July 13, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Surfing & Watersports
Yesterday, July 12th, my family and I went to Swan Lake, BC, about half an hour from Dawson Creek, BC. It was an absolutely gorgeous day outside, and we spent the evening tubing and waterskiing on this glorious lake. The provincial campground here is fantastic, with friendly neighbors, a boat launch, a beach, great fishing, and for a great price (only $15 a night!). We roasted hot dogs over the campfire, and had a truly rich outdoors experience.
This lake is a favourite of locals, and once you’re there, you can see why; it’s large size and crystal surface make a great location for water sports. I would also definitely recommend the fishing, as you can catch Northern Pike, Walleye, and Perch at Swan Lake.
If you want to see some Northern wildlife, Swan Lake is a fantastic place to go. In the few times I have been to Swan Lake, I have seen endangered bald eagles, ducks, loons, beavers, deer, frogs, squirrels, and hummingbirds. Just yesterday I must have seen about 5 loons and 3 or 4 hummingbirds. There are lots of other birds that can be seen on the lake, including woodpeckers and even swans at certain times of the year!
There is also a fantastic bed and breakfast, the Rising Moon B &B, located on Swan Lake. They have awesome amenities, including queen sized feather beds, cable TV, a hot tub and much more! They also have an abundance of activities available, such as pontoon boats, paddle boats, fishing, and wildlife spotting.
I absolutely love Swan Lake, and I can’t speak highly enough about it. You’ll just have to see it for yourself!
July 10, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Attractions
The Mile 0 post in Dawson Creek is the one thing that tourists must have a picture of. I was quite intriqued to learn about the history of the post as it is not the orginal. The first post was located in the traffic circle as was foolishly run over by a drunk driver. The city felt that this post was important and decided to design a new one to honour all the hard work of building the Alaska Highway. Since then, this post has made its way to Vancouver when the engineering students stole it from UBC, been set on fire and has had endless men and women tied to it the night before their wedding. Due to all its adventures, the post is now metal and bolted to the cement. Make sure you look both ways though before you get your picture taken with post as you are jaywalking.
July 10, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
So much hard work and dedication has been done in this museum. I absolutely love animals and having the chance to see them up close and personal was amazing. My hat goes off to the South Peace Historical Society.
July 10, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Art Galleries & Artists
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I think that the Dawson Creek Art Gallery is one of the neatest buildings in Dawson Creek. It is made out of an old grain elevator and has spiriling stairs to take you up to the very top. On the walls there is art displayed which focuses mostly on local talent. There is also a room in that you can go in to see all the old pictures of construction workers during the building of the Alaska Highway. This place is a must see and I will be back again.
July 10, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Attractions
The Dawson Creek train station was built in 1931 and was used mostly for the American soldiers to come to Canada and build the Alaska HWY. Now it's been converted into an interesting museum...
July 10, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Sightseeing Tours
On June 27 and 28, Chris Arel's Monster Trucks came to Dawson Creek and did two spectacular shows.
July 10, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
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On July 6, 2009 Paul Brandt graced Dawson Creek with his country music at the Encana Events Center. Opening for him was up and coming country singer Jason Blaine from Pembroke, Ontario who is an amazing entertainer. He just released his second album and one day will be a big artist. Some of the songs he played include That’s what I do, Heartache Like Mine, My First Car and Give it to me. He is also very good looking, which helps the eyes a little.
Paul Brandt came on stage at around 8:15 and played for over an hour and a half. He played many of his old songs including Alberta Bound, My Heart Has a History and Canadian Man. Born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Brandt made his way to Nashville to get a name for himself and has won many awards for his songs. Brandt was very interactive with the crowd and talked about his experience in Dawson Creek the last time he was here. Apparently he was on stage last time and a small petit woman, who actually turned out to be a big momma, pulled him off stage but the nice citizens put him back up again to keep playing. This is just some of the humor that he shared with the crowd. Besides the turnout, the concert was far from a disappointment. Less then 2000 people filled the 5000 capacity seats, but those people who didn’t attend sure missed a good show. I will definitely be attending the next show that Paul Brandt or Jason Blaine hold in Dawson Creek.
July 09, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Outdoor Activity Tours
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Thinking of Northeastern BC for your next adventure? If not, you should! Here you will find unsurpassed nature, a rich and vibrant history, and a way of life that is addictive. Here are just some of attractions you will enjoy.
5. Natural Attractions
If you enjoy a walk on the wild side, Dawson Creek and the surrounding area are strategically located for all your outdoor and wilderness needs. While visiting Dawson Creek, you will not want to miss the waterfowl refuge at McQueen’s Slough. Here you will find a plethora of birds and waterfowl; a must see for the birding enthusiast. The Radar Lake Community Forest offers a piece of tranquility near an urban setting. This area offers numerous well-marked interpretive trails where you can learn about local flora and fauna while strolling through peaceful natural surroundings. If you are looking for something close by, why not experience our natural ‘green belt’ which takes you through our beautiful City. Looking for a picnic? Visit one of Dawson Creek’s many city parks.
4. Festivals, events and much more
With the numerous activities, attractions Dawson Creek and the surrounding area has many events and festivals that will complement anyone’s vacation. There are to many to list, however, go to our website where you will find a complete and up to date listing.
www.tourismdawsoncreek.com
3. Farmer’s Market
Pure food, pure enjoyment! The Farmer’s Market is a favourite activity and major attraction for visitors and residents alike, offering a wide variety of locally owned, grown and produced crops and crafts for your enjoyment. REMEMBER, as the old saying goes, “Those who arrive first get the best selection”.
2. Station Museum
Housed in an original Northern Alberta Railway station built in 1931, this historic museum offers a glimpse into the notable past of Dawson Creek. Dawson Creek was once the “end of the line”; the train station in the early years has been expanded to make this building unique to all the other train stations of its kind in Canada. Here you will find a wide variety of railway memorabilia, pioneer artifacts and wildlife displays. Throughout the day, a video entitled “The Alaska Highway, 1942 - 1992” is shown continuously for museum visitors. This fascinating program depicts the history of the building of the Alaska Highway using rare archival material and is a “must see” for history buffs.
1. W. A. C. Bennet Dam & Kinuseo Falls
A couple great day excursions from Dawson Creek are the W.A.C Bennet Dam and Kinuseo Fall. There’s so much to explore in Northern BC.
The W. A. C. Bennet Dam is one of the largest earth filled dams in the world. It is truly an amazing site to see, visit and experience! This dam is scenically located about two hours from Dawson Creek. This attraction is not to be missed.
Kinuseo Falls in Monkman Provincial Park is one of the great waterfalls of North America and is not to be missed by any visitor. There is much more to enjoy in this park, including the highly recommended Stone Corral interpretive hiking trail, which leads for four kilometers through a fascinating karst environment of lakes, cliffs and small caves. The twenty-four km (one way) hike in to Monkman Lake includes a short side-excursion to The Cascades, a dramatic series of ten waterfalls in Monkman Creek.
July 09, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Chetwynd, Accommodation
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Dunne-za Lodge is an absolutely beautiful vacation destination. Located on the North- West shore of Moberly Lake the lodge offers an amazing view of Moberly's sparkling water with plenty of opportunities to enjoy the lake and surrounding area. Relax by kayaking or canoeing on the serene, crystal water, or enjoy some nature trails; the West-Moberly area is well-known for its abundance of eagles, including the endangered Bald Eagle. Further enhance your time by staying in one of the lodge's teepees, which allow you to spend a night under the stars, and appreciate the silence of a night in the forest.
In addition to the teepees, Dunne-za Lodge has four cabins available for accomodation. These cabins are beautifully furnished, and include a kitchen area and shower. Accomodating 3 to 4 people, these cabins are perfect for a family vacation, with a separate bedroom for parents seeking peace and quiet.
The Dunne-za Lodge also provides a unique cultural experience for those interested in Dunne-za/Cree traditions. The lodge managers regularly smoke meat in traditional fashion, and is decorated with in traditional art work. In Febraury, the lodge holds a Winter Spirit Festival in cooperation with Chetwynd Spirit Week. This festival includes hand drumming, traditional hand games, snowshoeing, a soup and bannock concession, ice fishing and much more! This free festival is a favourite of the locals and open to visitors.
The Dunne-za Lodge is a fantastic resort, located in a beautiful area, with fabulous activites and accomodation.
July 09, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Hiking
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My name is Brenna, and I am a rather lazy hiker. BUT since my hiking experience three hours south of Dawson Creek near the Belcourt River I am starting to change my mind. My family’s plan was just to reach the summit for the afternoon but when we saw the view from the top of the mountain we just had to go further! We were hiking in Northern B.C. so my expectations were high for the view, however, I was still shocked at the beauty! It took two hours to climb from the valley floor up to the top. Then ‘we’ decided to drop down through a saddle and climb up to an even higher peak. This idea took us another hour, now we were a total of 4,5000ft in elevation. I figured that the view from the first peak was beautiful enough, but tagged along anyway – they say hiking is good exercise! Well calorie counting was the last thing on my mind when we reached the summit of the second peak – the view was perfect. I could see snow on the distant mountains and water running in the stream below. Unfortunately there was a rather large storm looming in the distance, so any further plans of going on were squashed. From the top of this peak we spotted across the valley a small herd of caribou. They were moving along the wide grassy slope, grazing as they went. On our way back down the mountain we came upon a very young kid goat. The mother must have tried to hide it when she heard us coming along, as it was too small to keep up with her as she fled the scene. It was so quiet and small. We didn’t dare touch it because then the mother might not want it back with a human scent on it. So we carried on down the trail while the baby went back into hiding. When we were nearing the bottom my foot got caught in some buck-brush and I did a flying nose dive into the moss, it was world class, I assure you. I am glad that nobody had the camera ready! When we got back into the vehicle we were all tired but felt extremely satisfied with what we had seen. I was also very happy with the distance that we had travelled over the rugged terrain.