A Canadian Signature Experience. Find out more
- 150 years of history
- 405-hectare (1,000-acre) frontier town
- 187,000 artifacts
Step back to the 1800s to the legacy of British Columbia's Gold Rush at Barkerville Historic Town. See early justice meted out by a "hanging judge" in a mock trial, sidle up to a bar in a saloon, wink at a costumed showgirl and clap along to a vaudeville show.
At Barkerville, a National Historic Site of Canada, you can still pan for gold, hear bust-and-boom stories of fortunes found and lost, ride a stagecoach and have an old-time picture taken in a rented period costume. Learn the art of Chinese tea culture in one of Canada's oldest Chinatowns. Spot caribou on the edge of town at dusk. Spend a night straight out of gold rush history at a restored saloon and brothel.
Why you should visit
- At Barkerville Historic Town, learn to pan for gold from an expert.
- Send your kids for a lesson in an 1870s schoolhouse and wander through two cemeteries full of bygone miners. At the local saloon, hear their colourful tales of gambling, drinking and fighting.
- More than 100 heritage structures are still standing where they were built in the historic town and Barkerville's intact Chinatown buildings house Canada's largest collection of Chinese archives.
- Kick back on the wooden porch at the St. George Hotel to watch the street performers.
- Fill your pockets with penny candy at an old-time confectionary and shop for a top hat at Mason & Daly General Store, among the 18 businesses operating in Barkerville.
- Enjoy a typical Barkerville day: tour the town in a stagecoach, take a lesson in Chinese brush painting in Chinatown, forge on an anvil in the blacksmith shop or watch a Cornish water wheel come to life as it did during the Cariboo Gold Rush days.
Weather
- Barkerville is located in the Cariboo District of central British Columbia, where summers are warm and dry.
- Fall and spring weather is cooler but mild, while some snow can be expected in the winter starting from mid-November.
- Discover local weather information. Research local weather patterns at Environment Canada's Canadian Climate Website.
Visitor information
- Seasonal Hours of Operation[http://barkerville.ca] from mid-May to the end of September.
- Admission Rates.
- On-site food & beverage for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Gift shops.
- Group Tours.
- On-site bank machine.
When to go
- Barkerville plays host to many special events throughout the spring, summer, and fall season when the weather is warmest.
- Don't miss special Dominion Day celebrations on July 1.
- Celebrate Barkerville's Chinese heritage with the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.
- Visit in early December for Barkerville's Old-Fashioned Victorian Christmas.
- See more special events.
Need to know
- Wheelchair accessible facilities and campgrounds.
- Comfortable footwear and apparel is recommended.
- On-site designated pet area.
- Pre-booked package and group rates are available.
- RV parking and showers.
Getting Here
- Located about one hour east of Quesnel, BC, at the end of Highway 26.
- Barkerville is an eight to 10-hour drive from Vancouver along the Gold Rush Trail.
- The Barkerville Shuttle runs daily between Quesnel and Barkerville Historic Town during the summer and shoulder seasons.
- Paxton Shuttle Service offers Barkerville Historic Town Tours from Prince George in the spring and summer.
