Northeastern British Columbia

There’s more to a Geopark than meets the eye!

UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK

Tumbler Ridge is home to the second UNESCO Global Geopark (tumblerridgegeopark.ca) in North America! Explore our network of 50 signed and designated hiking trails. Hiking trails ranging from easy to challenging lead to alpine peaks, thundering waterfalls, ancient dinosaur trackways, other-worldly geological formations, mysterious caves, spring meadows ablaze with wildflowers, and tranquil pine forests, where wildlife is an essential part of the scenery.  Get out and enjoy the crisp mountain air, sunny skies and pristine landscapes of our winter wonderland. You may even be treated to the sight of the Aurora Borealis dancing across the night sky.

There is an outdoor geo-experience for everyone, with activities ranging from guided hikes and rock climbing in the summer to ice climbing a waterfall, snowshoeing through rock towers or skiing a creek in the winter.  The Murray River is fantastic for paddling or riverboating. The river is graded as a Class 2 with flat sections interrupted by gentle rapids. There is a boat launch 1 km south of town on Highway 29, and riverboat tours are available upstream to Kinuseo Falls or downstream through the Painted Canyon.

MAJESTIC NATURE

THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS

From the official Mile “0” the Alaska Highway rises steadily from the vast land of muskeg and boreal forest to Steamboat Mountain, where the highway leads right into the Northern Rocky Mountains. From that point on, the Rockies accompany you … offering both the wide-open mountainscapes of craggy peaks marching off to the horizon and the up-close views where the rugged rock flanks the highway.

While travelling the Alaska Highway is an adventure in itself and a non-stop feast for the eye, there’s more to the Northern Rockies than what you can see from the roadside! For the outdoor enthusiast who really wants to capture the energy of the land, there are wonderful opportunities (both guided or self-guided) to get beyond that first mountain — to immerse yourself in the awe and majesty that surrounds you. It is not uncommon to see herds of (or lone) bison and stone’s sheep along or on the highway. A bison herd lives year round on the Alaska Highway right-of-way, and about 20 bison are killed by collisions with vehicles every year. Drive with extreme caution.

MAJESTIC NATURE

LIARD RIVER HOT SPRINGS

Relaxation seeps into your body as you ease into the second largest hot spring in Canada. Liard River Hot Springs provides relief to Alaskan bound travellers after a long day on the road.

The hot springs complex is of national ecological significance and is well known for its natural setting in a lush boreal spruce forest. The park is such a popular stop over for tourists that the campgound fills up early each day during the summer months. Liard is also open year-round. There is a hot spring open to the public called Alpha pool with water temperatures ranging from 42°C to 52°C. Facilities include a change house and composting toilet. A boardwalk, which leads to the hot spring pools, passes through a warm water swamp and boreal forest that supports rich and diverse plant communities as well as mammal and bird species.

Visitors are required to stay on the boardwalk at all times in this area so as not to disturb the sensitive habitat. Watch for moose feeding in the warm water swamps. Due to the lush plant life influenced by the warmth of the springs, the area was originally known as the “Tropical Valley.”