Just an hour’s drive north of Hope along Highway 1, visitors will discover two cross-river communities steeped in history.
Take a break from your travels at Francis Harrington Park in downtown Boston Bar. The park is home to the community’s restored aerial ferry, which was once the only connection over the Fraser River between the two communities. The ferry last operated in 1986 when it was replaced by the Cog Harrington Bridge. Thanks to the work of dedicated volunteers, visitors can trace the history of the ferry and the history of the two communities it served through a series of storyboards that border the park.
To learn more about the fascinating history of Boston Bar and North Bend, be sure to visit the Heritage Room in the Old North Bend Primary School. This facility is operated by community volunteers who are always happy to talk about old times and take you on a tour through the exhibits.
The new Tuckkwiowhum Heritage Interpretive Village, just a short walk from the Anderson Creek Campground, brings to life a native village thousands of years before the arrival of the European settlers. This historic Aboriginal education centre includes a subterranean pit house, summer lodges and smoke house. Take a walk through the landscaped park and learn about Fraser Canyon history with a knowledgeable guide.
Nahatlatch
The Nahatlatch Valley features incredible mountain and canyon scenery, waterfalls, pristine lakes, and forests of pine, spruce, fir and cedar. Hiking and mountain biking opportunities are available along the river, lakes and many of the former logging roads that ascend to alpine meadows. Fishing is another popular activity on the Nahatlatch River and lakes.
The main attraction of the Nahatlatch Valley, however, is its world-class whitewater. Rafters and kayakers come from all over the globe to paddle its near-continuous Class III-V rapids, which are among the most exciting and challenging in Western Canada. The lower 14 kilometres of the river from Francis Lake to the Fraser River feature 37 amazing rapids.
Camping is available along the upper Nahatlatch River in Nahatlatch Provincial Park, although no services are provided other than pit toilets at designated sites.
To reach the Nahatlatch Valley, turn off Highway 1 in Boston Bar and head west across the Cog Harrington Bridge over the Fraser River into North Bend. Continue north on that road winding along the Fraser River until it crosses the Nahatlatch River just before the railway point of Keefers. At the 25 kilometre mark, you will see Francis Lake, the first of three jade-green jewels. At the 26 kilometre point, you will arrive at Hannah Lake and at 29 kilometres you will reach Nahatlatch Lake, the largest of the three lakes in the pristine valley.