Cariboo Chilcotin Heritage Sites
East Cariboo | North Cariboo | South Cariboo | West ChilcotinCariboo Wagon Road and Gold Rush Trail:
When gold was discovered in the Cariboo in the 1850s, miners had a long and arduous trek to get from the southern Fraser River through the current community of Likely, and to the old mining communities of Quesnelle Forks, Keithley Creek and Barkerville. Today this back route is still accessible between Likely and Barkerville. In 1861 Governer Douglas ordered that a road be built from the southern communities through to the Cariboo. The original road was constructed by the royal engineers to Soda Creek and finished in 1863. Sternwheelers would then take miners up to modern day Quesnel where they could continue on to Barkerville. In 1865 the road was continued from Soda Creek up to Barkerville itself. Today you can still follow parts of the Cariboo Wagon Road, just look for the “Gold Rush Trail” sign posts. 100 Mile House, 108 Mile and 150 Mile are all named after the roadhouses that once stood in their midst, marking the distance between the traveler and Lillooet.