Accommodations

Close to 30 different hotels, motels, and bed & breakfasts offer visitor accommodation in Hope and area. In addition there are almost two dozen camp and recreational vehicle parksites in or near Hope. Check with your travel agent, or in the yellow pages. Check the Daytrippers Paradise visitors guide for businesses who advertise there.

Antiques

(See also Commerce) Stalking antiques is a favourite pastime for many people. In Hope, check out: Christines Keepsakes; Home Gold Mine; the Hope Museum; and the Second Hand and Thrift Stores along Wallace Street.
For those who plan entire vacations around "antiquing" opportunities, there are possibilities for great circle tours out of Hope to Spuzzum, Agassiz, Harrison Hot Springs, Rosedale, Bridal Falls, and Laidlaw. For the second and third days, broaden your loop to include Deroche, Mission, Abbotsford, Sumas, and Chilliwack. You will not be disappointed.

Art


Biking

Many long-distance cyclists pass through Hope on one of the major highways. Those who wish to get off the road will find in-town streets and a web of mountain trails spidering out from Hope. Check at Visitor Information www.hopechamber.bc.ca for maps. Dirt bikers have a trail on BC Nickelmine Road off Highway #1. Bicycle sales and bicycle repairs are available in town.

Bird Watching

For Canadians, CBC stands for the Canadian radio and television Broadcasting Corporation. For birders, the CBC is the Christmas Bird Count. Bird books are available in local bookstores and libraries. Add to your Life List. The following species, in season, are common in and near Hope: Bald Eagle, Crow, Ducks, Hawks, Rufous Hummingbird, Flicker, Canada Geese, Gulls, Stellers Jay, Raven, Robin, Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Whiskeyjack, Woodpecker. Please send us your other sightings to add to the list.

Boating

Many waters and waterways make boating a natural. Kawkawa Lake has a public boat launch. Check out Lake of the Woods, the Fraser River and its tributaries, Silver Lake up the Skagit, Lightning Lake in Manning Park (where canoe rentals are available). Companies providing river rides are based in Yale and Boston Bar. (See River Rafting.) In season, boats are used to tend fishing nets on the Fraser. Canoeists will find, during the late fall rainy season and the late spring mountain run-off season, whitewater where there was no whitewater before. It is wise to explore new territory with an experienced traveller. Kayaking is popular on the Nahatlatch. In Hope you are forty minutes away from the Canadian Whitewater Kayaking Team training centre on the Chilliwack River.

Bowling

Fraser Bowl and Racquetball located at Wallace and Sixth offers computerized scorekeeping, league bowling, galactic bowling, ping pong, pool, racquetball, wallyball, video games, and a lounge.

Camping

Private / Local campground and recreational vehicle parking sites

There are also camping facilities at Jones Lake.

Provincial Parks

Provincially maintained picnic sites (no overnight camping) can be found at: Reservations for Provincial Park Sites can be made by calling: 1-800-689-9025 or visit http://wlapwww.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/

BC Provincial Parks in this area are administered out of Cultus Lake office. Manning Park and Skagit Valley are provincial parks. Lightning Lake (most popular campsite in BC) is in Manning Park. There are also several provincial campgrounds. Maintenance of provincial campsites is contracted locally. Provincial campsites near Hope include:

National / International

Canadian National Parks in British Columbia include: The American North Cascades National Park is adjacent to Skagit Valley Park. It is accessible from Hope through Skagit Valley Park or down Silver Skagit Road to Ross Lake and by water across Ross Lake. There is no official Customs Crossing.

To learn about bear safety and facts see our Bear page.

Canoeing (See Boating)

Carvings

(See Art and Sight-Seeing)

Climbing

Rock and mountain climbing potential is relatively undeveloped. Hope is a hub. From Water Street you can see: Mount Holy Cross (originally called Isolillock, which translates from the Halkomelam to mean the Mountain with Two Heads), Mount Hope, Mount Ogilvie, Coquihalla Mountain, Thacker Mountain, Dog Mountain, Landstrom Ridge (Crack Mountain), Mount Chawuthen. Mount Cheam (6900 ft.), Mount Outram (2438 m) and The Old Settler (2132 m) are just down he Mountain with Two Heads), Mount Hope, Mount Ogilvie, Coquihalla Mountain, Thacker Mountain, Dog Mountain, Landstrom Ridge (Crack Mountain), Mount Chawuthen. Mount Cheam (6900 ft.), Mount Outram (2438 m) and The Old Settler (2132 m) are just down the road (west, east, and north, respectively). Mountains which encircle, cut by fast rivers, create rocky canyons. If you are interested, rent First Blood and watch Rambo dangle in the Coquihalla Canyon, or visit the Othello Quintette Tunnels and check it out for yourself.

Churches, Clubs, and Organizations

(See Community)

Crafts

Local craftspeople display and market their work in Rainbow Junction, the renovated railroad station beside the freeway, Exit 170. Rainbow Junction and the recreation commission sponsor arts and crafts workshops. Other businesses sell a variety of crafts. For First Nations arts and crafts, visit the Muskwa Gallery and the office at the Telte-Yet Campsite, both on Water Avenue.

Curling

Curlers gather at the curling rink located on Sixth Avenue adjacent to the skating arena, the new pool-library complex, the baseball diamonds, and the logger sport site. The rink has four sheets of ice. Hope Curling Club organizes league curling and hosts bonspiels.

Dancing

Line dancing workshops occur periodically. Square Dance Club, Ballet and other types of dance lessons are available. Recorded music dances are organized regularly at the Legion. The Golf and Country Club has a dance floor and space for a live band. Summer First Nations festivals often include powwow dancing.

Dining (See Accommodations / Visitor Services)

There are approximately thirty motels and thirty separate dining and food service facilities in or near Hope.

Diving

Scuba divers train in Lake of the Woods.

Drama

The Hope Little Theatre meets in Rainbow Junction. Hope High School students have drama options. The University College of the Fraser Valley, Chilliwack and Abbotsford campuses, has an impressive drama program.

Driving

Many people enjoy driving as a recreational activity. Hope has historically been a transportation hub and today continues to offer excitement and challenges for travellers. 4-Wheeling on backroads is popular. Caution is advised. Respect for commercial vehicles such as logging trucks is a must. Modern paved highways converge at Hope. Driving east from Vancouver, the Trans-Canada Highway #1 leaves the freeway at Hope, crosses the Fraser River on the recently renovated Fraser River Bridge, and enters the scenic Fraser Canyon. The vistas are breathtaking. History rides shotgun with you. Try to imagine how people traversed this land before roads were built. Visit historic Yale, once the largest settlement north of San Francisco and site of the 1868 BC Confederation Convention where politicians met to debate the pros and cons of our provinces joining the newly-created Confederation of Canada to the east. Check your headlights before you reach the first of seven canyon tunnels. Watch for all the traffic buzzing the Hells Gate attraction. Stop in Boston Bar, a railroad boomtown and logging industry hub. The Trans-Canada leaves the Fraser to follow the Thompson River at Lytton. If you are heading straight east from Hope, try the Hope-Princeton Highway, #3, which was originally constructed after World War II and followed some of the trail mapped by Edgar Dewdney who often followed First Nations footpaths himself. The Hope-Princeton goes through Manning Provincial Park. If you have not driven this road before, the best advice is to obey the posted speeds. The engineers knew what they were doing. The third driving choice out of Hope is the Coquihalla Highway, #5. This fast route to Kamloops and the Okanagan Valley was originally constructed in anticipation of the flood of tourists who visited BC for Expo 86. Pack a picnic lunch, a thermos of coffee, your favourite cassette tapes, and cash or credit card for the toll booths. At Merritt you have to choose between the Connector (to Kelowna) or the Kamloops route. If you are in Hope and heading towards the Coast, you have two choices -- #1, the freeway, through Chilliwack and Abbotsford, or #7, the Lougheed, through Agassiz, Mission, and Maple Ridge.

Farmers Market

(See Commerce)

A Farmers Market sells fresh vegetables, fruit, bread and meat products as well as cut and potted flowers twice a week. To check location and hours, contact Visitor Information.

Fishing

Local lakes and rivers are popular with fishers who use fly rods or fish from boats. Trout and salmon are favourite catches. Cheyenne Sports www.cheyennesportinggoods.com sells licenses in Hope. Licences are sold in sporting goods stores and other accessible locations. For information on bears see our Bear page .

Flying

Hope Airports 1,400 meter grass strip (uncontrolled, no lights) attracts private flyers. Fuel is available. Hope Airport is home base for the Vancouver Soaring Association, www.vsa.ca. Tow-planes and gliders busy the summer skies. If you drop in to visit them, they will provide familiarization sessions. Valley Helicopter, www.valleyhelicopters.ca,based in Hope, near the airport, provides helicopter tours along the Fraser or inland. Dropping hikers at the top of mountains is a popular service. A new helicopter service is also based near Hells Gate, www.hellsgateairtram.com in the Fraser Canyon.

Garage Sales

Garage Sales are advertised in The Hope Junction, local newspaper or by posters and arrows in the streets on most summer weekends.

Gardens

Hope sits pretty much at the eastern end of the West Coast Marine climate zone. Temperature extremes are from a low of -24 C to a high of 40 C. Annual precipitation includes 192.6 cm of snow and 1539.5 cm of rain. Natural evergreen greenery is incorporated into most home garden plans. Enjoy the beauty of traditional Japanese garden design in the Friendship Garden beside the District Office. On local radio, Hope residents enjoy the enthusiasm and gardening tips from Brian Minter, the Fraser Valleys gardening guru. Several local businesses supply bedding and landscaping plants, gardening supplies and services. If you prefer natural gardens, do not miss Rhododendron Flats off Highway #3. The wild rhododendron trees bloom between the May long weekend and Canada Day, depending on the weather. Or hike from the Lookout at Manning Park to the Alpine Meadows. Another pleasant daytrip is the twenty minute drive to Minter Gardens, www.mintergardens.com along the freeway (#1) at the Agassiz/Rosedale exit.

Geology

The geology of this area seems recent compared to flatter parts of the continent which have been rolled by repeat glaciation and meltwater deposition. The Fraser River at Hope marks the dividing line between two mountain ranges. The Cascades are east of the river and the Coast mountains are to the north and west. Several high peaks have snow all year. Indeed, watching the snow-line is a popular local topic of small talk. Travellers with a geologically trained eye can see in the Fraser Valley mountains which are part of the volcanic Pacific Ring of Fire and others, looking green and sleepy, exhibiting the shape of a volcano which blew its top many years ago (truncated cones). When you drive the Fraser Canyon or the Coquihalla Highway, whole mountains which look like solidified igneous extrusions are visible if you look up, look way up. Mineral deposits found in these igneous rocks or washed out from them have attracted entrepreneurs since the first days of the gold rush in 1858. Gold, silver, copper have all been mined in this region, and, as stock-market prices fluctuate, rumours rise and fall about re-opening abandoned mines or sifting through tailing piles. Jade is also a valuable mineral deposit. Early Chinese labourers supplemented their wages by mining and shipping BC jade back to China where it is prized as a carving material. Slate, clay, coal, lime, chalk, and talc are also found in this region. Granite and feldspar are common; obsidian, garnet, and jasper are sought after. Gravel deposits of conglomerate rock date to the Mesozoic Era. The geology of the area is ultimately what has created the beauty of forested mountain sides, rushing rivers, scenic canyons, waterfalls, and whitewater. Even caves are geological formations. The once-popular caves at Hunter Creek have been closed for safety reasons. There is a hiking trail to the Spirit Caves near Yale. A Lookout Cave is visible up-river from Yale.

Gliding

(See Soaring)

Hang Gliding sites close to Hope include Mount Cheam above Rosedale and Mount Woodside near Harrison Mills.

Gold Panning

Gold panning along the Fraser River and some of its tributaries has been a popular pastime since the years of the Fraser River Gold Rush, which started in 1858. Gold panning equipment is sold in local stores. Demonstrations and historical information are available at the Yale Museum, fifteen minutes north of Hope on the Trans-Canada Highway.

Golfing

Hope is proud of the beautiful golf course along the Coquihalla River. Rates for Weekday or Weekend Green Fees and for Seasonal Passes are reasonable. Call the Hope Golf and Country Club at (604) 869-5881.

Hiking

Hope will be the next hiking destination in British Columbia. The Outdoors Club organizes hikes two or three times a week throughout the summer. New trails are being blazed. Popular hikes include: Mount Hope to the Viewpoint and beyond; Mount Outram; the Spirit Caves near Yale; Landstrom Ridge for incredible vistas; the Rotary Trail beginning at the confluence of the Fraser and Coquihalla rivers; from Coquihalla Campsite along the old Kettle Valley Railroad bed all the way through to the Othello Quintette Tunnels Provincial Park. For maps and information, ask at the Visitor Information Centre. The 1997 Daytrippers Paradise magazine, available free to visitors, includes a centrefold pullout map of hiking and biking trails. In September, the Volksmarchers hike the carvings trail, stopping at each Pete Ryan carving in the Hope townsite. For information on bears see our Bear page

History

(See Also Sightseeing)

* First Nations people have lived along the Fraser River for many thousands of years. * 1808 - Simon Fraser, in the employ of the Northwest Fur Trading Company, travels down the Fraser River and declares it not a suitable trade route. * 1821- Northwest Company and Hudsons Bay Company amalgamate. * 1824 - Fort Langley established as a Hudsons Company Fort supplying company ships coming by sea. * 1828 - HBCo Governor George Simpson travels the Fraser River by canoe and confirms Frasers opinion about its use as a trade route. * 1846 - Oregon Treaty establishs the 49th Parallel as the boundary between British and American territory west of the Rocky Mountains. * 1848 - Hudsons Bay Company establishes Fort Yale and Fort Hope. * 1858 - Vancouver Island and New Caledonia combine to form British Columbia, with the capital at New Westminster. James Douglas, a former HBCo factor, is Governor. * 1858 - beginning of the Fraser River Gold Rush. * - Royal Engineers are dispatched to establish British presence and build roads and buildings in the Interior. * - first steamboat "The Surprise" docks at Hope. * 1863 - the first Alexandra Suspension Bridge is built across the Fraser River. The bridge was designed by Trutch, a future premier, and built by the Royal Engineers. * 1868 - British Columbia politicians and businessmen meet to discuss the possibility of union with Canada at the Yale Confederation Convention. * 1871 - BC joins Confederation with the province of a railroad link in five years. * 1881 - railroad construction from Vancouver to the Rockies reaches Hope and Yale; CPR runs down the west/north side of the Fraser River. * 1885 - Canadian Pacific Railroad is completed with the pounding of the Golden Spike in the Rockies; first train runs from Montreal to Vancouver in 1887. * 1892 - Fort Hope and Fort Yale are closed. * 1911 - Construction of the Kettle Valley Railroad begins from Midway to Hope. The KVR blasts tunnels through the rock of the Coquihalla Canyon and builds a railroad bridge across the Fraser River to join up with the CPR line at Haig Station. The line opens in 1918 and trains run until 1959. * 1914 - construction of the CNR in the Fraser Canyon results in a landslide at Hells Gate. * 1914 - 1918 World War I * 1920s - logging becomes a primary resource-based industry in the region. * 1929 - Hope is incorporated as a village. * 1939 - 1945 - World War II * 1942 - Tashme Camp opens as a detention centre for Japanese Canadians evacuated from the Coast. * 1944 - first of the fishways assisting spawning salmon through Hells Gate Canyon opens. * 1948 - the Fraser River flood. * 1949 - Emil Anderson Construction completes the Hope-Princeton Highway. * 1965 - the Hope Slide buries Outram Lake, killing four travellers on Highway #3. * 1986 - Coquihalla Highway opens in time for Expo 86. * 1992 - the Town of Hope amalgamates and becomes the District of Hope. * 1996 - upgrading is completed on the Fraser River bridge at Hope. * 1997 - New pool and library recreation complex opens in Hope.

Home Buying/Real Estate

Hope home and lot prices are a bargain compared to Vancouver. Two real estate companies have local offices; agents from other companies in nearby towns also service real estate buyers and sellers. (See Commerce.)

Hunting

In the past, hunting and fishing were the ways families obtained food. Hunters also played important roles supplying food for the traders and guiding surveyors, trail and road-builders, and gold seekers in the early years of this town. Animals routinely hunted in the past include: ducks and geese, deer, moose, elk, For information on bears see our Bear , mountain goat, mountain sheep. Hunting licences are sold in local sporting good businesses and other accessible locations. Professional guiding is available. If you are an avid hunter, borrow the old Robert de Niro movie The Deer Hunter and watch the breath-taking hunting scenes which were shot in North Cascades National Park (the American side of the Skagit Valley Recreation Area).

Kayaking

(See Boating.)

Listening

The local radio station, StarFM 1240am 100.3 fm, plays rock music. This radio station is also a good source of information on community activities and on current weather and highway conditions. Private music lessons are available locally. The high school has a successful band program. The Royal Canadian Legion Pipe and Drum Band appears at many public functions. The Rainbow River Singers get together for special musical occasions. Live music concerts featuring local performers and travelling artists are scheduled periodically at Rainbow Junction and other venues.

Logger Sports

At Brigade Days, www.hopebrigadedays.com loggers compete in skills related to the forest industry -- competitions using chainsaws to fall a tree in the exact place, or axes to throw at targets or to chop through logs. Teams race to chain a log, or walk on rolling logs floating in a pond.

Mining

(See Geology and Gold Panning.)

Mountain Biking

Mountain bike trails are being incorporated into the planning for the network of old and new trails being developed in and around Hope. Check the Daytripper Map or ask at Visitor Information.

Painting

Hope offers an unending variety of beautiful natural settings to inspire visual artists. Painting lessons are sponsored by the recreation commission and Rainbow Junction. Artists display and sell paintings at Rainbow Junction.

Photography

Hope offers an unending variety of beautiful natural settings and wildlife to inspire visual artists who prefer to shoot with a camera. One-hour photo finishing is available at Pharmasave, www.hopepharmasave.com. Inquire about a Camera Club at the camera shop. Some photographs are sold, framed or on greeting cards, the Muskwa Gallery, in other local shops, and at the Rainbow Junction. Framing is also available locally.

Picnicking

Picnic tables are provided in Memorial Park, Lake of the Woods, Kawkawa Lake, in local campgrounds such as Coquihalla and Telte-Yet, in Provincial Rest Areas such as Hunter Creek, Wahleach, and in Provincial Park sites such as Nicolum River, Emory Creek, Alexandra Bridge, and Othello Quintette Tunnels.

Reading

If reading is your passion, Hope offers: Fraser Valley Regional Library, Hope Branch, about to move into the new pool/library facility; and book departments in grocery and drug stores; Pages Used Books and mental health drop-in centre. If you are a reader who likes to write, check out the Hope Writers Guild. If you are looking for books about Hope, start with the Community Profile published by the Hope / Fraser Canyon Community Development Committee. Forging a New Hope, Struggles and Dreams, 1848 - 1948: A Pioneer Story of Hope, Flood, and Laidlaw, published by the Hope and District Historical Society, 1984. Golden Moments in the Memory of a Town, Hope, British Columbia 1929 - 1979: A Jubilee Sampler, by Frances Thomas. The Golden Rose by Dayle Campbell Gaetz. They Write Their Dreams on the Rock Forever: Rock Writings in the Stein River Valley of British Columbia by Annie York, Richard Daly, Chris Arnett speaks of some First Nations sites near Hope. Pictorial histories, especially of the Kettle Valley Railway and Pierre Bertons The Great Railway show Hope as it looked before 1920. Land of Dreams: A History in Photographs of the British Columbia Interior by Meredith Bain Woodward, Altitude Publishing, 1993.

Recreation

"Quality Lifestyles Through Leisure Services" is the theme for the Hope and District Recreation Commission. Organized sport and recreation activities at local and district facilities include: aerobics, archery, badminton, baseball, basketball, carpet bowling, curling, floor curling, floor hockey, hockey, indoor rock climbing, indoor soccer, karate, logger sports, paintball, soccer, swimming, tennis. For information call 869-2304. Commercial recreation facilities open to the public include: bowling, golf, horseback riding, river rafting, skiing, snowboarding. See separate listings for these sports.

Retiring

Affordable housing, beautiful natural setting, a variety of recreational facilities and activities, the opportunity to become involved in community, medical and other services, close proximity and accessible transportation to larger centres when required make Hope a desirable retirement centre for seniors.

Riding

Trails for horseback riding are being developed along with the hiking and biking trails. Ask at the Visitor Information Centre or check the map in the Daytrippers Paradise.

River Rafting

River rafting is rapidly becoming a destination activity on the Fraser River and several of its tributaries. Companies operate out of Yale and Boston Bar. (See the C ommerce.)

Rock Hounding

Rock hounds frequent the bars (sandbars that is) of the Fraser River and its tributaries. The most prized find is BC jade (nephrite) which rides the currents as pebbles or boulders. Over 100 years ago, Chinese miners and railroad workers earned extra money by shipping tons of jade from BC home to China where it is highly prized for carving. Jasper and gold are also sought-after. Many colourful and interesting specimens of igneous and metamorphosed rocks are there for you to find when the waters are low.

Schooling

Hope, in the Fraser-Cascade School District, www.sd78.bc.ca has a pre-school, two elementary schools, a middle school, a secondary school, and two alternate schools. The Hope Centre of the University College of the Fraser Valley offers GED, Adult Basic Education, continuing education courses, English as a Second Language, and university credit courses. Hope Cablevision carries the Knowledge Network. The advent of Act Internet Companys www.hopebc.com makes access to the Open Learning Agency easier for Hope residents. http://www.ola.bc.ca

Shopping

(See Commerce.)

Sight-Seeing

Alexandra Bridge - the first bridge across the Fraser River Canyon, a suspension bridge, was built in 1863 by the Royal Engineers and named after Alexandra, the Princess of Wales, recently married to Queen Victorias eldest son, Edward. The bridge was flooded in 1894. A new bridge replaced the first in 1926. It is this bridge which now forms the focus of the Alexandra Bridge Provincial Park and picnic site. The present river crossing on #1 was built in 1962.

Bears

To learn about bear safety and facts see our Bear page .

Brigade Trail sites

The Hudsons Bay Company transported supplies to its interior posts by conveys of boats rowed from fort to fort. In BC, where the rivers from the coast headquarters were not navigable, supply bundles were transferred to pack animals -- mules or horses led by packers on foot or horseback over mountain passes. The most used Brigade Trail out of Hope followed an old footpath up the Coquihalla River. There was also a Brigade Trail out of Yale, travelling the west side of the canyon to around Spuzzum. It crossed the summit behind the Alexandra Lodge on its way to the Interior.

Carvings

More than twenty carvings by Hope woodcarver Pete Ryan decorate the town. A walk trying to locate them all is an enjoyable treasure hunt. For info on the Hope Carving Walk 1999.

Cariboo Wagon Road sites

The Cariboo Wagon Road is important as it was the first road (as opposed to a footpath for pack animals) into the interior. It was constructed to get supplies to the Cariboo Gold Fields. The road was 400 miles long. The first wagon road was constructed from Lillooet to Clinton. Supplies were brought from Port Douglas at the north end of Harrison Lake to Lillooet. The second wagon road started at Yale. Remnants of the roadbed can be seen at the western side of the Alexandra Bridge. The road was used for twenty years, until the CPR was build. Construction of the railroad used much of the wagon roadbed and crossed it in other places. The third Cariboo Wagon Road was constructed in the 1920s after railroad construction ended in the canyon.

Centennial Park

Along the waterfront in Hope, is the site of a National Historic Site cairn commemorating Fort Hope, established by the Hudsons Bay Company in 1848.

Christs Church Anglican

Opened in 1861 and still in operation, this church was build by the Royal Engineers.

Engineers Road

The Royal Engineers began constructing a road in 1858 from Hope to the Interior. A marker and part of the road showing the construction is visible near Sumallo Grove on the Hope - Princeton Highway.

Ferry Landing

A street named Ferry Landing Road abuts the Fraser River in Hope at one of the sites where the ferry took traffic across the river before a bridge was built. It is upriver a short distance from the present Fraser River Bridge. The ferry was originally a rowboat, then a scow, and then a steamboat.

First Nations sites

Telte-Yet Campground is a First Nations run business on reserve land. The Yale Indian Band runs a fish buying station along the Trans-Canada. The Ruby Creek Band runs the Rockface RV Park along the Lougheed,#7. Remnants of old kikwillies (pit houses) are visible near Yale. Petroglyphs are found on some Fraser River and tributary canyon wall

Fort Hope Cairn

In Centennial Park, along the Trans-Canada Highway (Water Street) in Hope.

Fraser River & Canyon

Best viewed from water level. The Fraser drains 25% of all the run-off water in the province. It winds for another 700 miles into the provinces interior. It drains 91,000 square miles.station along the Trans-Canada. The Ruby Creek Band runs the Rockface RV Park along the Lougheed, #7. Remnants of old kikwillies (pit houses) are visible near Yale. Petroglyphs are found on some Fraser River and tributary canyon wall

Fraser River Bridge

Crosses the Fraser at Hope. Originally built by the Kettle Valley Railroad, this bridge is unique in that it is a double-deck bridge--the railroad track ran below the highway lanes of the bridge. When the CPR built the bridge around 1916, it received a grant from the province to build the second deck for highway traffic. The bridge was upgraded and widened in 1995-6.

Friendship Garden

In 1992, when the Canadian government finalized a token settlement with Japanese-Canadians who had been displaced from the West Coast during World War II, many of Hopes Japanese-Canadian community contributed to build a Friendship Garden next door to the District Office. This beautiful spot incorporates a pond, a waterfall, trees and flowers, and park benches into a serene soothing setting.

H Tree

About a hundred years ago, limbs on two young trees were entwined and have grown together to form a solid "H". The tree is located near Hudson Bay and Fifth, behind the spot where the CN station used to be.

Haig Station site

The CPR travelled the west side of the Fraser and its Hope Station was called Haig Station. It was located near the west end of the Fraser River Bridge, on the north side of the Trans Canada. A streetname Haig Station Road gives a clue to the location.

Hells Gate

Hells Gate, www.hellsgateairtram.com, is the name of a narrow canyon in the Fraser River between Yale and Boston Bar. This was the spot where river riders decided that the Fraser was not a navigable river. First Nations people climbed on the cliffs to skirt the rushing waters. In 1914 during construction of the CNR a blast caused a landslide which further congested Hells Canyon. The landslide interfered with the ability of the spawning salmon to make it through to their spawning grounds upriver. It is said that the salmon catch was reduced to one third what it had been. It was not until 30 years later that an International Joint Commission attempted to rectify what had been an environmental disaster by building fishways for the salmon to use as they swam and jumped upstream. In the 1970s an entrepreneur recognized that the site would be of interest to visitors. An airtram was constructed across the river. It moves from the height of the highway down to a flat space on the other side of the canyon. Today over 100,000 visitors from around the world visit Hells Gate every year. Aside from the tram ride which is a thrill in its own right, visitors can walk, sight-see, shop, eat, take pictures, and relax while listening to entertainment.

Hollywood North (See Watching)

The Daytrippers Paradise visitors guide contains a numbered map of Rambo: First Blood sites in Hope.

Hope Museum

The Hope Museum is located in the Visitor Infocentre. Admission is by donation.

Hope Slide

Located about 20 kilometres from Hope on the Hope-Princeton Highway, the Hope Slide marks a disaster which occurred in 1965 when a huge chunk of Johnson Peak fell into Outram Lake. Four travellers on the highway were buried in the debris.

Hope Viewpoint

(See Lookouts)

Kawkawa Creek Salmon Enhancement Project

(See Sucker Creek)

Kettle Valley Railroad

Between 1911 and 1919, the Kettle Valley Railroad between Midway and Hope was built to link the interior with the CPR at Haig Station. It tunnelled through the Coquihalla Canyon at Othello. Station stops were named by a KVR engineer after his favourite Shakespearean characters. You can see other station name signs along the Coquihalla Highway -- Romeo, Shylock, Portia, Falstaff, Iago. Visitors can walk the abandoned roadbed. The KVR closed down in 1959.

Lookout Points

A road is being developed to let visitors drive to the viewpoint on Mount Hope which overlooks the townsite. Views in all directions on Landstrom Ridge are inspiring. The views up and down river from Hells Gate and Alexandra Bridge are intriguing. The desolation at the Hope Slide viewpoint makes us pause. The Lookout at Manning Park is worth the drive up hairpin curves. Hikers will have other favourite sites. If you are really into views, consider a helicopter ride.

Memorial Park

In downtown Hope, contains a ball diamond, a playground, a bandstand, picnic tables, and several woodcarvings. A restful spot under giant evergreens.

Old Yale Road milestone (Mile 97)

In Silver Creek, along Old Yale Road.

Othello Tunnels

A must see. Othello Quintette Tunnels are a series of tunnels blasted through the canyon walls along the Coquihalla River by engineers building the Kettle Valley Railroad from 1911 to 1918. The railroad ran until 1959. The tracks have been pulled up and the tunnels opened as a short hike for visitors. Flashlights are helpful if you suffer from claustrophobia or fear of darkness. Picnic tables edge the river. Views of the canyon and the river waters are awesome. Drive through Hope along Kawkawa Lake Road to Othello Road. Or take the Kawkawa Lake exit from #5 highway.

Parks

(See Camping)

Rainbow Junction

An old railroad station moved and renovated for use as a community arts centre sits along the freeway at Exit 170. An Upstairs Gallery displays the work of some local artists. The main floor houses a tearoom and arts and crafts shop.

Rotary Trail

Edging the salmon spawning grounds of the Coquihalla, this trail through old trees winds several blocks along the river.

Sucker Creek Salmon Enhancement

Walkways and viewing platforms for visitors to enjoy the greenery and watch the salmon where Sucker Creek meets the Coquihalla River.

Thacker Marsh

Donated by the pioneer Thacker Family to the University of British Columbia in perpetuity for the preservation of the wetlands. From Hope, take Kakawa Lake Road, left at the north end of the Coquihalla Bridge, over Sucker Creek, then around Union Bar Road. The marsh teems with water plants and creatures of the earth, air, and water.

Yale Historic Sites

26 kilometres past Hope on #1, visit the historic St. Johns Church, the Yale Museum, pioneer cemetery; take the museums guided walking tour.

Skiing and Snowboarding

The favourite downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, and snow-boarding site closest to Hope is Manning Park. Other nearby hills include Hemlock Valley and Mount Baker. Many skiers travel to the mountains north of Vancouver and to facilities in the Okanagan Valley. Keep an attentive ear for snow, weather, and highway reports on local radio and television.

Spelunking

(See Geology)

Soaring

(See Flying; see also Vancouver Soaring Association homepage)

Sports

(See Recreation)

Swimming

Kawkawa Lake, Lake of the Woods. The new swimming pool and library complex at the Hope Recreation Centre.

Touring

(See Hiking, Horseback Riding, Mountain Biking, River Rafting, Sight-Seeing.)

Trains bring visitors into Hope; the downtown bus depot is a busy place; local bus company will design tours to meet your needs. Hope has a grass airstrip and a helicopter company which provides aerial tours.

Walking

(See Hiking)

Watching

If watching for you implies Nature, see Bird Watching & Sight-Seeing. If, however, watching suggests a screen and electronic equipment, cable television service is available from Hope Cablevision. Movies on the big screen change weekly at the Hope Cinema. Video rentals are available from at least three exclusively video stores as well as from video sections in several "corner stores." If you are interested in watching Hope settings, check out several movies which have been shot in or near town, including: First Blood, Shoot to Kill, Fire with Fire, K 2, White Fang II, Far From Home - Adventures of the Yellow Dog. Some scenes in The Deer Hunter were shot close to the Skagit in the American North Cascades National Park. Some of televisions Heritage Moments - The National Dream series were shot near Hope, as was the Knowledge Networks Fraser River Gold Rush film. A fascinating NFB documentary called Bowl of Bone: Tale of the Shuwa features the late Annie York of Spuzzum. A co-production group is currently working on a film about the Fraser Canyon War.

Whitewater Rafting

(See Boating and River Rafting.)

Working

The largest employer groups in Hope include the logging and related forest industries, and the hospitality and tourism industry. In both major industries, there is high seasonal unemployment. There are many people employed in medical, educational, and social services, and in local government. The transportation industry employs highway construction and maintenance workers, railway maintenance crews, service station workers and mechanics, truck, tow-truck, bus and taxi drivers, pilots. Retail stores, banks, insurance, and real estate service companies all employ local workers. Many people run home-based businesses. Many Hope residents commute to Agassiz, Chilliwack, or Abbotsford to work. Many ex-workers choose Hope as a desirable retirement centre.

Writing

(See Clubs and Organizations; See also Reading)

The Hope Writers Guild(founded in 1975) meets once a month. New members are always welcome. Check Community Calendar listings at The Hope Junction Internet Newsmagazine, or the local newspaper and on the cable television scroll.