Merritt:
The growing city of Merritt is located at the hub of the Coquihalla Highway system, in easy reach of Vancouver, Kamloops and the Okanagan. Merritt is the service centre for the ranch country of the Nicola Valley, and provides an excellent base for exploring the many outdoor recreational opportunities in the area.
Initially discovered by pioneers searching for a route between the Coast and the Interior, the valley was used as a brigade trail by the 1850s. What they discovered here was a vast expanse of grasslands where livestock could roam. The ensuing settlement originated at the meeting of the Nicola and Coldwater rivers, with ranchers, loggers, prospectors, merchants, and businessmen all making a living.
With the completion of the railway in 1885, the coal interest at The Forks was heightened. Originally called Forksdale and Diamond Vale, Merritt was renamed in 1906 in honour of railway promoter William Hamilton Merritt. Today, the Nicola Valley incorporates the communities of Merritt, Quilchena, Douglas Lake, Aspen Grove, Spences Bridge, and Logan Lake.
Travelling northbound from Hope, Highway 5 follows the Coquihalla River until near the toll booth, then follows the Coldwater River to Merritt. The route is particularly scenic in the early fall, when rolling fields and forest foliage take on a golden glow. The surrounding Merritt Forest District supports stands of Engelmann spruce, lodgepole pine, and subalpine fir at higher elevations; Douglas fir and ponderosa pine are found on the lower benchlands. Extensive grasslands also occur at low-elevation areas, particularly toward Merritt.
The Coquihalla Highway is a toll route to Merritt and Kamloops, with the toll booth located near the summit of the Coquihalla Pass. Prior to reaching it, a variety of gravel roads lead off into the bush on both the Hope and the Merritt sides of the pass. An alternate approach to Kamloops via Princeton and Merritt is Highway 5A, the route that predates the Coquihalla, which opened in 1986. Merritt is a hub, where three highways converge - 5, 5A, and 8.
Spences Bridge:
At the confluence of the Thompson and Nicola Rivers, northeast of Lytton, is the small community of Spences Bridge, an important Nlaka'pamux centre.
The area around Spences Bridge has a long and ancient history, with a Native Heritage spanning thousands of years. Europeans first came during the Cariboo Gold rush of the 1850s, when the town was known as Cook's Ferry.
In 1863, Thomas Spence, the famous road builder, finished the Cariboo Highway by replacing the ferry with a wooden toll bridge across the rushing Thompson River. After the gold rush, the town became a farming and railroad community, which it remains to this day. "Add water to this sun-drenched land and you can grow anything" the saying goes, proven by the many orchards, fruit stands and ranches near Spences Bridge.
Famous today for its excellent steelhead fishing, the area around Spences Bridge attracts dedicated anglers from around the world between September and December to catch and release these fabulous sports fish. Aside from fishing, other outdoor adventures include a trail ride operation, river rafting, hiking and sightseeing.
Tourism and agriculture are the main contributors to the economy of Spences Bridge, supported by forestry and service industries. Agriculture includes self-sufficient ranchers that grow corn and hay, and fruit farmers that sell their fruit at roadside fruit stands.
Nicola Valley
Imagine a magical place where the sun shines on most days of the year on grasslands, rolling hills, historic ranches and shimmering lakes. Such a place exists in the southern interior of BC, where the sun heaps over 2,000 hours of annual sunshine upon Merritt and the Nicola Valley.
The charming Nicola Valley is steeped in history; mining and railways, western lifestyle, and First Nations culture.
The name Nicola was given to the famous chieftain Hwistesmetxquen by the early fur traders for the obvious reason that they couldn't pronounce his Native name. When they tried it phonetically, it sounded vaguely like Nicholas or Nicola, and their mispronunciation has remained.
The range of wildlife and vegetation in the valley varies dramatically with terrain and elevation, and the entire Nicola Valley is filled with amazing natural attractions. Wind erosion has created unique formations in the walls of Windy Canyon near Merritt, and ancient Glacial Shore Lines of 10,000-year-old glacial lakes are visible in the grasslands, particularly along Highway 5A north of Merritt. Ancient volcanic Lava Cliffs can be viewed along the hiking trail at Monck Provincial Park, and amazing Hoodoos can be found along Highway 8, west of Merritt towards Spences Bridge.
E-BROCHURE 