By road one enters the Central Coast
from the east through Tweedsmuir Pa rk, British Columbia’s largest
provincial park. However, most of the Central Coast is still inaccessible
by road. In fact until BC Ferries launched its Discovery Coast Passage
run in the summer of 1996, the Central Coast was also largely inaccessible
by water. Now, to the  delight of adventurers and locals alike, from
June to September the Queen of Chilliwack connects the community
of Port Hardy, at the northeastern end of Vancouver Island, with
Bella Coola, at the head of the North Bentinck Arm, making regular
stops along the way.
Tweedsmuir Park, accessible via Highway 20 has a north and south
component. North Tweedsmuir appeals primarily to outdoor recreationists
interested in boating, angling, camping, hiking or hunting in one
of North America's most magnificent wilderness areas. Outdoor recreation
opportunities are almost unlimited, but those who are not prepared
to be completely self-sufficient or who do not wish to employ a professional
guide should not contemplate a visit.
South Tweedsmuir Park comprises many natural history features, as
well as some incredibly diverse landscapes in the Coast Mountains
and Interior Plateau regions. East of the park near Anahim Lake,
the Interior Plateau abruptly gives way to peaks of the Rainbow Range.
The peaks - Tsitsutl in the local dialect, meaning painted mountains
- form an enormous dome of eroded lava and fragmented rock that presents
an astonishing spectrum of reds, oranges, yellows, and lavenders.
Contrasting with the vivid colouration and gentler slopes of the
Rainbow Range are the higher and more rugged Coast Mountains. A special
feature in the upper Atnarko watershed is the magnificent Hunlen
Falls, with its 853-foot (260-m) single drop over a sheer rock face.
It is one of the highest waterfalls in Canada.
Four biogeoclimatic zones lie within the southern half of Tweedsmuir:
alpine tundra, Engelmann spruce/subalpine fir, sub-boreal spruce,
and coastal western hemlock. From the east, travellers on Highway
20 pass through the lower reaches of the Englemann spruce/subalpine
fir zone in Heckman Pass (elevation 5,000 feet/1525 m) at the park's
eastern boundary, about 360 km west of Williams Lake. The road drops
quickly down the Bella Coola Hill, passing through dry lodgepole
pine stands on Young Creek Hill to reach the Atnarko Valley, with
its fir and cedar forests.
The "Hill" through Heckman's Pass in Tweedsmuir Provincial
Park is known for its 18% grade into the Bella Coola Valley. Provincial
authorities did not believe that a road should be built over the
Coast Mountains. The locals then decided to build one themselves.
With only two bulldozers, working from opposite ends, supplies bought
on credit and a work force that often had only the promise of being
paid, they finally ended Bella Coola’s isolation in 1953 by
completing the "Freedom Road" up out of the Bella Coola
Valley to the plateau. Heckman’s Pass, the highest point on
Highway 20 (elevation 1524 meters or 5000 feet) is the beginning
of the 30 km / 20 mi. descent on a narrow and winding gravel hill
to the Bella Coola Valley. The hill consists of a 9 km / 6 mi. stretch
of switchbacks with a grade up to 18%.
 Stuie
is located at the bottom if the "Hill". This community
was the traditional meeting place for Bella Coola and interior
natives on the Atnarko River. Look for petropglyphs and visit
the nearby Fisheries
spawning channels and salmon viewing pool. Burnt Bridge offers
a one to two hour hiking trail loop along the Alexander Mackenzie
Trial.
The next community of Hagensborg was settled by Norwegians
from Minnesota, USA in 1894, who saw similarities between
this coastal valley and their homeland. Farming, lumber,
and fishing industries
were the mainstay of this community. Restorations have
begun to preserve examples of the square-timbered buildings
built with
hand tools.
Nusatsum (Nusats'm) River Road, located 7kms East of Hagensborg,
offers stunning views of Odegaard Falls and glaciers
leading to South Bentinck Arm.
At the western-most point of Highway 20 the Chilcotin
Road is Bella Coola, which boasts a rich history and spectacular
British Columbia coastal fjord scenery that will take
your
breath away and
relax even the most stressed individual.
 Bella Coola also marks the western terminus of Alexander Mackenzie's
trek across Canada in 1793, the first crossing of the country by
land. Long the home of the Nuxalk people, the Bella Coola Valley
became a route to the Cariboo gold fields in 1858 and the location
of a Hudson's Bay Trading Post in 1867.
Bella Coola’s waterfront provides an interesting collection
of fishing boats, pleasure boats, cannery sites, tidal flats and
other facilities. Clayton Falls, accessible from the road and short
walking trail, is worth viewing. Other points of interest include
the Bella Coola Museum, Snootli Creek Fish Hatchery, and the Giant
Cedar Tree.
Saltwater or river fishing for salmon is only one of many popular
activities for the outdoorsman. Bella Coola valley offers hiking,
mountain climbing, bird watching and wildlife viewing. It's
a photographic paradise with a rich history.
BC Ferries operates the Discovery Coast Passage ferry between
Bella Coola and Port Hardy so travelers can complete the
circle tour via Vancouver Island. It is a spectacular ride!
The Ferry also stops
at Ocean Falls, Shearwater, Klemtu, McLoughlin Bay and Namu.
Links
Need a place
to stay or camp while exploring the Central Coast?
Explore the Communities of the Central Coast
Discover Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Sub Regions
Tourism Region Contact
Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association
118A North 1st Ave.
Williams Lake, BC V2G 1Y8
Toll Free: 1-800-663-5885 (North America)
Telephone: (250) 392-2226
Fax: (250) 392-2838
E-Mail: info@landwithoutlimits.com |
