Central to some more well known British Columbia 'hot spots' in the Thompson Okanagan, Blue River is halfway between Clearwater and Vernon, and halfway between Kamloops and Jasper. Yes, it is also an accessible stop along Via Rail. A part of the communities of the North Thompson Valley (which includes; Barriere, Little Fort, Clearwater, Vavenby and Avola), Blue River is surrounded by pristine lakes and mountains and now attracts tourists from all over the world for a variety of outdoor recreational experiences; mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, river rafting, trout fishing, snow related winter fun and terrific wildlife viewing - moose, caribou and bears!
Getting to the heart of the hills, though, calls for nerves full of curiosity and intrigue. The tours by helicopter are phenomenal - heli-skiing, heli-hiking, mountaineering, and heli-sightseeing of the Okanagan and Thompson River scenic highlights.
If visitors wish to be closer to natural, mountain bike rentals or canoe rentals certainly allow a "within reach" experience to the crystal lakes and countless number of etched mountain trails.
Camping and Recreational Vehicles park grounds are available to road-bound travelers and to those looking for a more casual accommodations. Campfires and marshmallows go hand-in-hand, however, fire restrictions must be adhered to for the safety of the forests.
During the winter, visitors can throughly enjoy the cool, yet dry snow that makes the perfect setting and conditions for skiing, snowshoeing, cross country skiing and igloo building. Activities run all season long!
Population: 260
Highlights:
Wells Gray Park - the waterfall park
Lake Eleanor - swimming, fishing, boating, wildlife viewing
The Ptarmigan
Mouth of the Blue River - 2.4km East
Twin Lakes - 2.5km North West
Mud Lake - 6.5km North East
Parbary Falls - 2km trail along Mud Lake
Little Hells Gate Provincial Park - 17.7km South
Angus Horne Lake - 19km South
Mystery Lake - 20km North West
Pyramid Falls - 29km North
Albreda Glacier - 59km North
Cariboo Mountains
Monashee Mountains
Wildlife viewing
History:
Recognized as land once traversed and hunted by the Shuswap First Nations for over 8,000 years, their semi-nomadic livelihood was dominated by migrations of animals, fish and the seasonal climate changes.
The first introduction to the white settlers came in the late 1800's. It was followed by more permanent settlements after the depletion of the gold rush. As a community with great potential in the fishing and forestry industries, Blue River and others like it would be supported by this earlier industrial fore site right up until modern day.
Climate:
Summer average 20 degrees Celsius
Winter average -3 degrees Celsius
For more information please visit
www.blueriverbc.ca/index/index.php?page=home
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