In a quiet valley, surrounded by beautiful green mountains and lush forests, is the picturesque community of Quesnel. Located at the confluence of the Fraser and Quesnel Rivers, Quesnel is the commercial centre of the North Cariboo. Once the last stop on the Fraser River for the Gold Rush trail, Quesnel became a boomtown in the late 1800s, with the discovery of gold in the area, and was the service centre for gold prospectors stocking up with supplies before heading east for gold towns such as William's Creek and Barkerville, the centre of the Great Cariboo Gold Rush. Like many towns along the Fraser River, Quesnel was a stopping point for Simon Fraser on his river trip of 1808; in fact, it was named for one of his lieutenants on the voyage. Visitors arriving here today find a perfect place from which to launch outdoor adventures such as camping, hiking, mountain climbing, trail riding, rockhounding or fishing. Others may prefer to soak up the rich history of the Gold Rush era, and of course, everyone wants to try their hand at a little gold panning. Location: Quesnel is located at Highway 97 and Bakerville Highway 26, 417 miles north of Vancouver, 73 miles south of Prince George and 60 miles west of Barkerville.