Top 5 reasons to visit Barkerville in winter

Play in the past and present on skis, snowmobiles, kick sled or skates

Through winter 2018 SnowSeekers has once again teamed up with our #SkiNorthBC partners and contributors to bring you #SkiNorthBC 2.0 - another season of exceptional video, photo and stories to inspire you to #ExporeBC via a #SkiNorthBC adventure.  Read on…

Abby Cooper

The winding mountainous road comes to an end at Barkerville, but this is not where the adventure ends, it only means you simply no longer require a vehicle. With countless ways to explore Barkerville, it’s important to introduce this town along with a bit of its history so you can begin to grasp the scope of this place.

The once-booming town of Barkerville doesn’t look a day past 1870 in its present state. Perfectly preserved, it's mainly known as a major summer destination, but the quieter wintertime is where the real opportunity for striking out on your own happens. While many of the shops and accommodations are closed in the winter, the outdoor adventures will keep you thoroughly entertained. And for those chilly moments, there is a cozy café with warm eats ready for your arrival. For everything else, the charming town of Wells is just six km away.

So, lets get to it. What is all this adventurous hype about Barkerville, you might wonder? Here are our top five reasons to visit this unique destination in winter. But don’t be fooled, there are certainly more than just five reasons.

Check out how you can make the break from a hectic life by discovering Barkerville...

Barkerville
Photo: Abby Cooper

The Town

Rich with Gold Rush nostalgia, Barkerville Historic Town & Park is a cool glimpse into the past. Fully restored shops, accommodations, churches and even a Chinese village are ready for exploring or wandering by. But winter wandering certainly gets better when you use a Norwegian kick sled to cruise the streets. Many Norwegians helped settle the area and they brought with them their famous snow mode of transport. It’s an excellent way for parents and kids alike to glide along the town streets.

Barkerville
Photo: Abby Cooper

Tube Park / Skating

At the entrance to the park, you’ll notice a massive snow wall and hear the giggles from afar. This tube park is brag-able in size and fun for all ages. Once inside the park, one of the first buildings you’ll notice is a picture-perfect cedar structure. It’s used for a shady spot to have lunch in the summer, but in winter, it is converted to a skating rink – much more fun if you ask me. No need to pack skates, they have plenty to rent onsite.

Barkerville
Photo: Abby Cooper

Backcountry skiing

Barkerville Mountain envelops the town, and just a tad further down the valley is Richfield and Cow Mountain, both waiting to be skied. While you’re on your ski tour, you can easily imagine exploring this land on the hunt for gold before roads were built. What a daunting task for some young men in the 1800s, but what a treat for ski tourers to glide on fresh snow and cruise all the way back into Barkerville.

Snowshoeing

Lining the hill above town on both sides are a series of trails and lookouts. In winter they are only accessible by snowshoe. It's worth the wander for the impressive bird’s eye views and a little sweat equity before or after a hearty lunch at the café.

Gold Rush Trail

Time it right and you can experience the original Gold Rush Trail that links towns all the way from Barkerville to Kamloops by snowmobile. You can make it a multi-day tour, stopping along the way for overnights and authentic Gold Rush experiences. See a nook of the world that few rarely do, which all begins in Barkerville.

 

Watch Wells and Barkerville: #SkiNorthBC on YouTube.

If You Go

Learn more to what BC has in store for you this winter, search #ExploreBC

Craft your own winter adventures in #SkiNorthBC here.

Start planning your Barkerville adventures here.

For more on the entire region, home to Troll Ski Resort and the historic town of Barkerville, check out the website for the Cariboo Regional District http://cariboord.bc.ca  .

Barkerville is found at the end of the Barkerville Highway. Make a weekend or a week of exploring this drive through history; you'll start in Quesnel

Through winter 2018 SnowSeekers has once again teamed up with our #SkiNorthBC partners and contributors to bring you #SkiNorthBC 2.0 - another season of exceptional video, photo and stories to inspire you to #ExporeBC via a #SkiNorthBC adventure. Read on…

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