Northern British Columbia

Northern British Columbia is a vast region covering most of the northern half of the province of British Columbia.

Cities

 * — the largest city in the northern BC, and its business and government centre, but not one of its tourist centres
 * — neighbouring villages on Haida Gwaii, with Daajing Giids (formerly named Queen Charlotte) being the main service centre and Skidegate being the ferry connection to the mainland.
 * — Mile zero on the Alaska Highway, it has a number of murals that depict aspects of building the Alaska Highway
 * — A resources town (forestry, oil and gas) and last "major" centre before the Yukon
 * — Established in 1794, it's the oldest European-established settlement in present-day British Columbia and the largest town in the region
 * — a town that was built in the 1950s to support an aluminum industry
 * — a coastal city with ferry and rail links
 * — a charming alpine town that is a good base for exploring the surrounding wilderness
 * — the regional retail and service hub for the northwestern portion of British Columbia

Other destinations

 * − a historic first nations and Klondike Gold Rush trail between Alaska and British Columbia operated by the United States' and Canada's national park agencies
 * − Gwaii Haanas protects an archipelago of 138 islands, the largest being Moresby Island and the southernmost being Kunghit Island.
 * — Hiking, fishing, camping and some pretty scenery in the Northern Rockies, and close to Laird River Hot Springs.
 * − a wilderness area with a lush rainforest and sandy beaches, and historic Haida villages.
 * — a wilderness area and UNESCO World Heritage Site in the province's far northwest corner.

Understand
Northern British Columbia is a vast area, most of it undeveloped. Most settlements are along the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) or the Peace River area. Much of the land is forested and mountainous, although the Peace River Country is flatter and on the upstream extension of the Peace River in neighbouring Alberta.

By car

 * BC-16 (TCH).svg Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway) connects the region with the Alberta Rockies, enabling travel west from Edmonton via Jasper.
 * BC-37.svg Highway 37 (Stewart-Cassiar Highway) connects the region with the Alaska Highway near Watson Lake, Yukon.
 * BC-97.svg Highway 97 connects the region with rest of British Columbia from the south. The portion of the highway north of Dawson Creek is known as the Alaska Highway, connecting Alaska via the Yukon to the area.
 * Highway 43 (in Alberta) / BC-2.svg Highway 2 (in British Columbia) connects the region with Alberta Peace Country, enabling travel from west of Edmonton via Grande Prairie.

Driving will demand many hours at the wheel. In the summer months, expect at least 14 hours of driving from the border. In the winter months, you will need to bring a chain for the drive on the Alaska Highway and at least 16 hours of driving.

Airports within this region with scheduled commercial flights

 * Dawson Creek in the Peace Country area
 * Fort St. John (North Peace Regional Airport - ) in the Peace Country area
 * Fort Nelson (Northern Rockies Regional Airport - ) - in the Northern Rockies area
 * Masset on Haida Gwaii
 * Prince George Airport in the Nechako area.  This is the busiest airport in the region.
 * Prince Rupert has a small airport in the North Coast area
 * Sandspit on Haida Gwaii
 * Terrace has Northwest Regional Airport in the North Coast area

Most of the airports listed above have direct flights from Vancouver International Airport.

By bus




By train

 * The route is sometimes referred to by its old name, The Skeena. The train makes three departures per direction per week and is more of a scenic excursion than a cost-effective means of transportation.
 * The train is the means of getting to the Canadian trailhead of the Chilkoot Trail located in Bennett City, British Columbia.

By boat

 * Operates a vehicle ferry route that enters the region by taking the Inside Passage route from Port Hardy in North Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert via Bella Bella and/or Klemtu.
 * Operates a vehicle ferry route that enters the region by taking the Inside Passage route from Port Hardy in North Vancouver Island to Prince Rupert via Bella Bella and/or Klemtu.

By boat

 * Routes within Northern British Columbia include:
 * Vehicle ferry between the Prince Rupert on the mainland and Graham Island (Skidegate) on Haida Gwaii (7 to 8 hours crossing).
 * Vehicle ferry within Haida Gwaii between Graham Island (Skidegate) and Moresby Island (Alliford Bay) near Sandspit (20 minutes crossing)..
 * Ferries in this region:

By bus

 * Between Prince George and Fort St. John with stops in Mackenzie, Chetwynd, Dawson Creek, and Taylor. There is also a weekly trip between Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson including a stop in Fort St. John, allowing passengers to travel between Prince George and Fort Nelson over two consecutive days.
 * Between Prince George and Prince Rupert with stops in Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, New Hazelton, Kitwanga, and Terrace, and Port Edward.
 * Between Prince George and Prince Rupert with stops in Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Burns Lake, Houston, Smithers, New Hazelton, Kitwanga, and Terrace, and Port Edward.

By public transit

 * BC Transit operates bus routes within communities such as Dawson Creek, Fort St. John, Prince George, Prince Rupert, Smithers, and Terrace. Bus services also connect cities several days per week between the following communities:
 * Terrace and New Hazelton (Hazeltons Transit System)
 * New Hazelton and Smithers (Hazeltons Transit System)
 * Smithers and Burns Lake (Bulkley-Nechako Transit System)
 * Burns Lake and Prince George via Vanderhoof (Bulkley-Nechako Transit System)

See
Northern British Columbia has plenty of wilderness with natural features and wildlife, as well as numerous historical destinations. Totem poles can be found in the western portions of the region and are important cultural monuments for the region's Indigenous peoples.

Do
There at least half a dozen provincial parks scattered through the region that offer opportunities for camping, fishing, more hiking, canoeing, wildlife and bird watching, and being along in the wilderness.

Most towns have trails for hiking, horse-riding, cross-country skiing, mountain biking and/or snowmobiling.

There are plenty of freshwater and saltwater sport fishing opportunities throughout the region.

Stay safe
Northern British Columbia is sparsely populated. If you are driving, ensure that you have enough fuel in your car for your journey, a spare tire, and emergency equipment as it assistance may be far away and take a long time to get to you.

See Dangerous animals for information on safety in bear country.

Go next
If you've come this far, you really should continue further north to explore Yukon or Alaska.