Tumbler Ridge is a quiet and friendly town that is alive with endless year-round outdoor adventure.
Summer offers great hiking, fishing, and camping, while in winter the Rocky Mountains provide amazing terrain for snowmobiling. Also in winter, hiking routes are transformed to excellent cross-country ski trails.
Tumbler Ridge is also known for its collection of dinosaur and other pre-historic fossils. Check them out at the Dinosaur Discovery Centre and the Tumbler Ridge Community Centre Museum.
Land Activities
Golf the fairways at the Tumbler Ridge Golf & Country Club. Locals describe this 9-hole, par 36, wilderness course as one of the most beautiful in Northern British Columbia. Keep an eye open for wildlife, including deer and black bears.
Enjoy a bike ride around town, or head into challenging backcountry terrain. The Wolverine Nordic and Mountain Society identifies a number of trails, including Mount Speiker, Five Cabin Pass, Warner Lakes, and Murray Canyon Overlook that are suitable for mountain biking and hiking.
Horseback riding is another way to explore the amazing wilderness terrain. Caving is still in early exploration stages near Tumbler Ridge. Recently discovered caves including those found in 1999 along the Stone Corral Trail suggest that more may exist.
Water Activities
Float peacefully along the Murray River, interspersing relaxation with paddling around driftwood, sweepers, and a few tougher spots, or zip upstream in a jet boat. Tumbler Ridge's numerous lakes are also worth exploring by boat. Jet boat tours to Kinuseo Falls and other points of interest can be booked through the Visitor Centre (minimum four-person booking).
Winter Activities
Take outdoor winter adventuring to the limit by ice climbing one of Tumber Ridge's many winter-frozen waterfalls (for skilled and knowledgeable climbers only). Try out nearby Quality Canyon, popular Kinuseo Falls, or 30m/100ft Bergeron Falls. Snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are also great cold weather options.
Bird Watching and Wildlife Viewing
Birding opportunities are exceptional near Tumbler Ridge, as birds from both east and west of the Rocky Mountains are found here. Watch for birds at Bullmoose Marshes, the Tumbler Ridge Bird Sanctuary, and many other wilderness spots.
Look and listen for 227 species including great gray owls, red-winged blackbirds, waxwings, warblers, and various waterfowl. Watch for moose, deer, black bears, grizzly bears and many other animals, especially while driving near dusk and dawn. Exciting animals to spot include river otters, lynx, and marten.
Monkman Pass Memorial Trail Drive
Catch up with Tumbler Ridge's culture and history on the Monkman Pass Memorial Trail Drive. In 1922, Alex Monkman identified a potential route across the Rocky Mountains via Tumbler Ridge and lobbied unsuccessfully to have a railway built through the pass.
However, in 1937, the Monkman Pass Highway Association began clearing a trail through the mountains until operations were halted during World War II. Today the trail runs from Kinuseo Falls (waterfalls), Monkman Provincial Park in Tumbler Ridge to the British Columbia/Alberta border. Tour guides provide detailed descriptions of significant historical points along the way.
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