McBride, British Columbia

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McBride, British Columbia

McBride is a small villageon the Yellowhead Route #16 and located in the Robson Valley region of British Columbia. The village is home to several annual events, including the Robson Valley Music Festival and the McBride Fall Fair. McBride is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, with nearby Mount Robson Provincial Park offering hiking, camping, and skiing opportunities.

McBride History

The McBride area was originally inhabited by First Nations people, and in the early 1800s became an important trading post and transportation hub for fur traders, and later for pioneers and gold prospectors traveling through the area.

When the Canadian National Railway was built through the area in the early 1900s, McBride became an important regional center for agriculture, logging, and mining.

The village of McBride was officially incorporated in 1932 and was named after Richard McBride, who served as the premier of British Columbia from 1903 to 1915.

During World War II, the village housed a prisoner-of-war camp, for captured German and Italian soldiers who were captured and imprisoned. The prisoners worked building roads and bridges in the area, and some of their work can still be seen today.

McBride Attractions

Mount Robson Provincial Park

(250) 566-4038.

Website http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/mt_robson/

Located just southeast of McBride, Mount Robson Provincial Park is home to the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson. The park offers hiking trails, campgrounds, fishing, and winter sports.

McBride Museum

(250) 569-2565

241 Dominion St, McBride, BC V0J 2E0

Website http://www.mcbridemuseum.ca/

The McBride Museum showcases the history and culture of the area, with exhibits on the fur trade, transportation, and the prisoner-of-war camp that was located in McBride during World War II.

Beaver (Holmes) River Wetland Interpretive Trail

(250) 569-8845

10 km east of McBride on Highway 16. Turn north into the parking area just west of the Holmes river. Access is 1 km up the Holmes Forest Service Road.

Website http://www.mcbride.ca/visit/beaver-river-wetland-interpretive-trail/

This easy, 2.5 km trail takes visitors through a wetland area teeming with wildlife, including beavers, muskrats, and waterfowl. The trail is wheelchair accessible and is a great place for birdwatching. The falls are just 500 m from the parking area on the highway. During the fall salmon run, visitors can view spawning salmon at a side channel of the Beaver River located at km 5 on the Holmes Forest Service Road.

Old Church Gallery

(250) 569-7575

942 Main St, McBride, BC V0J 2E0

Website http://oldchurchgallery.ca/

Housed in a former United Church, the Old Church Gallery is a community art gallery showcasing the work of local artists.

McBride Peak and Mount Teare

(250) 569-8845

These two mountains, just east of town (across the Fraser River) offer great hiking opportunities, with stunning views of the surrounding Robson Valley. McBride Peak is a popular spot for backcountry skiing in the winter.

Twin Old Growth Recreation Trail

26 km west of McBride on Highway 16.

This 1.2 km interpretive trail loops through an old growth cedar and hemlock forest. Educations signage describes the flora and fauna through educational signage along the route. A good stopping point for those headed through McBride towards Prince Georg

McBride and District Public Library

521 Main St, McBride, BC V0J 2E0

(250) 569-2411

Website https://mcbride.bc.libraries.coop/

The McBride and District Public Library is a small community library that offers a collection of books, movies, and other materials.