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Old 10-17-2019, 05:25 PM   #1
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Campsites on the Chilcotin Highway in BC

We're planning to spend a month next year camping across British Columbia's Highway 20, which runs between Bella Coola on the coast and Williams Lake in the Cariboo.

Could anyone who lives in the region or has travelled and camped there please recommend the best campsites and "must-see" attractions that are on or close to the Chilcotin Highway?

Thanks!
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Old 10-17-2019, 06:09 PM   #2
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Glad to see your post and look forward to any answers. We'll be doing the area West of Williams Lake in mid-Spring.

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Old 10-17-2019, 06:14 PM   #3
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We have a cabin on hwy 20 and can suggest places and things to do. If you email me we can cover such items as when you are going on the trip in private, as It makes a big difference of what is open in the area.
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Old 10-17-2019, 06:22 PM   #4
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You can do the same Ron.
Snow and ice comes off most lakes May 5th...the mosquitoes start full force June 1st and run until mid August...this may help in your advance planning. I am talking clouds / swarms of mosquitoes...not just the odd one here or there.
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Old 10-17-2019, 07:49 PM   #5
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I did this on motorcycle a few years ago; ferry into Bella Coola, and then up 'the hill' and towards Williams Lake.

A few notes:
- Consider reservations in Bella Coola on 'ferry days', when a lot of people all arrive at once. I had hotel room with two queen beds, and managed to sublet the other queen bed to two other motorcyclists who didn't have reservations.
- I want to do the Port Hardy --> Bella Coola with our escape, but I'm a bit anxious about having to back the trailer onto the ferry. Motorcycles are much more maneuverable.

It's such a pretty and amazing area. I'll be watching this thread as you travel, as I want to go back. I wanted to hike into Obsidian mountain and go along parts of the Grease trail, but I had so little time
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Old 10-18-2019, 01:58 AM   #6
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Snow and ice comes off most lakes May 5th...the mosquitoes start full force June 1st and run until mid August...this may help in your advance planning. I am talking clouds / swarms of mosquitoes...not just the odd one here or there.
When does the frost hit again? It sounds like the last two weeks of August is ideal (and perhaps only tolerable) time.
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Old 10-18-2019, 08:36 AM   #7
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We have a cabin on hwy 20 and can suggest places and things to do. If you email me we can cover such items as when you are going on the trip in private, as It makes a big difference of what is open in the area.
I am sure that many on this forum (including myself) would be interested in your recommendations for places to see and stay. Why not share on the forum rather than by email, which is really what this forum is about anyways right?
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Old 10-18-2019, 09:25 AM   #8
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It's like posting the location of a favorite fishing spot, it's soon over used and over fished. Keeping it limited to email is probably a good idea, I don't blame him.
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Old 10-18-2019, 09:31 AM   #9
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We travelled that highway in June 2017. That year the mosquitoes weren’t too bad. We spent a lot of time outdoors. Our trip was short, less than a week.
We stayed at the Vagabond RV park at Nimpo Lake, left our trailer there and took a day trip to Bella Coola because we didn’t want to tow down and up ‘the hill’. The RV park had just opened after being closed for several years. There were only 3 rigs in it at the time and we had a beautiful spot with an unobstructed view of the lake.
If you look at the RV park’s Facebook page and scroll to June 2017 that will be us having a glass of wine watching the sunset.
There are lots of places off the highway but we didn’t have a four wheel drive so didn’t venture there. Now that we have one we want to go back.
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Old 10-18-2019, 10:19 AM   #10
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Would like to know if Hwy 20 is a paved road. Not keen to tow our Escape 21 on gravel roads. Thanks.
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Old 10-18-2019, 11:54 AM   #11
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We can see the Vagabond from our dock and it will be a place I recommend.
I will do a general what to see on Hwy 20 later next week when I have time to sit down and research the links.
Anihim to aprox Hagensborg is gravel and has an extreme hill. It is not something that the average person would want to tow there trailer down. It is best you do what 08ranger did and visit the coast on a day trip. Williams lake to Anihim is paved with the occasional creator you will find in the spring...not so much in August.
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Old 11-16-2019, 08:54 PM   #12
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I don't think I would want to drive the "hill" towing the escape but I'm sure it's been done. I'll always remember our Nimpo air Beaver flight over Tweedsmuir park and the falls.
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Old 11-17-2019, 02:53 PM   #13
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We made the trip from Port Hardy to Bella Coola, the ferry ride is spectacular. We were the first to back on to the ferry with everyone watching. The ferry workers said they would back it on if I was uncomfortable backing it in. We over nighted in the parking lot as the ferry leaves early in the morning. There are a couple of campgrounds in Bella Coola. If you want a bit of comfort there is the Tweedsmuir Lodge just before “the Hill”. We’ve been up and down the hill with our 17B with no problems just took it slow.

https://www.tweedsmuirparklodge.com

We did the trip a few years ago going in the other direction, both times we stayed at the Anahim Lake Resort.

Anahim Lake Resort, Anahim Lake, BC

We also stayed at Punzi Lake:

https://www.barneyslakesideresort.com/

There is a small government site at Bull Canyon

The food here was wonderful:

KINIKINIK Restaurant, Store and Accommodations |

We took a side trip on the Farwell Canyon Road, the washboard was not good to the trailer but the scenery and wildlife was outstanding.
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