Clearwater – Clearwater Lodge
November 26, 2008
Submitted on November 26th, 2008 by Brian
From Kamloops, I headed north for 124 kilometres until I reached Clearwater, a small town located next to Wells Gray Provincial Park. Just five minutes away from said park was the Clearwater Lodge, where I had made a booking for two nights. My room was located on the ground floor, with a kitchenette and a small patio area. After setting up my laptop and e-mailing a few notes to the Head Office in Port Moody, I strolled down to the local restaurant and enjoyed a slice of home-cooked apple pie. Very delicious.
The next morning, after a quick swim in the hotel’s pool, I headed to Wells Gray Provincial Park. The park was not as big as some of the others I’ve seen on my trip, but there were enough hiking trails to keep me occupied for the greater part of the day. The highlight of my day was seeing Helmcken Falls, a spectacular waterfall on the Murtle River which drops 141 metres, making it about three times higher than Niagara Falls. There were only two other visitors when I saw Helmcken; we just stood in silence and enjoyed its splendor.
On my last day, I rented a canoe and spent my entire morning exploring some of the lakes in the park. It’s a very peaceful experience, with the mountains looming over you. I could hear many birds in the background, but I don’t remember seeing any large animals during my trip. I saw a few other tourists fishing on the lakes where I was canoeing – there are businesses in town where you can hire guides and rent equipment.
Submitted on March 1st, 2009 by Lee
Spent two nights here while on my way from Jasper. Very spacious, and the beds were clean, which is more than I can say for some of the other places I’ve been to. I enjoyed the view of the lake at the back. Ate dinner at the attached restaurant; the food was fine, but nothing to rave about.
I had a black bear pass in front of my car while I was driving to Wells Grey National Park. Watch out for the mosquitoes – I didn’t cover up and was eaten alive.
