Northern BC
A vast wilderness that’s as inviting as it is untamed
Larger than California, Northern British Columbia extends up to the Yukon/Alaska border with sweeping glaciated valleys, volcanic rock formations, towering mountain ranges and mist-shrouded coast.
​
Some highlights include Monkman Provincial Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park and the epic 2,237 km (1,387 mi) Alaska Highway. Northern BC is also home to the ancient Great Bear Rainforest and the Haida Gwaii archipelago — where you’ll find one of the last authentic examples of a coastal First Nations village.
Alaska Highway
A historic route through the wilderness of the Northern Canadian Rockies
​
The Alaska Highway through British Columbia offers visitors a stretch of road that travels through some of the world’s most wildly beautiful areas, filled with jaw-dropping scenery, wildlife sightings, and communities with a frontier past.
Beginning at “Mile 0” in Dawson Creek, this route winds through vast expanses of rolling prairie and boreal forest, past the upper reaches of the northern Rocky Mountains. Nearby is the Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark, home to unique geology and palaeontology, including dinosaur tracks and fossils. Muncho Lake Provincial Park offers excellent fishing and camping spots along the long, jade-green lake, while the hot springs at Liard River is one of the most popular stops on this storied trip.
Pictured: Near Muncho Lake Provincial Park
Haida Gwaii
A vibrant culture set in dramatic landscape
​
Haida Gwaii is the ancestral territory of the Haida Nation. This storm battered archipelago of 150 rocky islands off British Columbia’s West Coast is tricky to access at times, which only adds to its allure. With its diverse plant and animal life (the area is nicknamed Canada’s Galapagos), and monumental poles and longhouses, there is something new to learn for everyone.
The islands are home to dramatic landscapes, abundant wildlife, and some of the world’s richest heritage, home to more than 500 archeological sites. Haida Gwaii’s climate produces lush vegetation and abundant wildlife. Groups of Sitka deer feed on the grassy clearings along Highway 16 (the Queen Charlotte Highway), and eagles—often in large convocations—can be seen flying overhead in spring and summer.
Pictured: Balance Rock in Skidegate
Stewart-Cassiar
& Highway 16
A vast and varied landscape of wilderness and wildlife
​
Yukon/Alaska border, showcasing dramatic glaciated valleys, volcanic rock formations, mountain ranges, and mist-shrouded rainforest, anchored by the outdoor community of Smithers and port city of Prince Rupert.
While BC has lots of remote and wild, Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park stirs the spirit. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its immense river network and diversity of animal life, including the blue-ish glacier bear. Mount Edziza Provincial Park and the Spatzizi Wilderness Plateau are both remote wonderlands. Along Route 16, North Tweedsmuir Provincial Park is also a remote wonderland, with only two ways in: By boat or floatplane.
Pictured: Dennis Lake in Smithers
