Williams Lake

城市概覽

The primary industries in Williams Lake are forestry, logging, sawmilling, mining and ranching.

1 Tourism Discovery Centre, 1660 Broadway Ave S, ☏ +1 250-392-5025, toll-free: +1-877-967-5253, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-5PM. Includes a gift shop. (updated Jun 2018)

History Williams Lake is named in honour of Secwepemc (Shuswap) First Nation chief William, whose counsel prevented the Shuswap from joining the Tsilhqot'in in their uprising against the settler population in 1864. Indigenous activity in Williams Lake (called T'exelc by local First Nations communities) began as much as 4000 years ago. Europeans came into the region in 1860 during the Cariboo Gold Rush when Gold Commissioner Philip Henry Nind and William Pinchbeck, a constable with the British Columbia Provincial Police, arrived from Victoria to organize a local government and maintain law and order. At the time, two pack trails led to the goldfields, one from the Douglas Road and the other through the Fraser Canyon. They met at Williams Lake, which made it a good choice for settlers and merchants. By 1861, Commissioner Nind had built a government house and had requested the funds to build a jail. With the centre of local government being at Williams Lake, the miners and businessmen all had to travel there to conduct their business and soon the town had a post office, a courthouse, a roadhouse and the jail that Nind had requested. Meanwhile, William Pinchbeck had not been idle and had built his own roadhouse, saloon and store. Eventually he would own most of the valley. In 1863, the construction of Cariboo Road was rerouted the original trail so that it bypassed Williams Lake and went through 150 Mile House instead. The by-pass doomed the city: Williams Lake was forgotten and wouldn't be reborn until 1919 with the construction of the Pacific Great Eastern Railway, now part of the Canadian National Railway.

In July 2017, the province of British Columbia declared a state of emergency with more than 200

如何抵達

By car Highway 97 passes through Williams Lake from Quesnel to Cache Creek. Williams Lake is at the junction of Highway 97 and Highway 20.

By bus Ebus, toll-free: +1-877-769-3287. Operates bus service three days per week per direction between Kamloops and Prince George with stops in Savona, Cache Creek, Clinton, 70 Mile House, 100 Mile House, Lac La Hache, Williams Lake, Quesnel, and Hixon. Travel time to Williams Lake from Kamloops is 3.25 hours, from Cache Creek is 2.5 hours, from 100 Mile House is 1 hour, from Quesnel is 1.25 hours, and from Prince George is 2.75 hours. Same day transfers at Kamloops to and from Vancouver are available. (updated Jan 2023)

By plane

Airport 1 Williams Lake Regional Airport (YWL IATA), 3000 Airport Rd (7.8 km (4.8 mi) northeast of Williams Lake), ☏ +1 250-989-0158. There are daily flights to Williams Lake from Vancouver (1.25 hours). (updated Apr 2022)

Airlines Canadian airlines operating to Williams Lake:

Central Mountain Air, toll-free: +1-888-359-2620, [email protected]. Operates flights mostly in British Columbia and to a lesser extent in Alberta. Edmonton, Prince George, and Vancouver effectively serve as hubs for the airline. (updated Apr 2022) Pacific Coastal Airlines, ☏ +1-604-273-8666, toll-free: +1-800-663-2872, [email protected]. Operates flights primarily in the south coast area of British Columbia with its hub in Vancouver. (updated Apr 2022)

當地交通

By public transit BC Transit (Williams Lake Transit System), ☏ +1-250-398-7812. Operates several bus routes in the Williams Lake area from Monday to Saturday. (updated Apr 2022)

By taxi Town Taxi, ☏ +1 250-392-4151. (updated Jul 2022) Williams Lake Taxi, ☏ +1 778-267-2002. (updated Jul 2022)

必看景點

1 Farwell Canyon (47 km west of Williams Lake on Hwy 20 to Riske Creek, 21 km south on Farwell Canyon Road). A dramatic canyon of limestone walls framing the Chilcotin River and surrounded by rolling grassland. This semi-arid canyon also boasts a large sand dune at its crest, and ancient pictographs on the cliff face. (updated Jul 2022) 2 The Station House Gallery and Gift Shop, 1 Mackenzie Ave N, ☏ +1 250-392-6113, [email protected]. M-F 10:30AM-5:30PM; Sa 10AM-5PM. A restored BC Rail Station provides studio and gallery space. Each month, the gallery exhibits a variety of contemporary works in many mediums by local, regional, and touring artists. The society also operates a gift shop that features the work of local artisans and crafts people. Free. (updated Jul 2022) 3 The Museum of the Cariboo-Chilcotin, 1660 Broadway Avenue S, ☏ +1 250-392-7404. 14 May-Sep 1: daily 9AM-6PM; 1 Sep-15 Nov: M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa Su 10AM-3PM; 16 Nov-13 May: M-F 9AM-5PM. Its collection of nearly 30,000 artifacts offers a glimpse into the Central Cariboo's history and is home to the BC Cowboy Hall of Fame. It has the largest saddle collection in western Canada, and artifacts relating to the Williams Lake rodeo and the local First Nations. (updated Jul 2022) 4 Williams Lake Studio Theatre Society, 4100 MacKenzie Avenue N, [email protected]. (updated Jul 2022)

體驗活動

1 Williams Lake Stampede, 800 Mackenzie Ave S, ☏ +1-250-392-6585. Takes place on the Canada Day (July 1) weekend and attracts top professional cowboys from across Canada and the United States. Events include bull riding, barrel racing, bareback riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping and chuckwagon races. The Williams Lake Stampede plays host to many top cowboys and international rodeo competitors from Canada and the United States, most of which continue on the circuit to the Calgary Stampede, the following weekend. The Stampede festivities also include a parade of floats from local organizations, such as 4-H groups, First Nations bands, community service groups, the stampede royalty and local merchants. There is also a carnival with rides and games located near the stampede grounds. (updated Mar 2023) 2 Scout Island, 1305A Borland Road, ☏ +1 250-398-8532. A 9.7-ha (23.9-acre) park and nature area. It has of a beach, picnic area, boat launch and several trails through mainly natural environment. Scout Island is actually two islands that are connected to the west end of Williams Lake by a causeway. The Nature House provides a view of the marsh next to the island. It is run by the Williams Lake Field Naturalists and provides information, displays and programs dealing with the local environment. 2.5 km of trails following the marsh edge and lake. Some trails and the Nature House are wheelchair accessible. Dogs must be on leash. (updated Jun 2018) 3 Williams Lake River Valley Trail. Lots to see and a good open trail with lots of small bridges that enable the creek crossing as it meanders back and forth down the valley. Access from the parking area at the foot of Comer St and Mackenzie Ave for 12 km each way, or from the Frizzy Road parking lot for only 5 km to Fraser River. (updated Jun 2018) 4 Chances Casino Signal Point, 1640 Broadway A