Quesnel

Considered the gateway to the North Cariboo region of British Columbia, the town of Quesnel is the historically rich overnight stop between Whistler and Jasper. Surrounded by a dry, rolling pastoral landscape and the glacier created Interior Plateau, Quesnel was once the center of the Gold Rush in the 1800’s. Named for Simon Fraser’s lieutenant, Jules Maurice Quesnel, the city also hosts one of the oldest buildings in British Columbia, the Hudson’s Bay Trading Post, where local artisans continue to sell their wares under the name Cariboo Country Keepsakes.

Nearby, the Fraser and Quesnel Rivers join, creating an incredibly rich fishing site, hosting some of the most important salmon runs in the world. The People of the Southern Carrier Tribe still live near and fish these waters. With its ever-changing economic history also rooted in the forest industry, Quesnel is home to some of the most technologically advanced wood products and facilities in the area. In Quesnel travelers get a glimpse of what makes the country thrive: history, nature, and local character.