Ashcroft

Things to Do

Ashcroft Museum & Archives

Corner of 4th & Brink St. Phone: 250.453.9232

Originally a post office, the museum building dates back to 1917. Exhibits include First Nations and pioneer history, as well as the discovery of coal in the region. Open from May to October.

Walking Tour

Beginning at the distinctive Fire Hall, visitors are guided by brass plaques that tell the story of each key location. Walking tour pamphlets are available at the museum. Train spotting enthusiasts can enjoy watching the activity on the CPR and CN tracks that run by the town.

Heritage Place Park

Located on Railway Avenue

Built in 2000 as part of the village’s Millennium Project, the park features a “walk through time” with displays outlining Ashcroft’s history. Keep an eye out for the waterwheel and railway caboose.

Jo Petty’s Studio

Phone: 250-453-9000

“Art is an energy that is alive and all around us”. Visit the internationally acclaimed painter at her studio by making a booking 48 hours in advance. Also of interest are several unique murals and award winning gardens. Mural locations include the Legion, Curling Rink, Heritage Place Park, and Railway Ave.

MORE THINGS TO DO +

In the Interior of B.C. the fur trade had declined somewhat when gold was found on the Fraser River in 1858. In that same year, 25,000 people ventured inland to search for gold. Panning sites sprung up on all tributaries of the Fraser. Hudson Bay Company employees and Native people turned to prospecting. Settlements grew up quickly and fur trading forts started to supply miners as well as trappers. Fort Kamloops was moved to the North Shore to support routes for the gold rush and the movement of cattle. The Hudsons Bay Company’s Brigade Trail crossed the north shore and then the Tranquille River, climbed the hills across the Dewdrop Range, down to Copper creek, then up over the hills to Deadmans Valley and beyond to the Cariboo. The present site of Tranquille was on the route and a small settlement and some gold panning started at the mouth of the river, mostly by Natives from the area, including Jean Baptiste Lolo “St. Paul”, who went on to become a chief of the Shuswap people. Some minor trade in gold started in 1859, and a minor rush started soon thereafter. By 1861, hundreds of miners were working the creek. Production dropped by 1870 and many miners moved on to the construction of the CPR. Chinese miners continued on the Tranquille River until the 1890’s. At that time, hydraulic mining started with a company from the Coast building a 25 foot dam and a 1200 foot flume. A new mining boom started and continued until the 1930’s. Some platinum was found in the river and a number of miners continued to live off mining until the 1950’s. The Tranquille River is now known as one of three “18-carat rivers” in B.C. Today, we can still see evidence of the hydraulic mining along the river. Watching Creek is a tributary of the Tranquille River. From the mouth of the river, the canyons narrow down to a gorge with lava flows, hoodoos, slot canyons, and cliffs for 15 km. At that point two gorges meet at the confluence. Watching Creek flows down from the south end of the Bonaparte Plateau through Porcupine Meadows Provincial Park. Miners staked claims on Watching Creek too and worked the gorge. There are still two claims on the north side of the creek and recreational gold panners can still be seen from time to time. Rock hounds also access the canyon for green opal nodules and agate geodes. A rustic B.C. Forest Service Recreation sits on the west side of the river and the south side of Watching Creek is now part of Lac du Bois Provincial Park. This was the site of a homesteader named Paddy Docksteader. He was a horse trader who had worked for the Buffalo Bill Wild West Show. He had many stories to tell his neighbors. Drive the short road down to a grassy bench where camping is permitted. Another trail leads down to the creek and along the edge of the bluffs. Hoodoos and lava flows can be seen at various points. Trails once led from the recreation site across the river on two bridges, but both are washed out now. Instead, a narrow road from Tranquille Crossing (at the 15km sign) follows the river back to Watching Creek over 2.5km. A trail network is used by hikers, gold panners, and rock hounds to explore the Watching Creek Valley or south along the east side of the Tranquille River. On your next trip up the Red Lake Road, stop at Watching Creek for a quiet spot to explore, gold pan, rock hound, hike, or geocache.@village of ashcroft | @Love Clinton | @village of cache creek | @district of logan lake | @savona activities | @Lillooet British Columbia#TrailingTuesday #AdventureToLearn #ExploreBC #ExploreGoldCountryBC #Geocaching ... See MoreSee Less

DestinationsAshcroft

Wellness Awaits You

History

Things to Do

Ashcroft Museum & Archives

Walking Tour

Heritage Place Park

Jo Petty’s Studio

Mosaic Walking Tour

Ashcroft Pool

Tennis

Barnes Lake

Elephant Hill Provincial Park

Cornwall Hills Provincial Park

Oregon Jack Provincial Park

Winter Fun

Public Ice Skating

Dining

Events

Ashcroft Links

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