chilanko River, immediately south of Puntzi Lake. Chilanko Forks is the location of the offices of the Alexis Creek First Nation.
Chilko Lake
At 80 kms (50 miles) long and fed by glaciers, Chilko Lake is the largest natural, high-elevation freshwater lake in North America. The lake plays host to the third-largest chinook/sockeye salmon run, from August through October. Chilko Lake is located in Ts’yl-os Provincial Park.
Gold Bridge
Located in the Bridge River Valley, nestled amongst the towering snow-covered peaks of the Southern Chilcotin Mountains, Gold Bridge was in one of the richest gold-producing regions in the history of BC.
Kleena Kleene
Located approximately 20 miles (30 km) west of Tatla Lake, Kleena Kleene is the departure point for flights to remote lakes such as One Eye Lake, and rivers such as the Klinaklini. Charter flights are also available at Tatla Lake to nearby fishing lakes.
Moose Lake
Moose Lake is located east of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, in the wilderness of the upper Blackwater, Upper Dean, and Entiako River watersheds. The area is an isolated wilderness area, home to a wide range of wildlife, including moose, grizzly bears and wolves. Visitors to the area come to enjoy the opportunity to boat, fish or hike in a truly remote wilderness.
Nazko Valley
The Nazko Valley is a beautiful valley with crystal clear rivers and lakes, vast verdant forests and impressive mountains. Nazko is located 100 Km (60 miles) west of Quesnel.
Nimpo Lake
Known as the Floatplane Capital of BC, Nimpo Lake is located approximately 37 miles (60 km) northwest of Tatla Lake on Hwy 20. It’s a major centre for air charters flying guests to remote fishing locations. In recognition of its reputation for rainbow trout fishing, Nimpo Lake was chosen as the location for the 1993 Commonwealth Fly-Fishing Championships.
Riske Creek
The small town of Riske Creek is set amidst rolling grasslands serving as the gateway to Junction Sheep Range Park.
Tatla Lake
Tatla Lake is a small community near the western edge of the Chilcotin Plateau serving as a helicopter tour access point for several wilderness destinations, including the Homathko Ice Field and Mt. Waddington.
A special feature in the upper Atnarko River watershed is the magnificent Hunlen Falls, with its 853-foot (260-metre) single drop over a sheer rock face. It is one of the highest waterfalls in Canada.
At Sheep Creek Bridge, view the spectacular Fraser River Canyon. Good views can be had from several locations on Highway 20, including the Chilcotin Bridge, 15 miles 925 km) west of Williams Lake.
During fall, the Tsilhoqot’in First Nations (Chilcotin) fish in their traditional manner with long-handled dip nets.
Nineteen kilometres from the Highway 20 junction, the road crosses the Chilcotin River at Farwell Canyon, once the site of a native village. A bridge spans the spectacular canyon, carved through limestone and sandstone, creating hoodoos and other water-carved formations on the rock walls. The ancient hoodoo rock formations and native pictographs on the cliff south of the bridge are very popular attractions in the area.
The Chilanko Forks Wildlife Management Area, a protected marshland on Hwy 20 near Chilanko Forks, 38 miles (62 km) west of Alexis Creek, is home to more than 52 species of birds (among them waterfowl, hummingbirds, and woodpeckers) as well as beavers.
Puntzi Lake, about 4 miles (7 km) north of Hwy 20, about 35 miles (60 km) west of Alexis Creek, is a feeding area for white pelicans in the spring and summer, and trumpeter swans from fall to freeze-up. Other viewing sites are on Alkali, Anahim, and Pantag Lakes.
Nine miles (15 km) south of Hwy 20 on Farwell Canyon Road is the California Bighorn Sheep Reserve, a more than 1,000-acre (400-hectare) game reserve at the confluence of the Fraser and Chilcotin Rivers. The reserve is home to 500 bighorns, one-fifth of the world’s population. Watch for groups of them scaling the steep sandstone riverbanks.
Horseback Riding: Horses are permitted on many of the trails leading from the Rainbow Range trailhead in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, 18.6 miles (30 km) west of Anahim Lake. The Alexander Mackenzie Heritage Trail also can be travelled on horseback. Guides in Anahim Lake lead guided horse trips in the area. You’ll also find good riding on the Puntzi Lake trails, 4.3 miles (7 km) north of Hwy 20, about 35 miles (60 km) west of Alexis Creek.
The Chilcotin River is rated among the best – and most challenging – in North America for kayaking and whitewater rafting. The Chilko River, a tributary of the Chilcotin that flows out of Chilko Lake, is also known for its whitewater activities. Not only will the Class IV-V whitewater get your adrenal glands fluttering, the landscape will too. The headwaters of the Chilcotin and the Chilko lie in the Coast Mountains near the southeast corner of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park. The rivers become runable in the subalpine regions, then they descend to the Chilcotin Plateau’s sprawling grasslands and arid canyons. Some of the most spectacular scenery is found near the Chilcotin’s confluence with the Fraser River, south of Riske Creek. This is an esteemed kayaking and rafting locale, but because of its isolation, the Chilcotin sees relatively few rafters and whitewater kayakers.
Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, at over 2.2 million acres (895,000 hectares) one of British Columbia’s biggest parks, is located in the Chilcotin and is most easily accessed from Highway 20, which bisects the southern half of the park between Bella Coola and Anahim Lake. The park encompasses an astounding diversity of landscapes and conditions, and is divided into two sections, with the Dean River acting as a natural boundary between the north and south.
Tweedsmuir Park South comprises many natural history features, as well as some incredibly diverse landscapes in the Coast Mountains and Interior Plateau regions. The Interior Plateau (which includes the Fraser, Chilcotin, and Nechako Plateaus), in the eastern portion of the park, is a rolling and hilly landscape. Within the park, the plateau is warped sharply upward to more than 6,560 feet (2000 m) and is largely covered with glacial drift. East of the park near Anahim Lake, the Interior Plateau abruptly gives way, at an elevation of about 4,430 feet (1350 m), to peaks of the Rainbow Range.
The peaks of the Rainbow Range – Tsitsutl in the local dialect, meaning painted mountains – form an enormous dome of eroded lava and fragmented rock that presents an astonishing spectrum of reds, oranges, yellows, and lavenders. Contrasting with the vivid colouration and gentler slopes of the Rainbow Range are the higher and more rugged Coast Mountains. Vast glaciers sculpted these granite giants, leaving behind serrated peaks that are still being eroded by the alpine ice.
Circle Tour: See the best of BC when you embark upon one of the many circle tours that take in Vancouver Island, the Discovery Coast, the Sunshine Coast, the interior winelands or the remote Northern British Columbia. The coastal tours involve exciting rail, road and ferry trips, which is half the fun of travelling in British Columbia. Scenic highways flank the coast, taking you through charming beachside communities, rolling farmlands and majestic mountain ranges. Start your journey here and now, by selecting from one of the Circle Tours, designed to assist you in planning your journey by road through beautiful British Columbia.
Premier Listings
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KiNiKiNiK Restaurant, Store & Accommodations is situated in Redstone on Highway 20, the connector to Bella Coola and the Pacific Ocean. You cannot miss KiNiKiNiK restaurant, with its beautiful timber-framed construction and modern design. We have accommodations with no minimum stay required. Our rental cottages and houses are handsome timber-framed lodgings in the same architectural style as KiNiKiNiK. Please stay a while …
Stroll around our beautifully landscaped grounds; browse the unique KiNiKiNiK store for local, organic and high-quality items, including a selection of organic Pasture To Plate meats and in-house prepared and preserved foods, beeswax candles and many practical and beautiful kitchen utensils.
Our restaurant serves wholesome food made from scratch with certified organic ingredients from May to September. All meats are from Pasture To Plate animals born, raised and grass-fed fattened on Rafter 25 Ranch land, on which KiNiKiNiK is situated.
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Woodlands Fishin Resort invites you to come experience rustic living at its best in British Columbia! Whether you come for the fishing or just to enjoy nature, our fishing resort is a great place to call home for a few days!
Located on the shores of Puntzi Lake near the quiet community of Chilanko Forks, Woodlands Fishin Resort enjoys a beautiful natural setting featuring a 12-site campground, flat grass tent sites, full-amenity cabins and even an on-site restaurant and bakery serving mouth-watering pastries, bread, and cakes (Puntzi Lake Restaurant & Bakery)!
We offer boats, motors, kayaks and canoes for rent, and a boat ramp and dock for your convenience. We may have a rustic look, but offer lots of modern amenities, including high-speed internet, laundry room, fish-cleaning station, and a sanidump station.
The Cariboo Chilcotin region of British Columbia offers great fishing and incredible wildlife, from wild horses to grizzlies, from eagles to rare white pelicans, and so much more!
Phone: 250-481-0011 (May to October)
Phone: 250-230-5099 (Off-season)
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Join in the cowboy lifestyle, with trail riding and ranching experience at Six Mile Ranch, a small, family-run, cow/calf ranch operation in scenic Chilcotin country. Experience unstaged real time on the ranch, be part of our family and home, eat supper with the tired haying crew, watch horses being saddled and packed, or observe seasonal activities like branding, ‘turn out’, first round up, summer range drive, or fall round ups. Or embark on a horseback trail ride into the Itcha and Ilgatchuz Mountains, in groups up to eight guests on seven to fourteen-day pack trips.
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Join in the cowboy lifestyle, with trail riding and ranching experience at Six Mile Ranch, a small, family-run, cow/calf ranch operation in scenic Chilcotin country. Participate in actual ranch activities, such as branding, riding range, turn out, first round up, summer range drive, and the fall round up. Let us help you plan your ranching holiday. embark on a horseback trail ride into the Itcha and Ilgatchuz Mountains, in groups up to eight guests on seven to fourteen-day pack trips.
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Refuel after a full day of Fishin & Adventure!
Woodlands Fishin’ Resort is home to a popular area destination: our very own Puntzi Lake Bakery and Family Restaurant. We offer an assortment of take-out goodies at our Bakery, such as bread, cakes and our REELY amazing carrot cake. Everyone is HOOKED on our cinnamon rolls!
We invite you to join us in our restaurant as well. We offer full menu, including breakfast (weekends only), sandwiches, hamburgers and fries, salads, pizza, and a variety of desserts, including old-fashioned milkshakes, pies, and frozen lattes. Camping guests can reserve meals 7 days per week.
Whether you are staying with us as a guest or just passing through, come visit our bakery and restaurant! We’re sure to have whatever floats your boat. We offer take-out or eat-in. Try our screened-in deck with great views of Puntzi Lake or have a picnic by the lake.
Restaurant Hours:
Thursday to Sunday: 11am to 7pm
Saturday and Sunday Breakfast: 9am to 12 noon
Guest can reserve meals 7 days a week.
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Landquest Realty Corporation is a unique real estate company specializing in marketing recreational real estate, development properties, ranches, guest ranches, oceanfront, islands, resorts, lakefront, timber, trophy properties, remote fishing and hunting properties and Big Game Outfitter Territories throughout BC. Landquest’s dedicated group of experienced real estate professionals provide the best possible service in every corner of British Columbia.
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