Local Getaways PRINCE GEORGE
B
eing able to walk among the red cedar
trees of the Ancient Forest (Chun T'oh
Whudujut) feels like a privilege. Not
just because areas like this—with towering
thousand-year-old evergreens as far as the
eye or iPhone can see—are increasingly
rare, but also because the ground I'm
treading was literally built by hand.
The Ancient Forest Trail, starting just
over an hour's drive from Prince George,
is a roughly 2.5-kilometre "boardwalk":
a combination of wide dock-like paths,
wooden steps and long, shingled planks
elevated from the forest floor. The path,
hand-built by conservationists, gives
locals and visitors safe access to the area,
and in turn protects the rich and biodi-
verse earth from being obliterated by hik-
ing boots. Plus, it's reasonably accessible: I
meet "hikers" of various ages and abilities
on the trail, many of them in jeans.
The city of Prince George is often
overlooked by those travelling Brit-
ish Columbia. It's not known for sexy
restaurants or a buzzy downtown core
like southern neighbours Vancouver or
Victoria. But for picturesque views of his-
toric waterways, tremendous trees and
skyscraper-free horizons, Prince George
rules, royally. (Oh, and there are actu-
ally plenty of great restos to add to your
weekend getaway checklist: see page 70.)
The Ancient Forest Trail is one of many
beautiful pathways through the gorgeous
landscape that B.C.—and Canada itself—
is often celebrated for. But unlike more
daunting trails, this trek is the ideal combo
of undisturbed nature and walkability: it's
wilderness, but well-marked. Navigating it
doesn't require the skills of a hardcore sur-
vivalist—though many of its stewards, past
and present, are.
The trail is in the traditional territory of
the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation, and this
Keeping It PG
The Ancient Forest is a vital stop for Prince George
travellers—avid hikers and amateurs alike
By Alyssa Hirose
My visit to the Ancient Forest was
guided by Lheidli T'enneh Elder
Clifford Quaw, a residential school
survivor who generously shared facts
about the environment, poignant life
stories and old-guy jokes (many of
the pull-my-finger variety). Learning
more about the Lheidli T'enneh and
the history of the land is an essential
part of any PG adventure—read up at
lheidli.ca.
68
To p : N o r t h e r n B C To u r i s m /A n d r e w S t r ai n ; b o t t o m : N o r t h e r n B C To u r i s m / Ta y l o r B u r k ;
illu s t r a t i o n : A li c e M a k e s /A d o b e S t o c k ; i c o n : H a s i m /A d o b e S t o c k
B C B U S I N E S S . C A
J U N E 2 0 2 5
