| Omenica
Historic Hiking Trail is a
long haul, one-way 15 kilometre backpacking, horseback riding,
xc skiing and mountain biking wilderness route following the same
historical footsteps as the Carrier First Nation People. Today
the trail is identified by yellow diamond tree markers.
The ancient trading and transportation
route once extended from Stoney Creek to the First Nation Village
of Nati on the Stuart River to Stuart
Lake and a Hudson Bay post. The First Nation people used the
trail to gather food and supplies, hunt and to war with other
villages. The footsteps of many great First Nation leaders walked
the Omenica Hiking Trail like Chief Kwah and Chief Louis Billy
Prince.
In the late 1800's the trail was discovered by
European explorers. It did not take long for the early European
prospectors and muledrivers to arrive when word got out about
a gold strike in the Omenica Mountains north of the Hudson
Bay post in Fort St. James.
The trail soon became the transportation route
connecting the Ezra Evan's Ferry on the Stuart River to the gold
rush towns of Manson Creek and Germansen located further north
closer to the gold strike. European explorers like Sir William
Francis Butler, Rufus Sylvester and Cataline hiked this exact
trail.
The hiking trailhead north of Vanderhoof, BC is
located on the same grounds as one of the early pioneer homesteads
in the region. In the early 1900's the Hunt Family built a 9 acre
farm with a 7 acre oat field. Lack of water and poor soil forced
the Hunts to move on.
From the trailhead the route explores vast meadows,
lakes and rivers connecting to an old ferry crossing on Stuart
River. The moderate, sometimes tough, trail can get rugged and
muddy. Along the trail are many offshoot trails leading to various
other popular wilderness destinations like Wonder and Expected
Lakes.
Located in the parking lot of the Vanderhoof trailhead
are some information signs. There is one sign outlining the History
of the Hunt Family and another sign about the history of the Omenica
Trail. At the trailhead is a distance sign pointing to each destination
- Stuart River is 16 Kms, Preston Meadow is 9 Kms, Wonder Lake
is 10 Kms and Expected Lake is 11 Kms.
The trail is a one way trail, so to return you
would have to double back. Please make all the necessary overnight
preparations for wilderness camping conditions if hiking on foot.
There is a pit toilet at the trailhead and a small grassy parking
lot.
Contact information for
the local Vanderhoof, BC accommodations, tours, guides,
golf courses and attractions, realtors, etc. are posted
under the links listed to your right. =) |
How to get to
the Omenica Hiking Trail: Drive 1.5 Kms north
on Burrard Avenue (main street Vanderhoof) to Northside Road.
Turn right and continue for 5.4 kilometres to Striegler Rd located
on your right just pass the airport. The entrance of the road
is identified by a large "Elephant Brand" business billboard.
Travel down the dirt road until you see the yellow 4 kilometre
marker. The parking lot is on your left. |
Omenica
Vanderhoof
