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Tourism BC:Albert Normandin
Bella Coola
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Albert Normandin
Bella Coola, Cariboo, BC CanadaModel Released
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Albert Normandin
Bella Coola, Cariboo, BC Canada
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Albert Normandin
Bella Coola, Cariboo, BC Canada
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Courtesy Tourism BC
Bella Coola may be small (population: 2,000), but it ranks big amongst adventurists, naturalists and all-around lovers of the Great Outdoors. Set within the valley that bears its name, this tightly knit community is bracketed by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the historic village of Hagensborg and expansive green of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park to the east. The result? A Cariboo Chilcotin Coast landscape that is at once staggering (Coast Mountain peaks, rushing rivers, dense forests) and eclectic (B&B proprietors moonlight as outdoor adventure guides) - and full of some pretty wild critters, too.
In this neck of the woods, art imitates central coast life. For a glimpse, head to Hagensborg’s Creek Side Studio Gallery for clay, glass, and painted works, or change direction, and check out Bella Coola’s Silyas Gallery, with its carved First Nations masks, or Petroglyph Gallery, for its traditional Nuxalk art.
Mother Nature’s outdoor canvas is no less impressive with a host of wild adventures that promise views of grizzly and black bears, blacktail deer, wolves and mountain goats. Let the pros at Bella Coola Grizzly Tours or Kynoch Adventures lead the way during seasonal Great Bear Rainforest outings that seek out the region’s wild residents.
It is home, too, to the folks from Wild Earth Adventures, a family run outdoor adventure team tuned to life in the Great Outdoors. But don't take our word for it; see for yourself and explore this corner of the world during the crew's Lost Coast Wilderness Eco-Adventure Tour, a nine-day, multi-activity excursion, beginning in July, that sure-foots through alpine trails, drifts down raging rivers and stops for soaks in remote hot springs. By contrast, the nine-day Coast Mountain Range Floatplane Hiking and Canoeing excursion touches down, beginning in July, at far-flung lakes for canoeing, hiking, wildlife viewing and overnights at remote alpine camping sites. There are even gals-only gatherings: the Horses and Hot Springs Women's Exclusive hits the trail in frontier country starting in August, complete with hot springs dips and overnights under the stars. All the adventures are sure to be wild. www.wildearth-adventures.com
Also worth unearthing with ‘Doug on the Trail’ or a local Nuxalk guide at the helm: the Thorsen Creek area’s weathered etchings, or petroglyphs, that depict geometric patterns and even human faces.
Prefer a bird’s eye view of the valley? Fly high with Bella Coola Air, and ready the camera for a jaw-dropping, shutter-worthy tour.
For outdoor play that is down to earth, eco touring is, well, natural in this neighbourhood. In warm weather months, wander through old-growth forests or drift along the Atnarko River with the gang from Tweedsmuir Park Lodge. For a change of pace, Wild Earth Adventures leads the way with hut-to-hut hikes in the alpine or traverses along the historic Nuxalk-Carrier Grease/Alexander Mackenzie Heritage Trail — BC’s longest hiking trail, named, in part, for revered explorer Alexander Mackenzie.
On-the-water journeys with Bella Coola Yacht Charters offer no less by way of scenery (and marine life spotting), thanks to cruises that sail along the region’s shorelines, veering through fjords and estuaries. Dubbed the Discovery Coast, exploration of local hot springs and the white-sand beaches of the Hakai Luxbalis Conservatory (to name a few) will have you weighing anchor at every opportunity.
You won’t find any sprawling resorts or big-name chains in this sparsely populated valley. Fast food? Forget it. Here, wood-hewn lodges mingle with charming inns and welcoming bed and breakfasts, with many offering some of the valley’s best eateries.
For more information, or to find out what other adventures await in Bella Coola, visit www.bellacoola.ca.
RV Park
Gnome’s Home RV Park & Campground
Hagensborg, BC (250) 982-2504
www.gnomeshome.ca