When you concentrate on Canada’s nice highway journeys, the Icefields Parkway or Cabot Path in all probability come to thoughts first. However there’s a lesser-known stretch in northern British Columbia that’s each bit as dramatic – and much much less crowded.
This highway journey by way of Prince Rupert & Inside Passage Explorer is all about huge, untamed areas. Suppose coastal rainforests the place grizzlies wander, rivers alive with leaping salmon, and lengthy stretches of freeway the place you’ll be able to drive for an hour with out passing one other soul.
This journey is particular as a result of it combines winding mountain roads with an unforgettable ferry journey alongside the Inside Passage to Vancouver Island.
It’s half highway journey, half coastal escape, with historic forests, native heritage and wild surroundings alongside the best way.
Route Overview
Prince Rupert → Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary → Terrace → Smithers → Hazelton (non-obligatory) → Prince George → BC Ferries to Vancouver Island
Perfect journey size: 7 – 10 days
Finest time to go: Late Might to early September; when ferries run regularly and roads are away from snow.
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Begin: Prince Rupert – gateway to the North Coast
Begin in Prince Rupert, a distant however welcoming port city perched on Kaien Island and wrapped in misty coastal forest.
It’s about as far west as you’ll be able to drive on Canada’s Freeway 16 and makes a really perfect first cease for exploring BC’s rugged north coast.
Spend the day wandering the working harbour, watching bald eagles circle the docks and visiting the North Pacific Cannery. It’s an interesting museum set inside an previous salmon cannery that tells the story of the area’s fishing growth.
For wildlife lovers, the sheltered waters listed below are prime for recognizing humpbacks, orcas and porpoises on a whale-watching tour.
Eat: Maintain meals easy and contemporary. The Rain Eating Room is thought for its native seafood chowder and salmon burger, finest washed down with a chilly native ale whereas the fog rolls in.
Keep: For a snug stick with a heat welcome, attempt Crest Resort proper by the waterfront.
Cease 1: Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary – shut encounters
Head north from Prince Rupert to the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary, Canada’s first protected space devoted to grizzly bears.
This distant fjord-like inlet, surrounded by old-growth rainforest, is simply accessible by boat or floatplane.
This makes it among the finest locations on the planet to look at grizzlies grazing tidal meadows or fishing for salmon in late summer time.
Be part of a guided boat tour (Might to September) from Prince Rupert and drift by way of the nonetheless waters whereas conserving your eyes peeled for bears, eagles and seals.
The hum of the engine fades, the cedars shut in, and abruptly an enormous grizzly seems by way of the mist.
Keep: Deal with your self to an in a single day at a floating lodge for an prolonged wilderness expertise, or return to the Crest Resort for a heat mattress by the water.
Cease 2: Terrace – fishing tales and mountain backdrops
After your wildlife repair, level your wheels east on Freeway 16: the Yellowhead Freeway, one among Canada’s traditional trans-provincial routes.
Your subsequent main cease is Terrace, a pleasant city on the banks of the Skeena River.
Terrace is all in regards to the outside – assume salmon fishing, mountain biking and sizzling springs tucked within the forest.
Take a stroll alongside the riverside trails, or if you wish to stretch your legs, detour to Lakelse Lake Provincial Park, an incredible spot for a picnic or a dip if the climate’s form.
In case you time it proper, you would possibly catch one of many area’s summer time music or Indigenous cultural festivals.
The Gitxsan and Tsimshian First Nations have deep roots right here, and also you’ll discover their tales woven by way of native artwork and totem poles.
Keep: For a snug night time’s relaxation, try Finest Western Terrace Inn – a relaxed base with pleasant employees and easy accessibility to the river trails.
Elective Cease: Hazelton – totem poles and heritage
Earlier than you attain Smithers, think about swinging north for a half-day detour to Hazelton, the place the Skeena and Bulkley rivers meet.
This small village is a gem if you happen to’re interested by Indigenous historical past.
Go to the Ksan Historic Village, a reproduction Gitxsan village with fantastically carved totem poles and conventional longhouses.
It’s among the finest locations to learn the way native First Nations have lived on this land for 1000’s of years.
Cease 3: Smithers – alpine city with laid-back vibe
Subsequent up is Smithers, a city that surprises a number of highway trippers with its alpine aptitude.
It feels a bit Swiss – wood chalets, mountain peaks and a laid-back outside vibe.
In case you’re eager to stretch your legs, try the Twin Falls Path, a brief stroll that takes you to a pair of thundering cascades on the base of Hudson Bay Mountain.
Or head to Driftwood Canyon Provincial Park, the place you’ll be able to spot 50-million-year-old fossils embedded in rock – an excellent reminder that this land has at all times been shifting.
Keep: For a comfy base with mountain views, take a look at Stork Nest Inn, a welcoming spot within the coronary heart of city with hearty breakfasts to set you up for the paths.
Cease 4: Prince George: The Hub of the North
From Smithers, it’s an extended stretch to Prince George, the most important metropolis in northern BC and the area’s major crossroad.
It’s not showy, nevertheless it’s pleasant and sensible; a superb place to restock, wash the mud off the automotive, and plan the following leg of the journey.
Take a stroll alongside the Cottonwood Island Nature Park trails or drop by the native museum to get a way of how this metropolis has grown from fur-trading publish to the fashionable hub it’s at this time.
The craft beer scene is respectable right here too; Trench Brewing does an incredible tasting flight, finest paired with native tales from the bartender.
Keep: Take a look at Courtyard by Marriott Prince George, fashionable, relaxed and a superb place to recharge earlier than hitting the highway once more.
Last cease: BC Ferries – Inside Passage to Vancouver Island
Now comes the ultimate flourish and among the finest bits of this highway journey.
Drive west to Prince Rupert once more (or park up in Port Hardy if you happen to’ve looped south) and hop on the BC Ferries Inside Passage route down the wild shoreline.
You’ll disembark at Port Hardy, on the northern tip of Vancouver Island, prepared to increase your journey if you happen to fancy it. One unforgettable addition?
E book the lined whale watching journey in Vancouver and get even nearer to the magnificent marine life you’ve glimpsed from the ferry, sheltered from the weather however proper within the coronary heart of the motion.
Whether or not you push on to discover extra of the island or head straight for the island’s east coast and the ferry again to Vancouver, it’s the right technique to wind down after days of huge skies and empty highways.
Keep: Take a look at Glen Lyon Inn, spacious rooms, huge home windows searching over the water, and a pleasant welcome to spherical off your journey.
Necessities
Driving time (with out stops): Approx. 12 – 15 hours whole
What to pack: Good rain gear, layers for cold ferry decks, a digital camera with a zoom lens for wildlife and a way of journey.
Driving tip: Gasoline up usually – providers could be sparse on some legs. Ferry bookings for the Inside Passage promote out quick, so reserve effectively prematurely.
Last Ideas
The highway journey by way of Prince Rupert & Inside Passage is for individuals who crave wildness on their travels – who don’t thoughts a little bit of drizzle if it means seeing a grizzly ambling alongside a tidal meadow or a bald eagle circling a salmon-rich river.
Come ready for distant stretches, rain showers, and the sort of landscapes that remind you ways huge and untamed this nook of Canada nonetheless is.
