70 Mile House

• Lodging in this community
• Camping in this community 

History

Historically 70 Mile House was one of the first roadhouse stops on the Cariboo Gold Rush Trail, constructed in the 1860's to serve the many gold seekers heading north. As time passed, some of the travellers decided to settle and establish roots in the area. 70 Mile House marks the distance along the Cariboo Wagon Road from Lillooet (0 mile), thus allowing travellers to gauge their distance traveled.

Location

70 Mile House is located 415 km (249 mi) from Vancouver via Hwy #1 or 400 km (240 mi) from Vancouver via Hwy # 99.

Places to See

• Green Lake Provincial Park

70 Mile House marks the turnoff point to the Green Lake Recreational Area. Historically Green Lake served the fur trade, being situated on the Fur Brigade Trail between Fort Kamloops and Fort Alexandria. This 15 km (9 mi) long lake is a popular recreational area and home to a thriving wildlife population that includes osprey, eagles, loons and a variety of ducks. If you love to play in the water, then this is an area worth visiting. There are some 18 public access points to Green Lake for swimmers, boaters, windsurfers and water skiers.

• Big Bar Lake Provincial Park

Situated 23 km (14 mi) south of 70 Mile House is a gravel road leading to Big Bar Lake Provincial Park. This park boasts breathtaking views and scenery of a landscape marked with lakes and ponds, a must see for outdoor enthusiasts! The park is open during the summer months. Swimming, fishing and boating are popular activities here.

• Bridge Lake Provincial Park

Bridge Lake Provincial Park is located 55km (34 mi) east of 70 Mile House. This small, but scenic park is popular with anglers in search of rainbow and lake trout. The trail around the lake makes for an excellent afternoon walk!

Things to Do

• Stroll through town!

Take a stroll through 70 Mile House and visit the old general store, which conveys a sense of the historic Wild West!

• Outdoor Activities

70 Mile House and the surrounding area offer a vast array of outdoor activities. During the summer months swimming, fishing, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking and horseback riding are extremely popular. Skiing, tobogganing, ice fishing, snowmobiling and sleigh rides are all the rage during the winter months.

• XH Buffalo Ranch

XH Buffalo Ranch is located on the north shore of Green Lake. Visit this spectacular 800 Acre buffalo ranch, take a ride on a hay wagon and learn more about these magnificent animals! No visit to the ranch is complete without checking out the store which offers a wide selection of buffalo meats, hides, skulls, jackets and other souvenirs. www.xhbuffaloranch.com.

• 83 Mile House Farm Equipment Museum 
Enjoy some Pioneer History at this privately owned and operated museum, located right on the Cariboo Gold Rush Trail at 83 Mile, north of 70 Mile House. Have a look at a vast collection of wagons, sutters and buggies, displayed in the Historic 83 Mile Barn. Other buildings are home to a great display of antiques, unique items and hand tools.

Events

• Cariboo Cross-Country Marathon

Located 48km (30mi) from 70 Mile House is the town of 100 Mile House. Each February 100 Mile House hosts the annual Cariboo Cross-country Marathon, which draws an international field of between 700 and 1,000 Nordic ski enthusiasts. The event covers lengths of 10, 20 30 and 50 kilometers.

Nearby Communities

• 100 Mile House
• Bridge Lake
• Clinton
• Lac La Hache
• Lone Butte
• Sheridan Lake

Contact Information

South Cariboo Visitor Centre
Box 340, 155 Airport Rd.
100 mile House, BC V0K 2E0
Telephone: 1-250-395-5353
Fax: 1-250-395-4085
Toll Free: 1-877-511-5353
E-mail: info@southcaribootourism.ca
Website: http://www.southcaribootourism.ca