Fort St. John, the heart of the majestic Peace River country, is a young and energetic city with a dynamic population of more than 69 thousand people.
Fort St. John offers all the cold outdoor and indoor adventures you can imagine but not just that, there are many historic moments held in this place that many tourists don’t know. It is also fun to know about this cold, wild, majestic city, and even if you’re around Chilliwack, you should visit these places.
Why Fort St. John Is Known as the Energetic City?
Well, a few reasons why Fort St. John is an energetic city are because most of the energy to run the town comes from natural resources like natural gas, hydroelectric plants, agriculture, and forestry, and also because of the incredible spirit and vitality of the citizens.
Reasons Why We Love Fort St. John And You Should Too
Here are five reasons which will make you fall in love with Fort St. John.
1. Fort St. John Specials
1.1 The Alaska Highway
One place people love while at fort St. John is The Alaska Highway, which is also known as the Alcan highway is the highway which connects Alaska, British Columbia, Fairbanks, and Dawson Creek through wilderness passage.
A little history about the Alaska highway: It was not constructed up till the bombing of pearl harbor; it was found necessary to build a passage for the military as a supply route to defend North America, So with a group from Dawson, the construction of the highway officially began in the year 1942; On October 25 after eight months it was completed.
#Fact: The Alaska Highway is the 16th International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in the world.
Today, This route is traveled by thousands of travelers from all around the world to get to Fort St. John. The highway offers An incredible display of wildlife, exotic landscape, and adventures that excite anyone!
#Fact: The Alaska highway opens access to Wild country’s vast expanse, and the distance from Dawson to the Alaskan interior is more than 1,400 miles.
If you are planning an adventurous trip to embark, here are some tips:
You can find an exceptional collection of guidance and help regarding driving on the Alaska Highway in the book “Driving the Alaska highway.”
During the journey, you’ll see motorcycles, bicycles, sports cars, cars, motorhomes, passengers cars, compact cars, and during the summertime, trucks on the Alaska Highway
What to bring for your journey?
- A camera (to experience and capture moments of the wildlife).
- For your car windows, bring the material to blackout for extended daylight.
- Grab MILEPOST (It’s a book, filled with practical guidelines and information).
- look for local entertainment, demonstrations, events, and museums.
- At Price William Sound, take a wildlife cruise.
- Expect an increase in fuel price.
- Whenever you see a filling station, fill your tank.
- Always carry an offline map.
- You must learn how the compass recalibrated or must carry a GPS.
1.2. Aurora Borealis
One of nature’s most magnificent attributes is the “Tho Northern light” or the many forms of colorful lines that appear in the blue sky. In the north, it is “Aurora Borealis” and in the south, ” Aurora australis.”
The sky is lit up with an impressive glow by the shooting rays of light, and this light experience has been seen mostly in the southern or northern hemisphere at the time of midnight during the winter season.
Scientifically speaking, the reason behind the dancing lights that appears in the sky is when the sun’s electromagnetically charged particles collide with the earth’s atmosphere.
#facts: The shape, colors, and images that appear in the southern hemisphere are most likely to be the same in the northern hemisphere like the mirror images.
A clear night sky at any time of the year in Canada’s northwest part is the best place and time to watch an impressive Aurora borealis (dancing lights) show. If you’re at Fort St. John, you can experience this moment, but just be sure to be somewhere where the city lights are low to experience the glance of lights in the sky.
1.3. City Recreation
Welcome to the Recreation campus, Located at the center of Fort St. John, which is the core of plenty of activities and entertainment of many facilities.
There are many parks included in the recreation like playgrounds, formal gardens, fort St. john Curling club, and many more.
Here are a Few places at Fort St. John that were recreated and you would love to know about these places:
A) North Peace Leisure Pool
if you love swimming in new places, you would like this place; Tourists of all ages are welcome here. It is a 25m lap pool, featuring two diving boards: 1 & 3-meter, a sauna, jacuzzi, Steam room, water slides, cardio room, and wave pool open for tourists all year long, and also there are many fitness lessons, programs, and events are available all time of the year.
B) Pomeroy Sports Centre
LOVE ICE-SKATING? Well then, welcome to the Pomeroy Sports Center, which is the newest sports attraction in the city featuring two national hockey league-sized ice stadiums, a long and oval track for skating.
For indoor running/walking, there is Northern Vac Track. This place is all-time busy with events, activities, and sports every season.
Fort St. John’s visitor center is also found in this building as some new sports-related celebration programs. There are also self-guided tours available so that you check out the state-of-the-art building anytime.
C) North Peace Arena
At the time of winter, North Peace Arena is filled with sports activities related to the ice like ice skating and some very friendly programs like mixed martial arts for tourists and roller derby.
2. Art & Culture Places
So many events are held at Fort St. John related to Heritage, Art, and Culture; offering educational as well as very entertaining shows for tourists of all ages to have fun and the focus of many of the community activities and events focus that you have good and fun time with your family and friends.
Here are some famous places related to art & culture you should visit during your visit to Fort St. John:
1. The North Peace Cultural Centre
The center of the community’s arts and culture in Fort St. John is the North Peace Cultural Centre. Featuring an art gallery, meeting rooms, a theatre, and a café.
Hundreds of events and programs are proudly hosted by the center annually, and Watt School of Irish Dance, which is renowned internationally, and Fort St. John Country Quilters, is also here.
2. Kiln House Studio
Kiln House Studio is the best place if you love the beautiful work of pottery. In the studio, funky & unique pieces are created to impress tourists and locals.
3. Fort St. John Film Society
Films! We all love movies and movies, and especially you are looking for small independent projects.
You schedule at the library for The Fort St. John Film Society’s films, which are best known for presenting independent international and Canadian films at the Aurora Cinema.
4. Hockey Games at North Peace Arena
At the North Peace Arena, all winter long, North Peace Hockey League is played by the Senior Flyers, and Fort St. John Huskies represent the Northwest Junior Hockey League.
These wildly popular teams, loved by the locals, will surely give you a pleasant time, so make sure to stop by to check out the game.
5. North Peace Potters’ Guild
Here is another studio famous for guild members’ pottery collection and uniquely handmade mugs. You can stop by the studio on Saturdays from 10:00-13:00 any week.
3. Regional Attractions
Here are regional attractions around St. John Fort.
1. Charlie Lake Monument
In the year 1942, Seventeen soldiers from a US Corp of Engineers Pontoon Barge carrying equipment, sank across Charlie Lake and 12 soldiers lost their lives on that day the monument was built to show grief and there are so many stories about those brave soldiers you can learn about when you visit the memorial.
2. Peace River Lookout
Peace River is just majestic, and the panoramic view is an out-of-this-world experience.
So don’t forget to bring your camera! to make use of the spot. To get here to have this majestic view, follow 100 Street south from Fort St. John by the Alaska highway.
3. Kiskatinaw River Bridge
Kiskatinaw River Bridge is a magnificent-looking curved wooden bridge on the highway. It is the last remaining of those bridges, and it is found in the old section of Alaska highway. However, there is a provincial park which it’s an excellent spot for having a picnic.
4. Outdoor Adventures
Here are some of the outdoor adventures that you can do near Fort St. John.
4.1. Cross-Country Skiing
For cross-country skiing, WEST BYPASS TRAIL is a 1000-yard flat loop, a beautiful trail for skiing, and it is located parallelly to the walking path between Garrison Park and West Bypass Road.
4.2. Downhill Skiing
Downhill skiing is one of the best adventures anyone can have while surrounded by snow, and POWDER KING MOUNTAIN RESORT could be a perfect place to start because it has Canada’s best snow with an average annual snowfall of 12 meters of snow. You can get there from Fort St. John within 3 hours.
4.3. Snowshoeing
Fort St. John’s most popular activity is snowshoeing. Explore the wild landscape and let your imagination find your way, or if you like beautiful trails just for snowshoeing with the cost of $5(donation), then you can visit BEATON PROVINCIAL PARK.
4.4. Geocaching
If you haven’t heard about this before, then it’s okay; it’s a game played worldwide, where you have to hunt treasure with high techs like GPS devices and hunting equipment.
So, thee the basic idea is to find hidden boxes, known as (geocaches), and then you have to update your experience online.
It is a game loved by people of any age group, with the environment and community support.
4.5. Horseback Riding
Horseback riding is one of the activities people enjoy the most, and Williston LAKE RESORT, which is located at WAC Bennett Dam near Williston Lake’s shore(80 mins from Fort St. John). Here you are offered half-day horseback riding for both advance and beginners. They also have started offering spas and fishing trips.
5. Biodiversity (Flora & Fauna)
Fort St. John is home to many different types of animals, birds, and flowers. Diverse collections of species live there, and you’re going to love it!
5.1. YARROW(Achillia millifolium):
These are common in Fort St. John. White flowers, with alternative leaf growth and firm-like. They found in the month of May-September
5.2. Northern Flicker
These beautiful woodpeckers are the only woodpeckers in North America who are feeding on beetles and ants from the ground.
5.3. Caribou
The favorite food of Caribou is Lichens, which slowly grow, movements of erratic prevent a particular area from being overgrazed. They are found in alpine meadows, subalpine forests, and the spruce forest.
5.4. Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
In the foothill’s moist sites, these native strawberry plants grow. They are built on Pomeroy Sports center’s grounds. These strawberries can grow up to 2-4 leaves with leaflets sharply toothed.
5.5. Ruffed Grouse
In winter, projections of ruffled grouse toes grow on the side, making them look similar to tombs. These projections are seen to help during snowshoeing.
5.6. Mountain Lion
Mountain lions are found in these areas; these cats have adapted to slice and chew frozen meats because they have to wait a long to get their next meal.
They are found in remote areas like rocky areas, and their prey is deer, mountain goats, mice, rabbits, and domestic cats and dogs.
5.7. Grey Wolf
The grey wolf, that white fur running on the snow, is just iconic! These wolves not only great hunter but also they are capable of making many facial expressions like smiling wrinkled foreheads and squinting eyes.
They are found in grasslands, deserts, and tundra, they usually hunt in a pack, and their prey is rabbits, bighorn sheep, or any large mammals.
Closing Thoughts
Fort Saint John in canada is a city full of surprises, and we love all the outdoor recreation adventures, wildlife (Flora & Fauna), people, culture, magnificent lakes, and rivers which make this city one historic place and trading post. So if you’re looking for a cold adventure and then this place is for and who doesn’t like long drives?
So, What are you waiting for? Book a hotel and visit today.
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