But what caught our eye was a pair of White Pelicans cruising along the lakeshore. The lake itself was alive with a variety of birds including a cheeky belted kingfisher, common goldeneyes, and a pair of great blue herons. Fishing produced a few nice rainbows on a fly in a short period of time. In addition to very friendly Chilcotin hospitality, we were impressed by what the lake offered.
To break up our drive into two sections, we stayed at Escott Bay Resort on Anahim Lake. It features timber frame lodging, a Swiss chef, and a restaurant with a gorgeous view that can be admired from a deck that overlooks a small pond. What is also evident is a mix of old and new, as substantiated by Kinikinik, a pasture-to-plate operation in Redstone that pops up in the middle of cattle country. In addition to ranches of various sizes, including the Gang Ranch, one of Canada’s largest, you can’t help but notice the result of the Williams Lake Fire of 2017. Travelling through small communities like Riske Creek, Hanceville, Tatla Lake, and Kleena Kleene evokes a sense of adventure and history. The Chilcotin plateau runs from the Fraser River west to Bella Coola. It’s approximately six hours from Vancouver and two hours from Prince George by motor vehicle, and there are a number of gas stations, grocery stores, and lodging of all types, including RV campgrounds.įrom Williams Lake, follow Highway 20, which is a paved road winding through the Chilcotin Plateau, past small villages and ranches towards Anahim Lake. The start of the journey to Bella Coola begins at Williams Lake, which is considered to be the hub of the Cariboo and might best be known as the home of the Williams Lake Stampede. They named their settlement Hagensborg, and there’s evidence of the original homesteads of these Norwegians still standing today. In 1894, there were only 16 non-aboriginal people living in the valley when 200 Norwegians arrived. The region is also home to the Nuxalk First Nations people and many facets of their culture are evident today including petroglyphs, art, and history.
When my grandson, son, and I visited in 2020, it became apparent pretty quickly that the region provides great opportunities for outdoor experiences including hiking, hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing, offering a great multi-faceted getaway for RVers. Bella Coola is a town of approximately 2,000 on the West Coast of British Columbia, which is rich in history, surrounded by mountains, and home to numerous rivers including the Bella Coola, Atnarko, and the legendary Dean.
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