A summer road trip is a popular way to experience the people, culture, wildlife and landscapes within British Columbia, Canada. Spanning from the coastal oceanside, heading into mountain passes, and fresh waterways, BC is one of the most diverse and scenic provinces in the country.
The Coast Mountain Circle Tour from Vancouver
This particular Circle Tour is popular with locals and visitors alike. The route starts in Vancouver and covers approximately 600 kilometres (360 miles). The tour begins through populated cities around the Vancouver, West Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. However within hours, on either side of this loop, pristine landscapes and vast wilderness become the key attraction.
Some take the day to complete the full circle while many others spend four to five days visiting all of the attractions, historic communities and viewpoints along the way.
The Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler
Some of the key towns along the way include Whistler, Pemberton, Lillooet, Lytton and Hope. Whistler will be hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games and has been chosen due to its world-class skiing and snowboarding conditions and luxuriously rustic resorts. To get there from Vancouver, take the Lions Gate Bridge onto Highway 99 north, otherwise known as the Sea-to-Sky highway.
Continuing on the route into the little town of Pemberton offers undisturbed views of the Coast Mountains’ Garibaldi Range. Mt. Currie overlooks the town at a towering height of 2,590 metres (8,500 feet). To take a closer look at the peaks and glaciers in the areas, rise above them with a chopper ride or glider flight.
Continue on highway 99 north from Pemberton, make sure to take the right turn towards Lillooet to stay on Highway 99 over the Duffey Lake Road. The Duffey Lake Road is like no other, winding tightly with an incredible view at every corner. Recreational campgrounds are frequently passed and wildlife such as deer, grizzly and black bears are often seen. There is no cell service until the town of Lillooet.
Lillooet and Lytton Rich in BC History
Lillooet in the 1850’s became Mile ‘0’ of the Cariboo Wagon Road, the road for thousands looking for gold further north on the Cariboo Plateau. It had a roadhouse and amenities needed to started the long journey uphill. Now its visitors stop to rock hound, gold pan and fish for the sturgeon living in the Fraser River.
Lillooet to Lytton follows the Fraser River south on Highway 12 with barren semi-arid landscapes. One of the highlights of this road is the Big Slide area where caution must be taken to avoid driving off the side of the mountain into the Fraser.
Lytton is another small town, steeped in thousands of years of First Nations history. It is famous for its whitewater rafting on big volume rivers and hot dry weather during the summer. Heading south from here along the Trans Canada Highway #1 continues the spectacular drive through the Fraser Canyon all the way to Hope. The Hell’s Gate Airtram is one of the main attractions throughout this corridor.
From Hope to Vancouver, cell service reception returns along with the return to reality with heavily populated cities, fast-food joints, and visible air pollution.
For more information on travel in BC check out TourismBC’s official website and Drive BC for current road conditions.
Maya Chang - Originally from Nepean, Ontario, Maya first ventured west to Victoria to study at the Canadian College of Performing Arts. Her training ...
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