Just off Highway 97 between Cache Creek and Clinton lies a place where the past doesn’t just whisper—it shouts out loud and clear. At Historic Hat Creek Ranch, we stepped into a snapshot in time—all carefully preserved. It isn’t a dusty museum or polished tourist trap. Hat Creek is the real deal: original buildings, authentic stagecoaches, and costumed guides ready to share stories from the Cariboo’s gold rush and ranching heydays.
We stopped in as part of our BC circle road trip and ended up spending hours wandering the site, chatting with guides, and walking the same road adventure-seekers ventured across over 150 years ago. It’s history you can feel—and that’s my favourite kind.
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Table of Contents
Hat Creek Ranch: A Gold Rush Gateway
In 1860, retired Hudson’s Bay Company trader Donald McLean set up a ranch and stopping house at the confluence of Hat Creek and the Bonaparte River. McLean knew the area well—it had long been prized by the HBC for its rich grazing land. And when the Cariboo Gold Rush kicked into high gear, his timing couldn’t have been better.
By 1861, McLean and his sons had built a sturdy log building to house gold-seekers on their way north. It offered hot meals, hard beds, and rest for weary stagecoach teams. The building was called McLean’s Station, and it quickly became a key stop along the Cariboo Wagon Road—BC’s original gold rush highway.
Most roadhouses took their names from mileage measured from Lillooet – such 70 Mile, 108 Mile. Lillooet was the point of departure on the first Cariboo Road of 1859 (followed by Yale and then Ashcroft as modes of transportation shifted from pathways to paddlewheelers to rail). Eventually roadhouses were to average from 10 to 15 miles apart – although some areas saw a roadhouse every 3 to 4 miles.
Some visitors were less than thrilled with the accommodations. In 1863, Methodist clergyman Ebenezer Robson wrote:
“Such a bunch of men, women, children, cattle, horses, dogs and insects I had not often come in contact with… The bunks were hard as a board; the pillows seemed to be flour sacks filled with grass…”
Charming? Maybe not. Historic? Absolutely.
📌 Note: This is the 2nd post in our BC Road Trip series. Stay tuned for more!
A Self-Guided Tour Through Time
Today, visitors to Hat Creek Ranch can take a self-guided walking tour through the original buildings, trails, and displays—with costumed interpreters bringing it all to life. After paying our entrance fees, we stepped out on the paths and straight for the blacksmith shop. The smithy was working on heart-shaped horseshoe. Not sure it’s something that would have been made in the past but loved learning about the blacksmith’s role on the ranch.
We wandered past old barns, the original general store, and displays of early farm equipment and freight wagons. One of the highlights? An original stagecoach that ran between Ashcroft and Clinton in the late 1800s.
The 700 km (434 mi) trip from Yale to Barkerville took 7–10 days and cost $130. Imagine riding that far with just leather suspension straps for shocks and flour sacks for pillows.
Inside the Roadhouse: Layers of Time
Stepping into the roadhouse is like crossing into another world. The scent of wood, layers of peeling paint and wallpaper on thick walls, and the worn floorboards underfoot make it easy to picture the chaos and chatter of gold rush travelers and other adventurers along the Cariboo Wagon Road.
Built in stages over the decades, the original 1861 log structure was expanded several times—by George Dunne in 1872, Steve Tingley in 1901, and Charles Doering in 1912. Upstairs, the rooms are small and simply furnished. The place has a lived-in feel with a big kitchen, small dining area set with fine china from the period and a large saloon where clients could pay for a drink with bullets.
Meet the Builders of Historic Hat Creek
Today’s historic Hat Creek Ranch wouldn’t exist without the characters who built it—and each has a story worth telling.
- Donald McLean – The founder. HBC trader turned rancher. Died in 1864 during the Chilcotin War.
- George Dunne – Took over the ranch in 1866, purchasing and preempting land building up to several hundred acres and adding more buildings.
- Harper Brothers – Ambitious ranchers from Virginia. Later owners of the Gang Ranch and Hat Creek.
- Steve Tingley – Former stagecoach driver turned transport baron. Expanded the ranch and added the west wing.
- Charles Doering – Entrepreneur who developed the ranch into a business hub with a store, sawmill, dairy, and more.
- Basil Jackson – Doering’s stepson. Operated the ranch for 50 years and helped preserve its legacy.
By 1980, the site was acquired by the BC Heritage Trust to preserve this key chapter in provincial history.
Did you know? Hat Creek Ranch Historical Site is currently operated by the St’uxwtews Pesuten Heritage Society in collaboration with the Bonaparte First Nation. Be sure to Shuswap Nation Interpretive Site at the ranch to learn more about the people who have lived in this valley for thousands of years.
Spend the Night at Hat Creek Ranch
Did you know you can stay overnight at Historic Hat Creek Ranch?
- Covered wagons (yes, really!)
- Family cabins or Miner’s Shacks
- Powered RV sites or dry camping for those seeking the rustic route
We didn’t stay overnight this time, but it’s on the list for next time. Check out the overnight options on the official historic Hat Creek Ranch site.
Planning Your Visit
Where: Just off Hwy 97, between Cache Creek and Clinton
When: Open seasonally, spring through fall (check site for dates/hours)
What to bring:
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Camera
- Water bottle
- Curiosity (and maybe a ghost detector)
There’s plenty to see here, whether you’re doing a quick stop or spending the night. The interpretive staff add so much depth and personality—don’t skip the roadhouse tour!
If you love stories, scenery, and stepping off the beaten path, this stop is for you. Hat Creek Ranch isn’t a theme park—it’s the real, gritty, glorious stuff of BC’s past. Whether you are road-tripping the Gold Rush Trail or just looking for a memorable detour, Historic Hat Creek Ranch is a journey worth making.
Don’t miss our round-up post outlining the entire BC road trip!
📌 Previous post in this BC Road Trip series: Discovering the History of Ashcroft, British Columbia
📌 Next up: 108 Mile Heritage Site
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