The Wells-Barkerville-Bowron Lakes area is your home base for adventure in the Cariboo! Bowron Lakes Provincial Park is one of the top 10 canoeing destinations in the world, and the Wells area has one of the largest and best maintained trail networks in all of British Columbia.

Whether it's snowmobiling and skiing in the winter, or hiking, canoeing, and mountain biking in the summer, the Wells-Barkerville-Bowron Lakes area has it all. Visitors can take advantage of our world class guides and tour operators, or they can rent equipment by the day and explore at their own leisure. The possibilities are endless.

Canoe Rentals & More

Bear River Mercantile has a brand new fleet of 17' Clipper Yukon Canoes. These canoes are specifically designed for week long trips, are very stable, maneuverable, and have lots of gear room.They have started with a small fleet, so it is best to reserve your canoe in advance, to ensure that we have one for you on your arrival.

Becker’s Lodge

Bowron Lake Provincial Park Guided Tours

Becker’s Lodge offers all inclusive guided tours. These tours include transportation from Quesnel to Becker’s Lodge and back, two nights accomodation with all meals and beverages, professional guides and canoeing lessons, canoe and accessories, park permit and all meals.

Bowron Lake Lodge

With every canoe rental clients receive the following:

* 3 Paddles, 2 PFD's, Bailer, Sponge, Safety Rope and Whistle.

* Transportation of boats and all your gear to starting point

* Free vehicle parking at the Lodge

* Free excess luggage storage while you are on your trip

* Paddling instructions and practice time for beginners

* Information and tips about what to expect while in the Park

Cariboo Joy Gold Rush Tours

Personalized Tours

Joy Stepan offers customized Tours for visitors to Wells, Barkerville and Bowron Lake. Contact Joy for a personalized Tour to her nearby gold claim and/or a tour of the local mountains.

Half-day Sightseeing Tour

Learn to pan with a professional guide at a crystal clear creek in the heart of gold country. Keep any gold you find. Learn about the new gold rush!
Package available and you can include accommodation at nearby Cariboo Joy R.V. Park.

$75 per person, $150 minimum with discounts for groups of seven or more people and seniors discounts. Step-on guide coach tour rate is $7 per person with a minimum of 30 guests. Advanced bookings required. A month’s notice is preferred, but contact Joy for availability.
For more information call Joy toll free at 1-888-996-4653, email tours@telus.net or visit www.cariboojoy.com.

Cornish Mountain Tours

Explore the Area, Step-on Guide Service

Cornish Mountain Tours will make local history come alive! Whether it is a short step-on tour of the charming mining town of Wells, a spectacular tour through the Cariboo Mountains to Bowron Lakes, or a visit to the ghost town of Stanley, your clients will be intrigued by our knowledgeable local guides. Rates: $50 for first hour, $40/hour for additional hours.

Ghost Towns of Lightning Creek

For this fascinating 1 to 3 hour tour, a guide will step-on your bus as you time travel through scenic Devil’s Canyon to the ghost town and historic cemetery at Stanley. More active groups can include a short walk on one of the few remaining sections of the original Cariboo Waggon Road, built in 1863 from New Westminster all the way to Barkerville.

For Active Groups – Walking and Hiking Tours

Walking Tours of Wells

Wells is steeped in gold rush history. A company town for the mining of the Cariboo motherlodes, Wells was a bustling commercial centre in the 1930s with businesses open 24 hours a day to accommodate 3 shifts in the mines. Today the town’s unique architecture and quaint streets delight the camera. Rates: $5/person; minimum $50 for a 45 min to 1 hour tour. Escorts may want to leave extra time to visit the museum and the many interesting shops and galleries.

Wildlife Viewing on the Wells Meadows

Adjacent to Wells is a fascinating meadow/wetland complex that is rich with animal and birdlife. A morning or evening stroll may find a beaver busy at his dam, or ducks, geese and loons feeding in the shallows. The lucky may hear the elusive call of an American bittern or see one of the residents of ‘Moose Island’. This one hour tour is best suited to groups of 15 or less. Rates: $5/person: minimum $50.

Hiking Tours

Half and full day hiking trips to spectacular alpine flowers and views of the Cariboo Mountains are available. Group rates are based on the number of guides supplied rather than the number of participants, with a maximum of 10 participants per guide: $275 -- ½ day/ 2 guides (10 to 20 people); $500 – full day/3 guides (10 to 20 people). For each additional guide add $150.

Booking Policies

All rates are commissionable at 15% off listed prices. GST is not included in listed prices. Prices may change without notice. We will try to accommodate bookings made less than 48 hours in advance, however minimum of one week advance booking is recommended.
Special programming available for school groups, nature and hiking clubs.

For more information contact Judy Campbell of Cornish Mountain Tours at 1-877-994-3349 or email cmtours@wellsbc.com.

Gold and More

Eldorado Goldpanning in Barkerville Historic Town offers goldpanning lessons for groups or individuals.

No matter how large your tour group is, if you want to have an authentic goldpanning adventure in Barkerville, the Eldorado is the place to be.

Whitegold Adventures

Guided Tours

Whitegold Adventures offers a variety of excellent hiking, touring and canoeing options for visitors to the area. Winter tours by snowshoe or ski are also available. Enjoy half-day to eight day guided tours with an experienced and knowledgeable local guide. Excellent client service. We can offer special schedules for bus or group tours and can provide a variety of custom outdoor experiences for any skill level.

Eight days around the Bowron Lakes
Travel with an experienced and friendly guide. All equipment, food, transportation and incidentals from Wells. $1295/Person. Check the website for departure dates.

Three days on the Wild Side
West Side sampler on the Bowron Lakes, enjoy six lakes, two rivers, a spectacular waterfall and excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. $450/Person.

Three day Hikes

1861 Gold Rush Pack Trail
Relive the rush! Travel the same alpine ridges gold hungry miners discovered, marvel at the scenery and finish your trip dining in the same restaurant that served them in historic Barkerville. $450/Person

Day Trips – Summer

Canoe Trips
Dig in your paddle like the Coureurs du Bois or relax in comfort like the Bourgeoisie. We’ll paddle with 10 people per 28’ canoe, to the historic Kibbee cabin on the Bowron River.
Or
Paddle your own canoe in the company of a guide to the Bowron Marsh. We cross beautiful Bowron Lake, enjoy the beaches, wetlands and wildlife.
Excellent moose, beaver, muskrat, eagle and osprey viewing.
$95/person/$160/couple

Alpine Day Hike
A ramble through rolling subalpine meadows surrounded by the majestic peaks of the Cariboo Mountains. Destinations vary according to weather and trail conditions.
All gear, lunch and snacks provided except personal clothing, sunscreen, raingear, a water bottle, a camera and binoculars.

Commissionable Rates
For more information contact Dave Jorgenson. Contact information below.
Advanced booking required.
Special rates for large groups, families, or corporate clients.
Special itineraries available.

Visit the Whitegold Adventures website at www.whitegold.ca for details. Phone toll free 1-866-994-2345 or stop by the Bear’s Paw Cafe, on the Barkerville Highway in Wells.