Prince George has many options for exciting day trip adventures. I interviewed some Prince Georgians this month to share with you their favorite spots to escape to for just a day.
Name: Jimmy Lerch
Hometown: Valemount, BC
Occupation: Engineer in Training
One of Jimmy’s go to spots for a day of hiking is Viking Ridge, southeast of Prince George. It is a 15 km hike and depending on how many stops you enjoy usually takes about 5-6 hours.
The best time of year to enjoy Viking Ridge is during July and August. Jimmy especially enjoys this hike in August because he is able to take advantage of the tasty huckleberries along the way. In June the mosquitos can be quite bad and into the fall the trail can become very muddy. The hike is considered moderate difficulty although some scrambling is required in spots. There is a small lake at 1,642 meters; on a hot day it is nice to take a dip in the water to cool down before continuing on. Once you reach the summit you will enjoy incredible views of Rocky Mountain Trench and mountains in all directions!
Getting to Viking Ridge: To get to Viking Ridge from Prince George head east on Highway 16 for about 85 km. There is signage on the highway indicating where the trailhead is. A small parking lot is provided on the north side of the road; from there just cross the road to start the hike.
Name: Nahanni Balfour
Hometown: Terrace, BC
Occupation: Nurse
Nahanni is an outdoor enthusiast and as a native of northern BC she doesn’t let the snow get in the way of her fun, she embraces it! We are so fortunate in Prince George to have Otway Nordic Ski Centre only 15 minutes from downtown. With beautiful long sunny winters, Otway provides the perfect place for Nahanni to escape and enjoy the outdoors. There are 55 kms of groomed trails for cross country skiing as well as additional trails for snowshoeing. Some trails are even dog friendly.
The facility offers on site ski and snowshoe rentals, a cozy day lodge, a biathlon range and a ski school. The proximity to the city makes it possible to enjoy some skiing after work, even during the shortest winter days. Otway is open for night skiing. Otway transforms into a mountain bikers paradise when the snowshoe trails become bike trails!
Name: Emily Appleby
Hometown: Prince George, BC
Occupation: UNBC Nursing Student
Born and raised in Prince George Emily seems to know all the best places for a day trip. One of her all time favorite things to do around Prince George is going fly-fishing with her dad at Crooked River Provincial Park.
Allow approximately an hour to get to Crooked River Provincial Park as it is 80 km north of Prince George. The provincial park includes Crooked River, Square Lake and Hart Lake where you are able to catch Rainbow Trout, Rocky Mountain Whitefish and Dolly Varden. Hart Lake is also open to ice fishing in the wintertime.
Prince George has endless opportunities for outdoor adventures and activities. I hope this blog gives you a taste of some of the fun to be had in and around Prince George!
