Situated just north of the city of Kamloops, Heffley Creek sits on the shores of the North Thomson River, one of British Columbia’s great rivers. The river begins its journey in the snowcapped peaks of the Cariboo and Rocky Mountains, and traces a course later followed by the Yellowhead Highway, before meeting the South Thompson River at Kamloops, which is about 20 kilometers downstream of Heffley Creek. The river has a long history as part of the early exploration and trading in BC that goes back to the early 19th century.
The town is named for Adam Heffley, a packer and gold rush miner. He was one of the animal handlers who took part in the famous, and failed, attempt to use camels as pack animals in the interior of BC. The town was originally known simply as ‘mile 14’ when stage coaches, needing services along the trail, used Heffley Creek as a place to rest the horses. The riverside community, on a valley bottom made fertile by the meandering river, lent itself to farming from the early days, and continues to be a lovely pastoral area with vegetable production, horses, sheep and cattle, not far from the Kamloops city limits. The area would be a virtual desert without the benefit of the river.
Recreation includes an extremely productive sport fishery. Sturgeon, Rainbow trout, Dolly Varden and Mountain Whitefish, as well as record size steelhead, are resident in the area. Chinook salmon and Dolly Varden are the main targets for fishermen. Close to 50 percent of the province's total freshwater sport fishing occurs in the Thompson-Nicola region. Because the Thompson Rivers are directly linked to the Pacific Ocean via the mighty Fraser River, they are pivotal in supporting the millions of spawning Sockeye, Chinook, Coho and Pink salmon.
Kayaking, canoeing and river rafting are legendary. Mountain biking, hiking and wildlife viewing are also easily at hand. In winter, the cold, dry air that passes across the Coast Range produces conditions for great skiing. Sun Peaks Resort, with over 900 vertical metres and 560cm of snowfall, offers great downhill skiing about 30 minutes away. There are also numerous cross-country and snow shoeing opportunities throughout the area.
Access to Heffley Creek is via Highway 5, 20 kilometers north from the Trans Canada at Kamloops.
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Heffley Creek Tourism Directory
Accommodations in Heffley Creek
Activities in Heffley Creek
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