| BROCKTON HOUSE INN Bella Coola Valley, British Columbia, Canada |
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Bella Coola is located in the Central Coast of British Columbia, within the Cariboo-Chilcotin Coast of BC, nestled between the
Cariboo Mountain Range on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west, approximately 400 km north of Vancouver.
In 1793 the explorer Alexander Mackenzie put Bella Coola Valley on modern maps by making it the western terminus of his overland
trek across Canada, the first crossing of the country by land. Historically inhabited by Coast Salish Nuxalk people, colonization by
Europeans began in the 1800’s. In the 1850’s and 1860s the Bella Coola Valley became a route to the Cariboo gold fields, with a
permanently established Hudson's Bay Company trading post built in 1867 marking modern community development. In the 1800’s
Norwegian colonists from Minnesota arrived in Bella Coola beginning the first agricultural and rural development of the Central Coast.
Hagen Christen, an early Norwegian settler, first established the settlement of Hagensborg at the site of the present Brockton Place
Guest House, having built the original central structure of what is now Brockton Place from logs in the late 1890’s. Farming, lumber,
and fishing industries began shortly after settlement of Bella Coola and Hagensborg.
The Nuxalk people of Bella Coola historically used the Bella Coola River and well established ‘Grease Trails’ as trade corridors
between coastal and interior regions. The Bella Coola and Atnarko Rivers had several villages along their length and interior native
people traded furs and leather for salmon and eulachon grease, regionally abundant in coastal areas. Remnants of precontact Native
culture include the site of Friendly Village, visited by Alexander Mackenzie in 1793, pictographs near Big Rock, a burial ground and
smokehouse near Stuie, and aboriginal trade trails. There are also obsidian quarries on Tsitsutl Peak.
Until 1953, without a connecting highway, Bella Coola remained isolated from conventional over-land contact, relying solely on boats,
horse travel over the Chilcotin Plateau and more recently airplanes. From 1951 to 1953 residents of Bella Coola donated their time,
energy, equipment and money to develop a portion of highway over Heckman Pass (a.k.a. The Hill) to connect the Valley with Highway
20 at Anahim Lake. In August 1953, the Freedom Highway was finally completed allowing overland travel from Bella Coola to Williams
Lake and beyond. The notorious stretch of Highway 20 east of Bella Coola, known locally as The Hill is 43 km of steep, narrow road
with sharp hairpin turns and major switchbacks, gaining approximately 1,600 m (5000 ft) elevation in with gradients up to 18%, The Hill
is worth considering for daytime travel on your first journey.
Modern travelers can drive scenic Highway 20 for 450 km west across the Chilcotin Plateau from Williams Lake, through the Coast
Mountains and down to a network of inlets leading out to the Pacific Ocean at Bella Coola, the only port with inland access between
Vancouver and Prince Rupert. Upon arrival at Bella Coola you can board BC Ferries' Discovery Coast Passage route to travel to small
coastal communities (Ocean Falls, Klemtu, Bella Bella and Shearwater) before arriving in Port Hardy on the northeastern tip of
Vancouver Island.
Air travel to Bella Coola can be arranged on regularly scheduled Pacific Coastal Airlines daily flights from Vancouver or from Sharp
Wings Air in Williams Lake. Within the Valley Bella Coola Air provides aerial tours and charter flight sthroughout the Central Coast and
West Coast Helicopters provides excellent helicopter charters for all of you sightseeing or adventure needs.
The climate in the spring and summer is ideal for hiking throughout the high mountains or exploring the valley floor trails. The valley is
home to a variety of wildlife. Grizzly bears, moose, bald eagles and mountain goats are spotted daily. The Bella Coola Valley is truly
some of the Northwest's most spectacular scenery.
Cariboo Mountain Range on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west, approximately 400 km north of Vancouver.
In 1793 the explorer Alexander Mackenzie put Bella Coola Valley on modern maps by making it the western terminus of his overland
trek across Canada, the first crossing of the country by land. Historically inhabited by Coast Salish Nuxalk people, colonization by
Europeans began in the 1800’s. In the 1850’s and 1860s the Bella Coola Valley became a route to the Cariboo gold fields, with a
permanently established Hudson's Bay Company trading post built in 1867 marking modern community development. In the 1800’s
Norwegian colonists from Minnesota arrived in Bella Coola beginning the first agricultural and rural development of the Central Coast.
Hagen Christen, an early Norwegian settler, first established the settlement of Hagensborg at the site of the present Brockton Place
Guest House, having built the original central structure of what is now Brockton Place from logs in the late 1890’s. Farming, lumber,
and fishing industries began shortly after settlement of Bella Coola and Hagensborg.
The Nuxalk people of Bella Coola historically used the Bella Coola River and well established ‘Grease Trails’ as trade corridors
between coastal and interior regions. The Bella Coola and Atnarko Rivers had several villages along their length and interior native
people traded furs and leather for salmon and eulachon grease, regionally abundant in coastal areas. Remnants of precontact Native
culture include the site of Friendly Village, visited by Alexander Mackenzie in 1793, pictographs near Big Rock, a burial ground and
smokehouse near Stuie, and aboriginal trade trails. There are also obsidian quarries on Tsitsutl Peak.
Until 1953, without a connecting highway, Bella Coola remained isolated from conventional over-land contact, relying solely on boats,
horse travel over the Chilcotin Plateau and more recently airplanes. From 1951 to 1953 residents of Bella Coola donated their time,
energy, equipment and money to develop a portion of highway over Heckman Pass (a.k.a. The Hill) to connect the Valley with Highway
20 at Anahim Lake. In August 1953, the Freedom Highway was finally completed allowing overland travel from Bella Coola to Williams
Lake and beyond. The notorious stretch of Highway 20 east of Bella Coola, known locally as The Hill is 43 km of steep, narrow road
with sharp hairpin turns and major switchbacks, gaining approximately 1,600 m (5000 ft) elevation in with gradients up to 18%, The Hill
is worth considering for daytime travel on your first journey.
Modern travelers can drive scenic Highway 20 for 450 km west across the Chilcotin Plateau from Williams Lake, through the Coast
Mountains and down to a network of inlets leading out to the Pacific Ocean at Bella Coola, the only port with inland access between
Vancouver and Prince Rupert. Upon arrival at Bella Coola you can board BC Ferries' Discovery Coast Passage route to travel to small
coastal communities (Ocean Falls, Klemtu, Bella Bella and Shearwater) before arriving in Port Hardy on the northeastern tip of
Vancouver Island.
Air travel to Bella Coola can be arranged on regularly scheduled Pacific Coastal Airlines daily flights from Vancouver or from Sharp
Wings Air in Williams Lake. Within the Valley Bella Coola Air provides aerial tours and charter flight sthroughout the Central Coast and
West Coast Helicopters provides excellent helicopter charters for all of you sightseeing or adventure needs.
The climate in the spring and summer is ideal for hiking throughout the high mountains or exploring the valley floor trails. The valley is
home to a variety of wildlife. Grizzly bears, moose, bald eagles and mountain goats are spotted daily. The Bella Coola Valley is truly
some of the Northwest's most spectacular scenery.
Bella Coola offers
numerous opportunities to
explore coastal
ecosystems and
environments as well as
learn about regional
cultures and lifestyles of
this unique are of the world.
Be sure to visit the
following attractions:
Native Petroglyphs
Atnarko River
Tweedsmuir Park
Odegard Falls
Turner Lakes
Rainbow Range
Ape Lake
numerous opportunities to
explore coastal
ecosystems and
environments as well as
learn about regional
cultures and lifestyles of
this unique are of the world.
Be sure to visit the
following attractions:
Native Petroglyphs
Atnarko River
Tweedsmuir Park
Odegard Falls
Turner Lakes
Rainbow Range
Ape Lake
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| Bella Coola Valley. Unique Wilderness, Unique Experiences... Toll Free 866.982.2298 ... Unforgettable Hospitality Intnl.001.250.982.2298 |
1900 Mackenzie Hwy, Bella Coola Valley 1-866.982.2298 info@brocktonplace.com
| About The Bella Coola Valley Visit bellacoola.ca for tourism links |
