3 days in Smithers with our Teenage Daughter
Exploring Smithers with our 13-year-old took us from boutique browsing and beach picnics to biking wildflower-filled trails and bonding over ice cream. This Northern BC mountain town turned out to be the perfect backdrop for family adventure—and a few unforgettable surprises.”
The first time I visited Smithers with my husband, Kyle, and daughter, Gaia, we were completely entranced by this colourful community. Situated a 4.5 hour drive from the closest city centre, it’s distanced from the cultural trends of urban life and has developed its own unique character. I was thrilled when we were invited to come back as a family to explore the community.
Day 1—Explore the town, hit up the beach, eat your heart out, catch a show
Our morning began waking on our own accord, no piercing alarm startling us from our slumber. Naturally, one of the first things we sought out was coffee. The open air patio of Bugwood Coffee was the perfect way to start the day. The morning sun filtered down on us as we listened to the happy chatter of locals familiarly calling out to each other as they grabbed their morning latte. The overnight oats are a must— the perfect combination of crunch, smoothness, and satiation.
We took to the streets, where several storefront displays captured our attention. As we browsed the perfectly curated clothing of Salt Boutique, Gaia and I picked similar pieces, reminding me how much she’s grown this year. At 13 she’s already passed my height of 5,4” and with the evolution of social media, her style is far more evolved than mine was at her age.
Next, we stopped in at McBike & Sport to grab a biking item we’d forgotten in the chaos of packing. Down the street is Stone Moth, which houses an amazing collection of locally & provincially crafted goods, gifts, and jewelry.
All of this shopping had us working up a sweat. A quick google search revealed a couple of public beach options within a 20 minute drive. We settled on Tyhee Lake Provincial Park for its shaded seating area, change rooms, and showers. We enjoyed a picnic lunch before inflating our paddleboards and taking to the water. The refreshingly cool water lapped against our legs as we pushed out past the fenced off swimming area. We floated close to shore, the occasional waves from passing motorboats gently rocking us. Kyle and Gaia jumped on and off the boards, competing to swim faster and farther while I did my best to escape the splashes they created.
Framed by the dramatic backdrop of Hudson Bay Mountain, Main Street in Smithers has a distinctive charm that sets it apart from other small towns. Lined with unique, locally-owned businesses—boutique clothing, outdoor gear shops, bookstores, and specialty food shops. Cozy coffee shops, restaurants, and pubs spill onto the street in spring, summer, and fall, creating a lively, social atmosphere. The street is designed for strolling, with wide sidewalks, benches, and flower planters that inspire locals and visitors to linger. | Ruby Hogg
A favourite summer spot, Tyhee Lake Provincial Park offers sandy shores, calm waters, and shaded picnic areas perfect for families. With swimming, paddleboarding, fishing, and plenty of space to relax, it’s the go-to place for cooling off on a hot day. | Ruby Hogg
Smithers serves up a delicious mix of locally inspired restaurants, from cozy cafés and craft breweries to eclectic eateries showcasing Northern BC flavours. | Ruby Hogg
What is a day of vacation if you don’t eat at every chance possible? At the Alpenhorn Bistro & Bar, we examined the eclectic menu, Gaia finally deciding on homemade chicken fingers, Kyle had a burger, and I had the bao buns. We sat around the table bartering amongst each other — a chunk of bao bun for a bite of a burger, a handful of fries for a chicken finger. The chicken fingers stole the show, so my daughter had the most bartering power, and she sure wasn’t letting us get off easy.
Both of Smithers’ local breweries regularly host live music, offering visitors a chance to enjoy great beer while soaking up the town’s vibrant arts scene. | Ruby Hogg
As we stepped out of the air-conditioned restaurant onto the street, the warm summer evening air wrapping around us, we heard the familiar drum of live music. We followed our ears a few steps down the street, to Smithers Brewing Company. which was hosting an evening of live music. The taproom welcomes minors, and they offer a wide arrangement of non-alcoholic beverages including house-made kombucha on top of their locally crafted beers. The entertainment ranged from pop-punk to bluegrass, and brought in quite the crowd. Looking around the brewery I spotted a patron crocheting in a corner, her ball of wool resting beside her. A few tables over a gentleman rocked out in his red velvet pants. A biker tapped his hand to the music in his leather pants. Such a warm and eclectic crowd.
With the entertainment wrapping up, we decided to head back to basecamp. In less than 15 minutes we had walked back from the brewery to the Prestige Hudson Bay Lodge which is conveniently located close to the downtown core. We were tucked in bed ready to rest up for the next day’s adventure in no time.
Day 2—Enjoy the pristine nature
Smithers is known for its wilderness, and is home to many family-friendly hikes. We contemplated between hiking Twin Falls —a short walk to a waterfall, Driftwood Canyon — home to one of the richest fossil beds in BC, or Silver King Basin —a full day hiking adventure to a cabin. We briefly considered the Crater Lake hike, but having hiked it twice before, (yes it’s that good that it’s worth a 2x hike!) we decided to push our limits with the 18km return trip into Silver King Basin.
We had planned to wake early to avoid the strong afternoon summer sun, alas I snoozed our alarm once or twice (what can I say, we were on vacation). An hour later when I finally decided it was a decent time to wake, Kyle jokingly threatened he was in charge of all morning alarms moving forward.
With a distance of 9 km one way, the Silver King Basin trail is long, but since the grade is gentle, we opted to bike up instead of hike. I would only recommend this for experienced bikers. For most people, hiking is a better option. The trail follows along a creek, the lush forest providing some shelter from the midday sun. It took us approximately 2.5 hours and a bit of resistance from our daughter to reach the basin. We arrived at the iconic final bridge… the final push was so worth it, and it felt good to take that last turn up to the cabin. The beautifully constructed log cabin offered reprieve from the bugs and sun which was now beaming down on us in full force.
Silver King Basin in Babine Mountains Provincial Park | Ruby Hogg
Joe L'Orsa Cabin at Silver King Basin in Babine Mountains Provincial Park | Ruby Hogg
Biking into Silver King Basin in Babine Mountains Provincial Park | Ruby Hogg
Behind the cabin, surrounded by mountain peaks, lay a babbling brook, picnic area and field of wildflowers. Looking across the field, I was surprised to see a white dog wandering alone in the meadow. After a few minutes of strained observation, I realized it was in fact not a dog, but a baby mountain goat. I reached for my camera and prepared to take a photo when it suddenly popped over the bank arriving less than 10 feet from me. It stopped dead in its tracks, staring straight into my eyes. Forgetting that I had been taking delayed imagery, I placed the camera to my eye and pressed the shutter only to see the familiar warning “camera will take image in 30 seconds”. I cursed myself and urgently changed the settings but by the time I looked up, the goat was long gone. Its curiosity had been replaced by fear and it had hopped back over the creek and into the forest with compelling speed.
The 9 km down the trail to the truck took less than 30 minutes, a stark contrast to the sweat-drenched ride up. Motivated by the rumbling of our stomachs, and the thought of another delicious dinner, we rode the trail down without stopping.
Biking down the trail from Silver King Basin in Babine Mountains Provincial Park | Ruby Hogg
Biking down the trail from Silver King Basin in Babine Mountains Provincial Park | Ruby Hogg
We chose the Roadhouse restaurant to recoup all those lost calories. Gaia ordered a meatball truffle spaghetti, Kyle decided on a pesto gnocchi, and, forever a sucker for chimichurri, I had a chimichurri chicken sandwich. We capped dinner off with creme brulee and cocktails.
After dinner, we found ourselves wandering over to the Bulkley Valley Museum and Smithers Art Gallery patio where I had spotted a community piano earlier. Somehow, I managed to convince Kyle, who hadn’t practiced in many years, to sit down and play for us. The broken notes slowly melted into fluid melodies as we sat under the setting sun.
Street Pianos! Since 2016, local musician Laura Hols-Wimbush has led a community-driven initiative that brings music to Smithers’ streets with brightly painted pianos, inviting locals and visitors alike to play. Now a beloved summer tradition, these pianos pop up all over town, including the Smithers Art Gallery. | Ruby Hogg
The Central Park Building houses the Bulkley Valley Museum, the Smithers Art Gallery and several multi-disciplinary artist studios. | Ruby Hogg
Day 3—Embrace the arts, bike the trails
Our visit perfectly coincided with the Bulkley Valley Artisan Studio Tour. We chatted with some of the artists and visited their studios. Listening to them talk so passionately about their craft was such a refreshing way to spend the morning. I couldn’t help but purchase a few of the beautiful pieces, and by the time the tour was over, I had picked up a few extra things for around the house.
Each summer, the Bulkley Valley Artisan Studio Tour invites you to wander through studios in Smithers and Telkwa—exploring the valley while discovering pottery, paintings, jewelry, stained glass, fabric arts, baskets, and more on this free self-guided adventure. | Ruby Hogg
Bulkley Valley Artisan Studio Tour | Ruby Hogg
We couldn’t leave Smithers without visiting the Bluff Bike Trails which were conveniently a short distance from our hotel. We had only made it a few hundred meters down the trail when I rounded a corner to find my daughter standing mid trail. I began to ask her why she had stopped but she quickly “shushed” me and pointed down the path to where a doe and her fawn were cautiously observing us. They slowly wandered to one side of the trail before deciding to go back, sounds of awe escaping our mouths as the fawn bounced away. Apparently, we hit the baby wildlife jackpot on this trip.
The first part of the climbing trail, Uptrack, is a gentle grade, and great for families just getting into pedaling uphill. We continued onto the second part which is a little bit more grindy, but still a reasonable climb. At the top we chose to come down a steep technical black, Auntie Flo, which had my daughter and husband leaving me behind in the dust. How they handled each corner with such speed and grace mystified me.
We felt primed for another ride and drove the 20 minutes out to the Ptarmigan Recreation Trails where again, Kyle and Gaia tested gravity while I watched with my two wheels happily planted.
Traveling as a family has evolved over the years. Long gone are the days of basing our stops around whichever community has the best playground. With our daughter now a teenager, playgrounds don’t have the same appeal. Yet I feel it’s just as important to spend this time together seeking out new places to share experiences—because bonding over ice cream and street patios is just as important now as when she was little.
Family friendly hikes
Looping throughout the town the Perimeter trail is a 13 km long trail that can be walked in small sections throughout the town ending at Riverside Park.
For the youngest adventurers:
Driftwood Canyon —0.6km return 8m elevation gain/ 10-45 minutes
Twin Falls —1.4km return 46m elevation gain/ 30-60 minutes
For older kids, and youth used to long walks:
Crater Lake is a beautiful hike through the alpine with flowers, creeks, and amazing views.
Crater Lake on Hudson Bay Mountain —6km return, 321 m elevation gain/ 2-4 hours
For the most adventurous families:
Silverking Basin —18km return 620m elevation gain/ 5-8 hours and options to sleep at the cabin overnight. This trail is both hikeable and walkable.
Smithers is located on the ancestral, traditional, and unceded territory of the Witsuwit’en Nation.
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