Princeton (population 2,677) is a small town in a beautiful setting with a long and colourful heritage.
Visitors are attracted to its natural sights, parks and wildlife. They come for hiking, mountain biking and cross-country skiing and are drawn to discover the town's rich historical and heritage sites.
Princeton is a sprited town, and was named the Gold Medal GamesTown2010 community for demonstrating its passion for sports and healthy living leading up to the 2010 Winter Games.
Set at the forks of the Tulameen and Similkameen rivers, surrounded by dry grasslands and highland plateau country with the Cascade Mountains rising to the west, nature is such a close and constant presence that it's not uncommon to spot deer on residential streets.
Things To Do in Princeton
Swimming, canoeing and kayaking, tubing and camping are all popular on waterways and in the region's six provincial parks. Trout wait to tease anglers in no fewer than 49 easily accessible fishing lakes. An 18-hole golf course is located minutes from downtown, while the Trans Canada Trail and a host of other trails are appealing for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.
Winter Activities
In winter, go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing at the China Ridge Trails, or head to Manning Park Resort in the Cascade Mountains 67km/41mi to the west for downhill skiing and snowboarding.
Heritage Sites
Drive into Princeton and immediately get the feeling of a western mining town with false-front buildings, covered sidewalks and historic sites. A downtown walking tour that features heritage buildings and murals, wraps up at the excellent Princeton Museum. Beyond the town limits, visitors can discover the ghosts of once-booming mining towns and plunge into the cold, black tunnel of the Mascot Gold Mine.
Aboriginal Culture
A short distance from downtown, the brilliant red wall of Ochre Bluff rises above the Trans Canada Trail, testament to the ageless tradition of First Nations mining. Ochre was an important trade commodity and was used to paint pictographs on rock faces throughout the region. In nearby Hedley, the culture of the Similkameen people is further explored at the Snaza'ist Discovery Centre, base station for the Mascot Mine Tour.
Rock Hounding
Rock hounds find many interesting crystals and fossils in the Princeton area. For those who don't want to prospect in the field, the museum houses excellent exhibits of glow-in-the-dark crystals, lifelike fossils and the renowned Joe Pollard rock collection.
Getting Started
Stop by the Princeton Visitor Centre; staff can provide information and brochures on dining and accommodations, natural sites, parks and wildlife, historic sites, summer trails and winter sports.
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