What's Happening in the Valley

What's Happening in Spring time - March, April, May

Spring is a mild, refreshing season in the Bella Coola Valley. In March, April and May locals tidy up gardens and prepare for the summer season. If you drive in from Williams Lake, it is not uncommon to see bears along the highway, arriving back to the Valley floor after their winter hibernation. Also, in late spring, watch for mountain goats beside the road. It's a great time to hike or backpack in to waterfalls that burgeon with a high flow of water as the winter snows melt in the mountains. Rent a bike and pedal the highway, a rural route with little traffic.

• Fishing for both cutthroat trout and spring salmon begins.
• Eco-river trips begin mid-May, and birdlife thrives in the rivers and the estuary.
• Visit the Snootli Creek Salmon Hatchery.

What's Happening in Summer time - June, July, August

The Bella Coola Valley hums in summer. When the first ferry arrives in June the Valley sweeps into summer mode -- campgrounds and accommodations are busy, new faces show up on town streets and outdoor recreation activities take off. Take in the Bella Coola Rodeo, known to be among Western Canada's best cowhand competitions. If you enjoy equestrian events, once a month, there is a Gymkhana held by the Valley  Ridge Riders at the Rodeo Grounds in Snootli Creek Park.  The Bella Coola Farmers' Market is held every Sunday from June to September  at the Lobelco Hall from 10 am to 2 pm.

Fish for trout throughout the summer, as well as spring salmon until the end of July, and pink and sockeye until the end of August. Don't miss the mystical petroglyphs of Thorsen Creek; book a guided tour to hear storytelling and songs by a Nuxalk guide. Visit the Bella Coola Valley Museum, take a historic walk around the Bella Coola Townsite and visit the Norwegian Heritage House and Augsburg United Church, in Hagensborg. Spend time at galleries and craft shops that exhibit some of the best Nuxalk Aboriginal art to be found, as well as a surprising array of work by artisans who call the Valley home. Reserve a day for a Tallheo Cannery trip; enjoy lunch or dinner while you meander through the era when canning was a major industry on the inlet.

Take a guided multi-day trip to Hunlen Falls, one of the highlights of the region. A guided day hike to the high alpine regions shows off wildflower rich meadows. In August, go wild blueberry picking but watch for bears, which will also be harvesting the juicy fruit. Take a river or estuary cruise to revel in the birding of the Valley -- songbirds, waterfowl, herons, kingfishers and eagles. You may also spot small and large mammals in the woods: mink, fox, beaver, otter and deer. In August, the bears start ongregating along the river shoreline to stock up on food for their upcoming winter hibernation.

What's Happening in Fall time- September, October, November

Head to the Fair Grounds in Bellla Coola on September 7th for the Bella Coola Valley Fall Fair. With fun events combined with logger sports, this is a something-for-everyone affair. Think fishing as chum and coho salmon run through October. Don't miss an eco-rafting river trip September though to October as it is the best time to view both bears and eagles feasting on spawning salmon along the shoreline. There are some 200 eagles in the Bella Coola Valley. Book a guided hike. September sees the end of the seasonal ferry service. September and October are some of the finest months to hit the trails and see wildlife. Mountain biking, driving back roads and enjoying historic Hagensborg can all be idyllic in the warm “Indian Summer” days of autumn.

What's Happening in Winter time- December, January and February

For the peak winter months, think high adventure in the Valley. Two companies offer heli-skiing and heli-boarding in what just might be British Columbia's -- or even the world's -- best powder. Be air-lifted to land in thousands of acres of fluff and carve fresh tracks following knowledgeable guides. Swap ski -- or boarding -- tales in front of the fireplace at a riverside lodge.
 
Go the distance on cross-country skis, gliding forested trails used by hikers in the summer. Bring your own snowshoes but go on a guided excursion to see the best of Bella Coola in winter.