A Scenic Drive to the Peace River in the Springtime

Just a short 45 minutes north of Dawson Creek on the Rolla Highway is the Clayhurst Bridge across the Peace River. It's a great place to experience a big river, a big bridge, a beautiful view and peace and quiet all at the same time.

There is a place at the south end of the bridge to pull over and park so you can walk across the bridge. There used to be a plaque that dedicated the bridge to a former MLA, but it was vandalized years ago and not replaced.

There is very little traffic on the bridge and no other sounds of civilization so you can really appreciate the sounds of the water, the wind that comes down the valley and the vibration of the bridge under your feet. The power is amazing.

The center of the bridge is the best place to stop and lean over the rail to watch the water flow by under your feet carrying the occasional log downriver. The last time we were there, a pair of Canada Geese flew under the bridge right under us.

On the north side of the bridge is another old wooden bridge that crosses a smaller river that flows into the Peace, we like to cross that one too and carry on hiking up the banks for a bigger workout.

I was really impressed with the thickness of the ice on the banks of the river. Take your camera!

A Scenic Drive to the Peace River in the Springtime

Power & Serenity on the Mighty Peace River

When we need to take a break from the daily routines we head down to the ClayHurst crossing over the Peace River 45 minutes north of town on the Rolla Highway and enjoy the fresh air that sweeps down with the water through the valley.

The Peace River is an interesting body of water. Up river is the W.A.C Bennett Dam and all the water that flows is first collected in Williston Lake and then goes through the turbines of the dam to generate hydro before being returned to the river.

The week this photo was taken, the river was low. The bottom of the boat ramp was 30 feet or so above the water. The river seemed calm and steady. We watched several river boats come and go.

We took our folding chairs, a small picnic and relaxed while afternoon turned to evening, listening to the sounds of the water and the almost eerie cries of a couple of hawks hunting on the far banks.

The following week, BC Hydro released more water from the Dam and the boat ramp that had been so high on the beach was completely submerged under water. What a difference! There was a completely different energy. What had seemed like an almost lazy river had become a fast torrent that had risen way up under the bridge. The water was full of logs and debris as it rushed along.

Awesome!

Power & Serenity on the Mighty Peace River