Driving Routes

1 Start your journey in the vibrant, modern city of Prince George. This outdoor playground has over 120 parks and plenty of indoor attractions. Discovery is the theme at The Exploration Place in the Fraser-Fort George Regional Museum. This hands-on experience of cultural, scientific and natural history includes the SimEx virtual voyage theatre.

Prominent Aboriginal artists are featured at the Prince George Native Art Gallery. Or visit the vintage railway collections at the Prince George Railway & Forestry Museum and tour Huble Homestead, a fully restored early 1900s homestead and trading post.

2 Driving north on Hwy 97 you’ll reach scenic Pine Pass. Stop at breathtaking Bijoux Falls before making a detour along Hwy 29. Along the way stop in at the Visitor Centre at the W.A.C. Bennett Dam to learn more about one of the largest earth-filled structures in the world. Visit the community of Hudson's Hope – known as the Land of Dinosaurs, this area is where dinosaur tracks were first discovered in North America. Peruse the dinosaur fossil and footprint collection at the Hudson's Hope Museum and stop in at the Peace Canyon Dam Visitor Centre. From Hudson's Hope, one can continue northeast on Hwy 29 to Fort St. John. This stretch of highway runs parallel to the spectacular Peace River for more than 70 km (43 mi). Alternatively, backtrack south to Hwy 97 and head east to Dawson Creek.

3 Overnight in Dawson Creek – Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway – and visit the Northern Alberta Railway Station Museum and the local art gallery, housed in a renovated grain elevator annex.

4 Continue north on the Alaska Hwy through Fort St. John. Stop at picturesque, 14 km (8.7 mi)-long Charlie Lake, known for its fishing opportunities – trout, Arctic Grayling, Walleye and Northern Pike. Further north, stop to photograph the rich hues of Pink Mountain at sunrise. The stretch of highway north to Fort Nelson has outstanding roadside wildlife viewing – deer, moose and the occasional black bear. Fort Nelson is a friendly town initially founded during the fur trade. Don't miss the superb Fort Nelson Museum, showcasing the construction era of the Alaska Highway.

5 Head north to Watson Lake, Yukon. Along the way you're sure to spot stone sheep, American bison and other wildlife across this vast area known as the "Serengeti of the North". Camp at Muncho Lake Provincial Park. This beautiful jade green lake is nestled in a valley surrounded by folded mountains and brilliant wildflowers. Further north, soak in Liard Hot Springs pools. Stop at the famous sign post forest in Watson Lake. More than 42,000 license plates, road shields and homemade signs are mounted here. Make your mark then head south on scenic Stewart Cassiar Hwy 37 to Boya Lake Provincial Park to swim in the crystal clear waters.

6 From the town of Dease Lake adventurous travellers can do a side trip to Telegraph Creek, along the edge of the great Stikine River. Note: this road is steep and narrow in some places and not recommended for large RVs. Behold the breathtaking "Grand Canyon of the Stikine," a 80 km (50 mi) stretch of impassable waters charging through canyons 300 m (1,000 ft) deep, then flowing downriver to Telegraph Creek. Take a guided riverboat tour from Telegraph Creek through the Coast Mountains to the Pacific Ocean at Wrangell, Alaska. Also in Telegraph Creek, visit the original Hudson's Bay Trading Post at this former access point to the northern gold fields. Back on Hwy 37, go fishing in Iskut or paddle the Iskut Lake Chain. This is a wilderness experience without amenities. Plan ahead and take a guided tour through the volcanic wilderness of Mount Edziza or a fly-fishing or horseback riding adventure into remote Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park.

7 Detour an hour west at Meziadin Junction to the rustic town of Stewart on the BC/Alaska border. Then head south to Hyder which sits at the head of Portland Canal, one of the longest natural canals in North America. Tour the magnificent Salmon Glacier, North America's fifth largest or climb the viewing platform in Hyder to see black bears and grizzly bears fishing for salmon. Backtrack to Hwy 37 south, then east along Hwy 16. In The Hazeltons, visit the world famous 'Ksan Historical Village, featuring totems, longhouses, and a museum.

8 Nearing Smithers, stop alongside the highway to view the raging rapids of Moricetown Canyon. Further along the highway, venture near the thunder of cascading Twin Falls, fed by the Hudson Bay Mountain glaciers. Driftwood Canyon Provincial Park features one of the world's most significant fossil beds. Explore the plant, animal and insect species that inhabited the area 50 million years ago and remain preserved in the shale formations.

9 Northeast of Smithers are the rugged peaks and abundant wildlife of Babine Mountains Provincial Park. Heading south on Hwy 35, Burns Lake is the gateway to the Lakes District with more than 300 wilderness fishing lakes. Return to Hwy 16 and travel east. Near Vanderhoof, take a detour north to Fort St. James National Historic Site> to experience the fascinating history of Canada's fur trade. Established by explorer Simon Fraser in 1806 for the North West Company, the site was dubbed "the Siberia of the Fur Trade" because of its harsh winters. Today Fort St. James is reconstructed to the year 1896, including a re-created Hudson's Bay trading post. Original log buildings have been restored to create the largest grouping of wooden buildings representing the fur trade in Canada. Fort St. James is also the gateway to excellent fishing on numerous lakes including Stuart Lake. A one hour drive away on a gravel road, you'll find exceptional canoeing on the Nation Lakes Chain – a 5 to 10 day, 110 km (65 mi) route through four wilderness lakes.

Please note: This route itinerary is only a suggestion. You can begin your journey from any point along the route.