Since we bought our tent Leo and I have wanted to do more backcountry exploring on gravel roads we don't want to take our trailer on. We decided to drive to Barkerville via the backroad route that goes through Likely and up along the Cariboo River.
Our friend Mark came along too. We stopped at the Likely Hotel and had a nice lunch with our friend Birgit. After lunch we drove down to the Bullion Pit takeout on the Quesnel River so Leo and Mark could reminisce about their whitewater paddling days.
"Remember that time you swam through the eyebrow . . ."
It's a beautiful spot on a beautiful river.
Giant eddy
Then we drove up the Keithley Creek road, crossed the Cariboo River Bridge (more reminiscing) and turned off on the 8400 Road, planning to stop at the Lady Creek rec site. But Leo and I drove right by and when we finally reunited with Mark he said there was a big group of ATVers staying there so we kept on driving past the Cameron Ridge trailhead. There used to be a lodge and cafe out here in the middle of nowhere but it's closed now. Leo worked here when it used to be a logging camp back in the early 70s. Then we drove up up over a pass with some great views of jagged mountains. I never knew the Cariboo mountains could be so dramatic.
Eventually we turned off toward Ghost Lake and stopped at the Matthew River Bridge.
It's quite spectacular with a waterfall on either side.
Looking downstream:
Some very attractive vegetation in among the rocks:
Heuchera
We camped at the Ghost Lake rec site in Cariboo Mountains Provincial park. Ghost Lake is stunning, situated under rocky mountaintops
But most of it is around the corner
Outlet of Ghost Lake
Ghost Lake waterfall
The campground is right next to the falls. We figure it once had a view of both the falls and the lake but the trees have grown up and the campground is now a view less parking lot.
However the outhouse is a real gem!
With a great view of the lake and mountains we couldn't see from the campsite.
We didn't see any cariboo though.
