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Cariboo
Mountains
Cariboo Mountains Provincial Park is located
south-east of Quesnel
bordering Cariboo River in the west, Bowron Lake Provincial Park
in the north and Wells Gray Provincial Park and Quesnel Lake in
the south. The park is very remote and, to be thoroughly discovered,
it has to be accessed through guiding services, float planes, boats,
canoes, kayaks, snowmobiles, ATV's or wilderness hiking.
8400
Forest Service Road (FSR)
The main way by vehicle into Cariboo Mountains Provincial Park is
by the seasonal 8400 Forest Service Road (FSR) from Likely. This
route follows the direction of the historic Cariboo Gold Rush Trail
by way of the Cariboo River and the east side of the Cariboo Lake.
The two areas in the park accessible off the 8400 FSR are Ghost
Lake off the Ghost Main and the more remote Mitchell Lake using
the 4x4 Z Road. There is one other remote 4x4 access point coming
from the east near McBride
and is up Castle Creek towards Mount Lunn.
Travelling
to Ghost Lake
To get to Ghost Lake, you come north from Likely,
once over the Quesnel River Bridge, continue straight onto Keithley
Creek Road for approximately 25 km (15 miles), then turn on the
Cariboo River FSR (8400 Road) and travel approximately 65 km (41
miles) to Ghost Main FSR. From the Ghost Main turnoff the Ghost
Lake campground is 5.7 km (3.6 miles) away.
User
Maintained Campground
Once at Ghost Lake you can find a small vehicle-accessible campground
with five campsites, a parking lot, an information kiosk and a pit-toilet.
There is no water supplied and all garbage has to be packed out
as this is a user-maintained facility. With the correct fishing
licence, Ghost Lake offers some excellent angling opportunities
for Coho, Chinook and Sockeye Salmon plus Rainbow, Kokanee and Bull
Trout.
Waterfalls
There are two waterfalls at Ghost Lake. One is on the way in near
the entrance to the campground just before the turnoff for the Cunningham-Matthew
FSR while you go across a bridge on the Ghost Main. The other waterfall,
Matthew River Falls, has access from right behind one of the campsites
near the parking lot. To view the waterfall, there is an unmarked
trail that leads you towards the falls. The area is very steep and
could prove fatal to young children, non-experienced, if you approach
too closely or in dangerous conditions or not wearing the proper
footwear. Bears and cougars are also present in the park so be prepared
for wildlife encounters.
Boat
Access
There is also another unmarked trail that goes from the campground
to the lakeshore of Ghost Lake. This is where you can carry a canoe
or kayak and have launch by hand into the lake. Once boating in
the lake you'll find some incredible views of the Cariboo Mountains
including some of sheer rock formations. There are some areas along
the lake where some wilderness camping has been done.
Exploring
Quesnel Lake
Other areas within Cariboo Mountains Provincial Park include fishing
in the North Arm of Quesnel Lake near the mouth of the Mitchell
River, 'fly-in' fishing on Mitchell Lake, boating and exploring
the end of the main arm including viewing Niagara Falls or hiking
the Summit Lake Trail into Hobson Lake and Wells Gray Provincial
Park. For snowmobile trails, there is also a popular route called
the Quesnel Lake to Cariboo Mountains Loop which takes you close
to 2,700 metre (8,858 feet) high Roberts Peak.
Mountain
Spirit Outfitters
For guiding and hunting into Cariboo Mountains Provincial Park you
can try the services offered by a local outfit called Mountain Spirit
Outfitters. The outfitters, who have a facility on the Likely-Barkerville
Road just south of Ghost Lake and have guided hunters and outdoors
people throughout the area for years.
Logging
Trucks
The 8400 FSR Road at one time was only possible with a 4x4 vehicle
but now, with improvements, it is a really good gravel road that
most 2-wheel drive vehicles in proper operating condition can make.
There are logging trucks and heavy equipment at any time of the
year so caution must still be maintained at all times and the road
could be muddy in wet conditions.
Road
Closures
Also, in poor weather conditions or, once the snow arrives, 8400
FSR will be closed. You can check at the Valley General Store notice
board or the Cedar City Museum in Likely for road closures and openings,
possible bridge construction, with generally speaking, snow starting
anytime from October and sometimes lasting until June.
Ladies
Creek Recreation Site
In the event that the campground at Ghost Lake is full or you would
like to have a more private campsite there is always the recreation
site south towards Likely at Ladies
Creek. Here you can find six large private campsites and boat
launch set next to Cariboo Lake.
Cunningham
Pass FSR (3100 Road)
If you are planning on coming from Barkerville
or Wells
along the Cunningham Pass Forest Service Road (3100 Road) make sure
to check if it is open. Unfortunately due to slides occurring along
the Likely-Barkerville Gold Rush Circle Route towards Cariboo River
Provincial Park, the road can sometimes be closed with the only
access being from Likely.
Information
Fishing
Lodges and Resorts
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