Top things to see and do in Cache Creek
There’s a lot more to see and experience in Cache Creek than just the rolling sagebrush and prickly cactus covering the surrounding hillsides
Located at the junction of Highway 97 and the Trans Canada Highway, Cache Creek is a well-known stopping place for thousands of travellers each year. This was once considered to be the halfway point on the Gold Rush Trail, with prospectors stopping here to fill up on supplies the same as many travellers now stop for gas and food. For those who take the time to explore the area around Cache Creek, as well as the town itself, there are a number of great things to see and do here.
1) Historic Hat Creek Ranch
Picture a time when life was hard and travelling meant stagecoaches, dirt trails and sharing rooms in uncomfortable accommodations. Visiting one of the most important road houses on the historic Cariboo Trail is fascinating, as tour guides dressed in period clothing guide you through the Historic Hat Creek Ranch. Take a peek at the one-room cabin that the original owner lived in with his wife and 11 children, after you stroll through the heritage apple orchard. The 26 buildings have been reconstructed with some of the original materials and the staff have done their best to make it as authentic as possible. Gardening is still being done in the same way as it was back in the old days, with no power tools.
2) Graffiti Days
Kick up your heels at the sock hop or bring your car to the show and shine during Cache Creek’s annual Graffiti Days that take place every June. Avid competitors and spectators enjoy stepping back into the 50s and 60s as the antique cars cruise along the streets in a colourful parade. It’s a fun and exciting weekend that brings many people back year after year.
3) Nl'akapxm Eagle Motorplex
Situated on an old air strip, the Eagle Motorplex is an action-packed racetrack that thrills car racing fans between March and October of each year. There’s something for everyone—from Pro Am events, old time drags, funny car shoot-outs and the CMDRA Sturgis North and gamblers races for cars. It’s all happening here at the Eagle Motorplex.
4) Fishing and Provincial Park activities
The many lakes near by are well stocked with rainbow trout and Kokanee, and the rivers in this area all provide some great fishing, with the steelhead salmon being a prized trophy catch. Bring your fishing rod and relax in your boat on the lake or sit on a comfortable rock along the river as you catch your dinner for the evening.
Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate the two provincial parks, Juniper Beach and Arrowstone, where you can camp and enjoy all of the great activities that include swimming, hiking and even wildlife viewing—be sure to bring your camera.
5) Golfing
Bring your golf clubs and get ready for a challenge, because Semlin Valley Golf Course is said to be the most difficult nine-hole course in the province. The breathtaking views and well-maintained course will please any avid golfer. Also check out the Tobiano Golf Course, another favourite only half an hour away.
