Lytton, British Columbia

During a warm, bright July, we headed into Canada for camping and whitewater rafting. We passed through small farms, sleepy towns with cottages, acres of sweetgrass, and an endless green landscape. The drive up miles of winding roads to the little town of Lytton, BC was GEORGEOUS!  The road follows the raging rivers and the cliffside gets steeper as you continue onward. No congestion--just trucks hauling timber or whatever. The gas stations, I thought, were purposely set far apart for us to fill up before the next pump—smart way to get the tourists to pay. Wink.  

The home to First Nation Kumsheen and Lytton is very quaint! Downtown is lined with family-owned cafés, antique and craft shops, and old hardware stores. It has a very cozy feel. The outskirts of town have small, unadorned yet beautiful homes. Bring lots of cash because I remember just one ATM in Lytton. The biggest expense was gas.

There are several campgrounds by the rafting sites. The guides, a group of comedians (but don’t be fooled—they’re experienced and safe) are from all over the world like New Zealand. We started from the Thompson River going down raging level 4-5 waves through dips, curves, and rocks nicknamed Jaws of Death, Cutting Board, and Witch’s Cauldron.  When the river was calm we jumped in! Some parts were warm, others were freezing cold! At the delta where the Thompson and Fraser rivers meet, the waters are calm, white, and curiously fizz like 7-Up—you can hear it! After a couple hours rafting, we were bussed to a party! The guides barbecued and entertained and we danced to live music! The next day we ferried across the river to hike the beautiful trails that follow the Stein River up the mountainside and through Devil’s Staircase. We came across a sacred tree with engravings. We also met some kayakers getting ready to go down the superfast river with treacherous curves, protruding sharp rocks, and waves higher than the Thompson. Wild! On the way out of Lytton we stopped by Hell’s Gate and enjoyed the airtram that took us over the treetops. This is definitely the place to visit when you want to get away from everything and enjoy nature—rafting, hiking, and camping!

One of the gas stations in Lytton

Calm waters call for a Kodak moment

Steep hiking trails!

Sacred tree

Stein River

For more info, visit http://www.hyak.com/rivers/thompson.html and http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Stein-River-Trail-near-Lytton-BC-436.