Category: Quesnel

Cottonwood House was an old roadhouse for weary travellers on their way to Barkerville to strike it rich.  It’s a 20-minute drive east from Quesnel, on Highway 26. Roadhouses were possibly the forerunner to the modern day motel and operated in the 1800s. They were an integral part of the Gold Rush Trail, which carried miners from Vancouver to Barkerville.  Roadhouses offered food and shelter to travelers every 12 to 15 miles along the entire length of the Cariboo Road.  After a long day’s journey, either on foot, horse, or in a bumpy stagecoach, the roadhouse provided a hot meal, […]

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Barkerville is a gold rush town full of history and fun things to do. It is set in the interior Cariboo region, 88 km (54.7 mi) east of the city of Quesnel, at the end of Highway 26. Barkerville was founded in 1862 and is the largest historical site in British Columbia. Unlike many gold rush towns from this era – which have long disappeared – Barkerville remains a thriving place, rich in history and full of life. You can tour the town with one of the colourful characters from Barkerville’s past, watch the notorious Judge Begbie strike fear into […]

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