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Despite its small size, Clinton hosts some of the best attended events in the Cariboo. People come from miles around for the Annual Ball, Clinton Rodeo and Clinton Country Jamboree. The area is also known for scenic hikes, lakeside camping, dude ranches and top-notch trout fishing. Winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing and snowmobiling. History-oriented attractions include the Clinton Museum, Hat Creek Ranch and the Shuswap display village.
There are many ways to enjoy the beautiful country around Clinton. You can hike or bike trails of varying difficulty in provincial parks, or explore the over 50 km (31 mi) of trails that make up the Big Bar Ski Trails (trail maps are available from local businesses). There are vehicle-accessible campsites at Big Bar Lake, Green Lake and Marble Canyon Provincial Parks and walk-in campsites at Downing Provincial Park. Dude ranches in the area offer everything from Old West architecture and activities to luxury spa treatments. Among the best are Echo Valley Ranch & Spa, Big Bar Guest Ranch, Flying U Ranch, Moondance Guest Ranch and Circle H Mountain Lodge.
Gold-rush-era architecture, original and reprised, is the order of the day in Clinton. Some of the best original edifices are: Robertson House, built in 1866 as a residence and general store; the Palace Hotel, built in 1879 as a residence; the Clinton Museum, built in 1892 as a schoolhouse; and the Blue Goose Hotel, built in 1895. Pick up a Historic Walking Tour guidebook from the museum for more information on these and other notable buildings in Clinton. You’ll also find period architecture just a short drive away, at Pigeon Ranch (1875), and Jesmond Ranch (1890).
The 642-km (400-mi) Cariboo Waggon Road was built by Britain’s Royal Engineers between 1862 and 1865. They blasted through so much rock in the process that some considered the new route “the eighth wonder of the world.” It was used by mule trains, freight wagons and stagecoaches on their way to and from the Cariboo gold fields.
Clinton started out as “47 Mile House,” a roadhouse en route to the Cariboo gold fields. It was also known as “The Junction” and “Cut Off Valley” until, in 1863, it was officially named for Henry Clinton, a retiring British colonial secretary and the fifth Duke of Newcastle.
Historical sites of note include the Pioneer Cemetery, the Clinton Museum, Historic Hat Creek Ranch, the Big Bar Ferry and the Shuswap First Nation display village. The museum exhibits many interesting gold-rush-era artifacts in an 1892 building. The ranch, once a resting place for prospectors, features authentic buildings from the boom years and an extensive collection of antique farm equipment. The historic car ferry began operating in 1894. It is a “reaction ferry,” which means that it runs on cables and is driven by the current of the Fraser River. The display village showcases the traditional way of life of the Shuswap Aboriginal people.
Potters, painters, woodworkers and poets live and work in the area. They showcase their work in various locations in the village.
Clinton is at its Old West best during three action-packed events. The Annual Ball has been held every year since 1868, the longest running continuous event of its kind in BC. Held on the Victoria Day weekend (late May), it opens a weeklong celebration called Clinton Heritage Week. The final event of that week is the Clinton Rodeo, one of BC’s best amateur roping and riding extravaganzas. Rodeo activities are spread over two days and include a dance and pancake breakfast. In August, the village celebrates its early pioneers with the Clinton Country Jamboree. See live entertainment and demonstrations of heritage skills, browse locally made arts and crafts and enjoy locally made edible treats, including the popular fresh bannock and corn.
There are some spectacular sights in the eight provincial parks around Clinton. All contain woodland, lakes and hiking trails, and all are havens for many forms of wildlife. The yawning, 8-km (5-mi) by 600-m (1,970-ft) canyon in Chasm Provincial Park packs a visual punch with its steep, multi-hued walls and unusual rock formations. A large, limestone canyon punctuated by caves, sinkholes, cliffs and disappearing streams distinguishes Marble Range Provincial Park. Lakesides with beautiful mountain views draw visitors to Big Bar Lake Provincial Park and Downing Provincial Park. Marble Canyon Provincial Park is set around Turquoise, Crown and Pavilion Lakes in the Pavilion Mountain Range, and is a popular fishing spot and birding location. Edge Hills Provincial Park, an undeveloped wilderness park, contains a lengthy river canyon and grassy benchlands. Green Lake Provincial Park boasts one of the Cariboo’s largest bodies of water, while Flat Lake Provincial Park has several small, interconnected lakes that are absolutely ideal for canoeing.
Wildlife in these parks includes Bighorn Sheep (Marble Range, Edge Hills), Mule Deer (Chasm, Marble Range, Edge Hills, Green Lake), Coyotes (Chasm, Big Bar), Black Bears (Chasm, Big Bar, Edge Hills), Moose (Chasm, Big Bar, Edge Hills, Green Lake, Flat Lake), eagles (Big Bar, Green Lake), waterfowl (Green Lake, Flat Lake), lynx and snowshoe hares (Big Bar).
The many rivers and more than 100 lakes around Clinton offer myriad opportunities for water-based fun. You’ll find some of BC’s best trout fishing here (Rainbow and Brook are particularly abundant); great beaches and swimming conditions on Green and Kelly Lakes; and a superb one-to-three-day canoe route in Flat Lake Provincial Park (frequent portages).
Unlike many places in BC, Clinton experiences a real winter with plenty of snow and ice, a boon if you enjoy cold-weather activities like cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and ice fishing. The Big Bar Ski Trails lie just north and offer more than 50 km (31 mi) of well-maintained routes. The Green Lake Snowmobile Trails are just as extensive, though not all of them are marked. Many local lakes are suitable for ice fishing.
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