Farwell Canyon

The Chilcotin River has cut down through soft volcanic sediment and glacial deposits, leaving banded cliffs and hoodoos in ochre, cream and rust, with a large active sand dune sliding down towards the river on one side, which is unexpected in this landscape. A single-lane bridge crosses the canyon. Tsilhqot'in families fish here as they have for generations, dip-netting and setting nets for salmon from platforms on the rock, and drying racks stand along the bank in season. California bighorn sheep live on the slopes, one of the larger herds in the province. The road in is gravel and steep on both approaches.

What you actually see

• The banded hoodoos - eroded pillars in ochre and cream above the river.
• The sand dune - an active dune sliding towards the water.
• The salmon fishery - Tsilhqot'in dip-netting platforms and drying racks.
• The bighorn sheep - a large California bighorn herd on the slopes.

When to go

May to September; the road is unmaintained in winter and the descents are dangerous when icy. Salmon fishing runs in late summer. Sheep are easiest to see in spring and autumn.

Honest expectations

The access is steep gravel with sharp switchbacks, hard on low vehicles and dangerous when wet. The fishery is an active Indigenous food fishery, not a display, and privacy should be respected. No services of any kind.

Nearby

Williams Lake lies northeast; the Chilcotin plateau runs west.