Celebrate the Side Quests Off the Beaten Path Along the Alaska Highway
For most visitors, driving the Alaska Highway is the highlight of their trip to Northeastern BC:
A 2,000-kilometre-long odyssey that takes you in view of the jade waters of Muncho Lake, the hot springs of Liard River, and the famous Mile 0 cairn in Dawson Creek, among other iconic stops.
But the real joy of driving this road is in the detours. From offbeat places like the quirky Fort Nelson Museum to the annual Chainsaw Carving Competition in Chetwynd, here are the side quests you’ll remember.
Attend the Annual Chainsaw Carving Competition in Chetwynd
Situated an hour west of Dawson Creek — the official start of the Alaska Highway — Chetwynd is worth making time for. Every June, this small community plays host to the International Chainsaw Carving Championship, a four-day display of skill and creativity that sees 12 of the world’s best carvers transform eight-foot western red cedar logs into finished sculptures in front of a family-friendly crowd. With no theme pre-determined, carvers are free to let their imagination do the work and the end result is an ever-growing outdoor gallery of wooden bears, eagles, dragons, and mythological creatures that line the streets of downtown Chetwynd. Rounding out the weekend is a live auction where you can bid on your own sculpture—the ultimate Alaska Highway road trip souvenir. Outside of championship weekend, you’ll find local trails to hike or bike on nearby Mount Wabi and the Little Prairie Heritage Museum, a small, community-run museum that highlights the local history of the area, including the town’s deep forestry roots.
See Some of the World’s Largest Turbines at Bear Mountain Wind Park, Dawson Creek
Dawson Creek is home to the highway’s famous Mile 0 cairn, but there’s also plenty to see and do in town—including the wind park at Bear Mountain Park. Just a short 20-minute drive from town brings you to 34 of the world’s largest wind turbines, which rise above the rolling hills and aspen stands of the Peace River valley. For the best view, lace up your hiking boots and head out on the Rim Rocks Hiking Trail, which hugs a ridgeline before cresting to a sweeping panoramic of the valley. This is a great chance to stretch your legs before the drive ahead.
Take in the Scale of the W.A.C. Bennett Dam in Hudson’s Hope
An hour and a half south of Fort St. John, the small town of Hudson’s Hope sits on the banks of the Peace River and is home to the W.A.C. Bennett Dam, one of the world’s largest earth-fill structures. It holds back the Williston Reservoir, a lake so large that it can be seen from space. It’s impossible to grasp the scale of Williston Lake and its reservoir, but a visit to the dam is the perfect place to start. Here, interactive exhibits and artifact displays tell the story of hydroelectricity in British Columbia, while a guided bus tour takes you inside the dam itself, bringing you face to face with the machinery that generates nearly a third of the province’s electricity. Before you leave, spend time in the “Our Story, Our Voice” First Nations Gallery, which details the significant impact the dam’s construction had on the Treaty 8 First Nations peoples whose territories and valleys were forever altered by the creation of the Williston Reservoir.
Explore the Kitschy Fort Nelson Heritage Museum
Located at Mile 300 of the Alaska Highway, the Fort Nelson Heritage Museum is the beloved life’s work of Fort Nelson local Marl Brown whose infectious love of all things old and northern created one of the most eclectic and interesting stops along this storied roadway. From WW2-era trucks and classic Fords to a rare albino moose and personal memorabilia, this museum truly showcases it all.
Refuel with Cinnamon Buns and Buffalo Burgers at Tetsa River Lodge & Toad River Lodge, Respectively
Rest stops and lodges are a mainstay of the Alaska Highway, serving up more charm and character than they do food or drink (but don’t worry, there’s plenty of that as well.) Located few and far between, these roadside cafes are important gathering stops for the surrounding local community and key service centres for road trippers tackling the 2,000 kilometre journey. Just north of Fort Nelson at Mile 375 is Tetsa Lodge—otherwise known as the “Cinnamon Bun Capital of the Alaska Highway.” Here, drivers can refuel with just-baked homemade sticky buns, which you can eat outside next to the log cabin lodge. Later on at Mile 422, stop for lunch at Toad River Lodge, which sits right on Reflection Lake and offers gorgeous views in addition to their famous buffalo burger, chili, and pies.
Hike Alongside Stone’s Sheep at Muncho Lake
The jade-green waters of Muncho Lake Provincial park are what draw most road trippers off the highway, but venture away from the shoreline and you might just find yourself hiking alongside some of northern BC’s most incredible wildlife. Muncho Lake is home to one of the largest populations of Stone’s sheep in the province, which pick their way carefully along the park’s dramatic limestone cliffs. The Stone’s Sheep Trail, a moderate six-kilometre out-and-back is the best place to find them, offering a steady climb through striking rock formations with sweeping views of the emerald water below. Further north is the Salt Lick Viewing Area is a short two-kilometre loop along the Trout River, home to mineral-rich rock outcroppings that draw Stone’s sheep, moose, caribou, and mountain goats to this part of the park. This is your chance for a unique photo-op beyond the windshield; make sure to have your camera ready and remember to practice safe and responsible wildlife viewing behaviour.