Vanderhoof

Primarily a farming, ranching, forestry and mining community, Vanderhoof was established in 1912-1913 as part of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway's expansion westward; the last spike was driven in Fort Fraser (38 km/24 mi to the west) on April 7, 1914. Herbert Vanderhoof, a publicity agent from Chicago, was retained by the railway to attract settlers to the region. Construction of the line to Prince Rupert bankrupted the Grand Trunk, which was merged into Canadian National Railway in 1923.
One of the few large, flat areas of land in an otherwise mountainous region, Vanderhoof bills itself as the geographic centre of British Columbia.

By car

Vanderhoof is on the Yellowhead Highway 16, part of the Trans-Canada Highway system.

By rail

• Via Rail's Jasper – Prince Rupert train will stop on request in Vanderhoof and Fort Fraser.

By bus

• Twice a week, BC Bus North provides service to Vanderhoof from Prince Rupert and Prince George.

• Bulkley Nechako Regional Transit System

  address: Co-op Food Store, 188 Stewart St E
  BC Transit operates route 161 from Prince George to Burns Lake running Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays stopping at Vanderhoof.

• Fort Taxi and Delivery

  phone: +1 250-996-1822
  address: Fort St. James and Vanderhoof

• Migratory Bird Sanctuary

  address: Riverside Park
  On the Nechako River; see and photograph song birds, water fowl, shore birds, and birds of prey. In spring and fall, a migratory stop for Canada geese, trumpeter swans, northern pintails, Caspian terns and white pelicans.

• Vanderhoof Community Museum

  phone: +1 250-567-2991
  address: 478 First St W
  Eleven historical buildings depict life in the area in the 1920s. Victoria Day-end September, admission free, guided tour $5.50/person. OK Café open in OK Hotel.

• Waterlily Lake Trails

  address: Smedley Road
  A 24-km (10-mile) trail system around Homestead and Waterlily Lakes, suitable for cross-country ski, snowshoe, mountain biking, horseback rides and hiking.

Events

• Nechako Valley Exhibition

  phone: +1 250-567-3011
  address: Nechako Valley Exhibition Grounds
  One weekend, mid-August, on 42-acre fairgrounds. Fall fair in September.

• Wild Goose ChaseMay. Run, jog or walk either 5km or 8km to chase the great goose through Vanderhoof.

• Cozy Corner Pizzeria

  phone: +1 250-567-6678
  address: 2417 Burrard Ave
  Pizza, wings, salads, donair, pasta.

• J & S Drive-In

  phone: +1 250-567-4655
  address: 1513 Hwy 16 East
  Homemade soups, pies, German speciality foods.

• Woody’s Bakery

  phone: +1 250-567-9414
  address: 153A Stewart St. E
  Bakery and coffee shop with soup, sandwiches, salad, fresh bread, pastry and doughnuts baked daily.

• Buffalo Beach Bar

  phone: +1 250-567-2218
  address: Glen's Motor Hotel, 190 First St. W
  Pub open daily 11AM-1AM, F Sa noon-2AM, Su noon-midnight. Cold beer & wine store daily 9AM-11PM. Motel with 24 rooms, Wi-Fi, kitchenettes, restaurant, suites, pets on approval.

Hotel and motels

• Coachlight Motel and RV Park

  phone: +1 250-567-2614
  address: 2110 Highway 16 East
  Full-service RV park including water, sewer, power, cable, wireless internet. Twelve-room motel with some two-room suites and kitchenettes; all rooms have a fridge, microwave and coffee maker.

• North Country Inn

  phone: +1 250-567-3047
  address: 2625 Burrard Ave
  Motel with German/Canadian family restaurant (7AM-9:30PM daily, +1 250-567-3048). Open year-round.

• Siesta Inn

  phone: +1 250-567-2365
  address: 230 Highway 16 West
  A 14-unit motel with four full-size kitchenettes, one two-room suite with kitchen and nine twin rooms with 2 queen beds, fridge, microwave and coffee maker. Wi-fi and wired Internet, pet-friendly rooms available.

Wilderness lodges and camps

• Nechako Lodge & Aviation

  phone: +1 250-412-2665
  address: Knewstubb Lake
  Remote lakefront lodge with cabins, camping and float plane, fishing, canoeing, hiking.

• Stellako Lodge and Resort

  phone: +1 250-699-6695
  address: Francois Lake Road, Fraser Lake
  Seasonal riverside cottages, cabins and camping on Stellako River (mid-May to Thanksgiving). Trailer hook-ups, laundry, showers, fly and lake fishing, recreation room. Swiss cuisine by reservation (Thu-Sun).

• Tachick Lake Resort

  phone: +1 250-567-4929
  address: Tachick Lake Road
  Lakeside resort with RV hook-ups, campsites, cabins, boat launch & rentals, firewood, showers, toilets, laundry, horseshoe pits, volleyball, fishing (rainbow trout), hiking, bird watching, playground and a small sandy beach. Small store with fishing tackle, bait, ice cream, pop, ice, sundries.

• Vanderhoof Public Library

  phone: +1 250-567-4060
  address: 230 Stewart St E
  Wi-fi and Internet public-use computers.

Fort St. James

A former fur trading post 60km north of Vanderhoof on Stuart Lake, now a town of 4500 people .

• Fort St. James National Historic Site

  phone: +1 250-996-7191
  address: Kwah Rd, Fort St. James
  Restored wooden 1806 North West Company trading post on the southern shores of Stuart Lake, where Hudson Bay fur traders did business with the Carrier First Nations.