Known as The Fishing Highway, the Interlakes Highway 24 in the Cariboo region of British Columbia accesses a tranquil and beautiful area of rolling hills and pine forests boasting approximately 125 lakes loaded with rainbow trout, lake trout and kokanee.
Highway 24 follows the historic bridge trail, originally used by the Shuswap people as a trade route and later developed by the Hudson’s Bay Company in the early 1800s to bring furs down from Northern BC to Fort Kamloops and the Columbia River.
Fishing is legendary in this lake-dotted paradise, and resorts in the area cater to dedicated fishing people, boaters and vacationers. The region is also a popular destination for biking, hiking, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing. Winter activities include snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and ice-fishing.
Highway 24 also provides access to many good secondary roads, which extend north to Mahood Lake and Wells Gray Provincial Park and south to the Green-Bonaparte Lakes area.
Location: Located in the Cariboo region of BC, Highway 24 is a beautiful and relaxing drive between Little Fort on the Yellowhead Highway 5 and 100 Mile House at 93 Mile on the Cariboo Highway 97. Highway 24 offers a quieter route for travelers to Kamloops or Jasper via Hwy 7.
The following communities are located on or near the Fishing Highway (West to East):
100 Mile House
Once a major hub on the Cariboo Wagon Road, the town of 100 Mile House is a major service and commercial area for outlying communities and industries within the Cariboo region of BC. 100 Mile House was a resting place for travellers between Kamloops and Fort Alexandria as early as 1861.
Lone Butte
Lone Butte was once the Cariboo’s largest town and now a busy centre for the ranchers who settled in the area between the turn of the century and the 1950s. At the centre of countless lakes providing great swimming, boating and fishing, Lone Butte offers a BC Railway station, cafes, restaurants, shops, a rather impressive log pub, and numerous resorts, guest ranches and campgrounds to offer the visitor.
Sheridan Lake
Sheridan Lake holds spectacular-sized rainbow trout in the 14 to 16 pound range. The crystal clear lake is fed by underground springs and is stocked with 350,000 rainbow trout every year. The best time to try your luck here is as soon as the ice is off the lakes in May. Mayfly hatch brings out the fly-fishers for rainbow trout and brook trout.
Bridge Lake
Bridge Lake on Highway 24 is ranch country, with plenty of trails for horse riding and opportunity for horse riding lessons. Bridge Lake has numerous bays and both large and small islands, offering good fishing for Rainbow trout, lake trout (lake char) and kokanee, as well as ling cod and burbot.
Little Fort
Known as the Hub of the North Thompson, the small community of Little Fort in the North Thompson Valley is surrounded by farming (hay farms and cattle farms), forestry operations, fishing resorts, and guest ranches. Little Fort offers visitors and weary travellers a restaurant, a cafe and pub, hotel, campground, gas station, general store, craft store and a fishing tackle shop.
High Country
The High Country region is better known as the North Thompson, and incorporates the North Thompson River, the Nicola Valley, and the Shuswap Highlands. High Country is served by three major highways: the Yellowhead Highway in the northern part of High Country, the Trans-Canada Highway along the southern section, and the Coquihalla Highway entering High Country from the town of Hope in the south.
