Things To Do
Ashcroft, located amid the varied geography of the Thompson Okanagan region, offers excellent hiking, golfing, fossil hunting, geocaching, camping, kayaking, boating, rafting, and fishing. Ashcroft winters are great for snowmobiling. Historical adventures are available year-round on walking tours about town or through Millennium (Heritage Place) Park, or at the Ashcroft Museum and Archives (open during summer).
Outdoor Activity
In addition to hiking, Ashcroft's numerous trails also provide plenty of opportunity for mountain biking. Check with nearby Cache Creek Cycle Parts for information about specific trails and touring. It's the only cycle shop between Hope and Kamloops along the Trans-Canada Highway, and they provide roadside assistance. Horseback riding is an option at Hat Creek Ranch or Lopez Mountain Ranch, which features 404ha/1,000ac of traversable desert lands and forests, as well as a 1672sq m/18,000sq ft covered practice arena. Ashcroft's Thompson River locale also allows easy access (especially via Juniper Beach Provincial Park) to various water sports.
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Arts and Crafts
Ashcroft is home to many hobby and professional artists, artisans, and craftspeople. This is evident at the Ashcroft Arts Club Fine Art Show and Sale in spring, at the Ashcroft and District Fall Fair, and at local shops that showcase arts and crafts throughout the year. Coyote Corner, at the junction of Highway 97C and the Trans-Canada Highway, produces internationally acclaimed ceramic art pieces known as "Mesa Pottery." Each piece is uniquely etched by hand, making no two pieces the same. Pieces are usually trimmed in 22 karat gold to reflect British Columbia's Gold Country.
Culture and History
Take a walking tour of Ashcroft's late-19th-century and early-20th-century buildings, many of which house local businesses; head out to McAbee Fossil Beds, a 366m/400yd long outcropping of 50-million-year-old lake sediment, for some fossil hunting; or visit Hat Creek Ranch, one of the most distinctive and well preserved heritage sites in British Columbia. Hat Creek Ranch hosts the Bonaparte Pow Wow every summer, where First Nations heritage is celebrated through traditional dance, singing, artwork, and cuisine. The ranch also offers overnight cabin, camping, and RV accommodation.
Driving Routes
Explore Ashcroft's hiking, golfing, fossil hunting, camping, kayaking, boating, rafting, and fishing opportunities along the Lakes & Trails Circle Route. Learn about this driving route here: Driving Routes.
Where to Begin
For more information about things to do in Ashcroft and the surrounding area drop by the Ashcroft Museum and Archives. (Open during the summer season.)
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