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No one spends much time indoors in Clearwater, even in winter. Why would they? The local scenery is breathtaking and the recreational options are almost endless.
On land, you can hike, bird watch, ride horseback, cross-country ski, telemark ski, view wildlife and tour archaeological sites. The area’s lakes and rivers will tempt you if you enjoy canoeing, kayaking, boating or fishing. “Town” activities include shopping for locally made art and crafts, stock car races and golf.
Clearwater is the gateway to Wells Gray Provincial Park, one of BC's largest and most magnificent parks. You'll find volcanoes, waterfalls, mineral springs and glaciers there - just a few of the reasons it's viewed as hallowed ground by hikers all over the world.
Helmcken Falls, the most spectacular waterfall in the park, has a viewing platform that can be reached via the Helmcken Brink Trail (you can also drive there). Other notable sights in the park include the view from the cone of Pyramid Mountain, the alpine flowers in the meadows of the Trophy Mountains, the natural springs at the Ray Farm Homestead and Easter Bluff, a collection of face-like rock columns overlooking Clearwater Lake. If you're a mountaineer, there are dozens of peaks to tackle, some of which have never been climbed.
The Clearwater area is extremely well suited to horseback riding and there are very few restrictions on where you can go. Amazing vistas, unusual rock formations, spectacular waterfalls and meadows, rivers, lakes and creeks are all yours to explore.
Other popular outdoor activities include golfing the two 18-hole courses in the area; camping at North Thompson River Provincial Park; mountain biking on Gates Creek Trail, the Candle Creek Nordic ski trails or trails in Wells Gray Provincial Park and airplane and helicopter tours.
The North Thompson is the traditional home of the Simpcw Aboriginal people (a division of the Shuswap) and there are many fascinating reminders of their ancient relationship with the land around Clearwater. For example, you can see a number of petroglyphs in their original locations at Mahood Lake and in North Thompson Provincial Park, there are depressions in the ground where kekuli (pit houses) once stood. Displays on the history and traditions of the Simpcw can be found at both Raft River and the Visitor Info Centre. The Visitor Info Centre also has a display on the Overlanders, settlers from eastern Canada that arrived during the Cariboo Gold Rush.
Clearwater has plenty of family-friendly attractions where you can learn something new, see something unique or just plain have fun. You can pet orphan lambs and, in season, watch lambs being born at Aveley Ranch. Buffalo Ranch has an outdoor, barbeque-style restaurant with a good view of its herd of buffalo grazing in a nearby field. The Clearwater Trout Hatchery is open daily for self-guided tours. It releases about 3.5 million fish each year: brook trout, kokanee, several strains of rainbow trout and more.
MV Yukon Queen sternwheeler cruises on Dutch Lake include information on Clearwater, Wells Gray Provincial Park and the history of the sternwheeler.
Bird species, such as eagles, osprey, turkey vultures, loons and Canada geese are common sights on that lake. If you visit the city in summer, you can attend a weekend stock car race at one of the best dirt oval tracks in BC.
Clearwater has one of the best dirt oval tracks in BC and it holds stock car races on it every weekend of the summer. The city also has a variety of specialty stores selling locally made handicrafts and a number of galleries showing and selling local artwork.
Wells Gray Provincial Park is one of BC's largest and most spectacular parks. Much of it is remote wilderness but the Corridor Trails in its southern quarter lead to marvellous views of river valleys, highland plateaus and mountain ranges.
Spahats Creek is a particularly popular day-use area because of its breathtaking view of Spahats Falls and the Clearwater River Valley. Helmcken Falls, the highest waterfall in the park and the fourth highest waterfall in Canada, is also accessible from the Corridor. A viewing tower on Green Mountain provides a 360-degree view of the entire southern portion of the park.
Another park near Clearwater is North Thompson River Provincial Park. It's a popular camping destination with lots of amenities but it's also rich in Aboriginal heritage. Follow its easy hiking trails to see remnants of Shuswap kekuli (pit houses) and food cache pits.
Wildlife is abundant just about everywhere in the North Thompson Valley. From late summer to early fall, you can view salmon spawning in the Raft River from a three-tiered viewing platform on the bank. Educational kiosks near the platform provide information about the salmon and traditional food gathering methods of the Simpcw Aboriginal people. Squirrels, deer mice, shrews, martens, coyotes, deer, black bears and moose make their homes in North Thompson River Provincial Park. Chickadees, thrushes, woodpeckers, flickers, swallows, jays and bald eagles are also much in evidence there. Moose and mule deer are often spotted in Wells Gray Provincial Park.
Wells Gray Provincial Park is one of the top destinations in BC for canoeing. It offers every type of canoeing experience under the sun and its many alpine lakes are extremely quiet and picturesque. Murtle Lake, the largest in North America that prohibits motor boats, is dotted with islands with white, sandy beaches.
There are endless opportunities for freshwater fishing in the area's many lakes and rivers. Several local resorts specialize in fishing holidays. Rainbow trout, Dolly Varden char and salmon are found in both the Clearwater and the North Thompson Rivers. Guided fishing excursions in a dory on the Clearwater River are available.
The Clearwater River is known for whitewater kayaking and as a top BC river rafting destination. Rapids range from Class II - V. There are lots of wildlife viewing opportunities along the North Thompson River, which is a quieter and smoother float than the Clearwater River.
Clearwater offers almost as many recreational options in winter as it does in summer. For example, you can cross-country ski and backcountry ski at Wells Gray Provincial Park, snowshoe on any number of trails with or without a guide, spend a half or full day dogsledding with a guide or snowmobile in the powder bowls of Raft Peak and myriad groomed trails. You can even ice fish for rainbow trout on Dutch Lake. The town itself offers indoor facilities where you can curl or ice skate.
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