Connects: Seattle, WA, to Dawson Creek, BC
Routes#: I-5, Trans-Canada 1, BC 97
Length: 807 miles/1,299 km
Road Surface: Paved
Season: Open all year
Maps (2 detailed pdf files available):
Seattle, WA to Lac La Hache, BC
Lac La Hache, BC to Dawson Creek, BC
For West Coast motorists, the West Access Route is the most direct route to Dawson Creek, BC, and the start of the Alaska Highway. The West Access Route links Interstate 5, Trans-Canada Highway 1 and BC Highway 97. The West Access Route junctions with Yellowhead Highway 16 at Prince George. This east–west highway connects Prince George with Prince Rupert, departure point for Alaska ferries, and with Edmonton on the East Access Route.
Side trips and secondary routes along the West Access Route include: Highway 99, the “Sea to Sky Highway,” a scenic, mountainous route between Vancouver and the Cariboo; Highway 26 to Barkerville, a provincial historic town dating back to the 1860s; Highway 29 south to Tumbler Ridge; and Highway 29 north, the “Hudson’s Hope Loop” to the Alaska Highway.
Communities
The MILEPOST® Quick Reference Log
Miles from Seattle (S) shown.
S 0 SEATTLE (pop. 684,451); all services. Northbound travelers head north on Interstate 5.
S 91 Northbound travelers take Exit 256A from Interstate 5 to follow SR 539N to Lynden, Highway 546/Badger Road North to SR 9 North to Sumas and Canadian border.
S 114 U.S.–Canada border at SUMAS (pop. 1,232); food, gas, lodging, shopping, camping. Sumas, WA–Huntingdon, BC border crossing station is open 24-hours daily.
S 116 Junction of BC Highway 11 and Trans-Canada Highway 1. Northbound travelers head east on Trans-Canada Highway 1.
S 130.6 Exit 116 north to Lickman Road and right on Yale for RV/automotive services; exit south to first left on Luckakuck for Chilliwack Visitor Centre/Heritage Museum.
S 132.7 Exit 119 to Vedder Road and CHILLIWACK (pop. 81,000); all services. City centre to north. Camping at Cultus Lake Provincial Park, 7 miles south.
S 163 Exit 168; Flying J Travel Center to north with food, gas/diesel. Silver Lake Provincial Park to south (follow blue signs); .
S 164.5 Northbound travelers take Exit 170 to Hope; continue on Trans-Canada 1 East..
S 166 HOPE (pop. 6,185); all services.
S 181 YALE (pop. 200); store and gas. Visitor information at Creighton House Museum/Yale Historic Site (turn east on Alberta Street then first right onto Douglas Street).
S 181.7 Yale Tunnel, first of 7 tunnels northbound through the Fraser Canyon.
S 199.8 Hell’s Gate Airtram over Fraser River Canyon.
S 206.8 BOSTON BAR (pop. 885); food, gas, lodging, camping.
S 210 Canyon Alpine RV Park and Campground phone 604-867-9734, email. Canyon Alpine Motel and restaurant open year-round.
S 233.2 Junction with Highway 12 to Lytton.
S 238 Skihist Provincial Park campground, camping.
S 250 Goldpan Provincial Park campground, camping.
S 256.4 SPENCES BRIDGE (pop. 25). Highway services include the Log Cabin Pub.
S 286 Junction with Trans-Canada 1 at CACHE CREEK (pop. 1,050); all services. Camping at Brookside Campsite.
S 308 Willow Springs Resort.
S 311 CLINTON (pop. 740); food, gas, lodging and camping at Gold Trail RV Park and Campground. Clinton Museum located in red brick building that once served as a courthouse.
S 330.4 70 MILE HOUSE: food, gas, lodging.
S 356 100 MILE HOUSE (pop. 1,200); all services. Visitor information: South Cariboo Visitor Centre; South Cariboo Tourism.
S 364.5 108 Mile Ranch Heritage Site rest area to west.
S 368.6 Big Country Campground & RV Park.
S 371.7 LAC LA HACHE (pop. 400); food, gas, lodging, camping. Espresso, art gallery and handcrafted silver jewelry at Q Brew Coffee Bar.
S 377.7 Kokanee Bay Motel and Campground; motel, cabins, boat rentals.
S 380.5 Lac La Hache Provincial Park campground (to east) and picnic area (to west).
S 402.4 150 MILE HOUSE (pop. 1,275); food, gas/diesel.
S 410.7 Tourism Discovery Centre, large log building on the east side of the highway, houses the Williams Lake Visitor Centre and the Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin; open year-round.
S 412.2 WILLIAMS LAKE (pop. 12,000) at junction of Highways 97 and 20/Chilcotin Highway; all services. The Chilcotin Highway which leads 279 miles west to Bella Coola.
S 439.3 McLEESE LAKE (pop. 300); general store, post office, liquor store, cafe, pub.
S 472.2 Kersley (unincorporated); food, gas/diesel, lodging, RV park.
S 482 Traffic light; food, gas/diesel, lodging, Walmart and other South Quesnel businesses.
S 485.6 QUESNEL (pop. 10,561); all services. Attractions include Quesnel Farmers Market (Saturdays from May to October). Visitor information: Quesnel Museum and Visitor Centre in Le Bourdais Park.
S 489 Junction with Highway 26 which leads 51 miles east to Barkerville Provincial Historic Town (pictured below right); open year-round although it is best to visit between mid-May and September when all the exhibits are open and shows are held multiple times daily.
S 493 Camping and swimming at 10 Mile Lake Provincial Park.
S 523 HIXON (pop. 500), food, grocery, liquor outlet, gas/diesel, lodging, camping (see Canyon Creek Campground).
S 555.3 Gas station with diesel; turnoff for Prince George airport.
S 555.8 Sintich RV Park to west.
S 567.9 Hartway RV Park and Room Rental with campground and bed and breakfast.
S 571.1 Northland RV Park.
S 585 Huble Homestead Historic Site; pioneer homestead and trading post, interpretive tours May–October.
S 606 Crooked River Provincial Park: camping.
S 607 BEAR LAKE (pop. 300): gas.
S 638.3 Whiskers Point Provincial Park campground to west on McLeod Lake.
S 645.1 McLEOD LAKE (pop. 70);general store and post office.
S 650.6 Tudyah Lake Provincial Park campground to west.
S 656 Food, gas, diesel at junction with Highway 39 which leads 18 miles north to MACKENZIE (pop. 3,700), all services.
S 676 Bijoux Falls Provincial Park (day-use).
S 679.8 Pine Pass (elev, 3,061 feet/933m).
S 738 Caron Creek RV Park, phone 250-788-2522.
S 746.5 Junction with Highway 29 North which leads 11.7 miles north to Moberly Lake Provincial Park (camping, swimming) and 39.5 miles north to HUDSON’S HOPE (pop. 1,160); food, gas, lodging, and camping. Visitor Information. Major attractions in Hudson’s Hope include historic St. Peter’s Anglican United Church and the adjacent Hudson’s Hope Museum. Not to be missed are guided tours (mid-May to Labor Day weekend September) of the enormous W.A.C. Bennett Dam.
S 749.2 Junction with Highway 29 South which leads 56.7 miles south to TUMBLER RIDGE (pop. 2,500); food, gas, lodging (Trend Mountain Hotel & Conference Centre). Visitor information. Attractions include Dinosaur Discovery Gallery and the Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark. Gravel road access to Kinuseo Falls (37 miles south from Tumbler Ridge).
S 782 Groundbirch (unincorporated); store, liquor outlet, gas, diesel, propane.
S 797 Junction with Heritage Highway 52, which leads 59.6 miles south to Tumbler Ridge.
S 803.3 Northern Lights RV Park.
S 804.6 Access north to Rotary Park and back entrance to Mile “0” Park & Campground/Walter Wright Pioneer Village.
S 804.8 Junction with Highway 2 (Alaska Highway). Eastbound travelers turn south (right) for DAWSON CREEK (pop. 12,978), all services. Visitor information at NAR Park. Turn north (left) for Mile “O” Park & Campground adjacent Pioneer Village and Alaska Highway to Fort St. John and points north.