Trip 210 - May 20-21, 2021 (Thursday-Friday)
Towns of Gold Bridge & Bralorne BC Visit
Somewhat Near Lillooet British Columbia
Liked: Gold Bridge school building, Gold Bridge 24/7 free Wi-Fi signal outside of the library (details are posted on the library door), mountains and canyon views from the road connecting Gold Bridge and Bralorne, old buildings in Bralorne.
Of Note: Narrow and winding road with steep unbarricaded drop-offs between Gold Bridge and Bralorne. No cell phone signal. 2024 Update: there is now a non-stop remote industrial noise in Gold Bridge, which resembles a distant jet engine noise.
Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Backroad Mapbook (5th edition) Coordinates: Page 51 (Gold Bridge) B4.
Related Websites: Wiki - Gold Bridge BC, Wiki - Bralorne BC.
Other BC Cities, Towns and Locations We Have Visited: Agassiz, Bella Coola, Bralorne, Chilliwack, Fort Nelson, Gibsons, Gold Bridge, Harrison Hot Springs, Hope, Horseshoe Bay, Merritt, Mission, Nanaimo (Old City Square), Prince George, Prince Rupert, Smithers, Squamish, Telkwa, Tofino, Tumbler Ridge, Vancouver (Seawall), Vancouver (Stanley Park), West Vancouver (Ambleside Park).
Gold Bridge (population: 43) and Bralorne (population: 60) are two historical British Columbia towns connected to the Gold Rush years of the 19th and 20th centuries. We visited these towns at the end of our BC Highway 40 trip. Check out our previous trip report for directions on how to get to Gold Bridge. A smooth paved 11 km-long road (albeit narrow and winding, and with unbarricaded drop-offs) links Gold Bridge and Bralorne. There was a fair bit of traffic on that road, with most of it appearing to be coming from an industrial site(s) located on Kingdom Lakes Forest Service Road, which starts at 6.3 km of the Gold Bridge-Bralorne connector. A very neat pullout at 7.0 km allows for a great panoramic mountain view, and, just a hundred meters further, another viewpoint makes it possible to see a large canyon.
There is a gas station (possibly seasonal, self-serve, credit cards only, no attendant) and an ambulance station in Gold Bridge, and a gas pump and a fire hall in Bralorne, which also has a working pay phone.
And here is our video of driving the entire Highway 40 from Lillooet to Gold Bridge.
It also shows driving around Gold Bridge, starting at the 02:04:00 mark.
1. We are at the end of BC Highway 40, with a sign indicating that a left turn (across the bridge) would lead to Gold Bridge and Bralorne.
BC Highway 40 End Near Gold Bridge British Columbia Canada
2. The bridge across Hurley River leads to the town of Gold Bridge.
Bridge Across Hurley River Near Gold Bridge BC
3. The view of Hurley River from the bridge. Hurley River flows into Carpenter Lake.
Hurley River British Columbia Canada
4. Just across the bridge, we are entering the town of Gold Bridge.
Entering Gold Bridge Sign
5. Welcome to Gold Bridge. Population: 43.
Welcome to Gold Bridge Sign
6. A few hundred meters later, just before the buildings, an Esso gas station is on the left side. Not sure how it operates - likely, a pre-payment is required inside the hotel or general store.
Esso Gas Station Gold Bridge BC Canada
7. Gold Bridge, BC. There are four or five streets in the town.
Gold Bridge BC
8-9. Gold Bridge hotel and cafe. A general store is across the Gold Bridge - Bralorne connector road.
Gold Bridge Hotel and Cafe
10-11. A very pleasant-looking Gold Bridge community school.
Gold Bridge Community School
12. The fire hall is in Bralorne, and Gold Bridge has several fire shacks, as well as an ambulance station, pictured below.
Gold Bridge Fire Shack and Ambulance Station
13. The same road you are on when entering Gold Bridge takes you to Bralorne 11 km later.
Pioneer Road Between Gold Bridge and Bralorne BC
14. At 7.0 km from Gold Bridge, a large pullout on the right side has an information sign, as well as a panoramic mountain range view.
Viewpoint Parking Area Between Bralorne and Gold Bridge British Columbia
15. The information sign.
16-17. The mountain on the left side.
18-19. The mountain on the right side.
20. If you walk or drive just a hundred meters further, there is another (unofficial) pullout with a great canyon view.
Pioneer Road between Gold Bridge and Bralorne British Columbia Canada
21. Very nice.
Mountains View from Pioneer Road between Bralorne and Gold Bridge BC
Canada
Here is our video of the views from this spot.
More ihikebc videos are on our YouTube Channel.
22. Getting closer to Bralorne. Quite a smooth road.
Pioneer Road near Bralorne BC Canada
23. And here we are.
Bralorne BC
24. Welcome to Bralorne. Population: 60.
Welcome to Bralorne Sign
25. Just to the left is Bralorne Pub and On The Fly Country Market. A gas pump (operational?) is on the very left.
Bralorne Pub and On The Fly Country Market
26. Bralorne pub sign. Very creative!
Bralorne Pub Sign
27. Bralorne pub information board.
Bralorne Pub Information Board
28. On a building across the street (Bralorne Road) there is a map of Bralorne and the surrounding area.
Bralorne Map
29. Bralorne Road. Bralorne appears to be about three times bigger than Gold Bridge.
Bralorne British Columbia Canada
30. Historical Bralorne Inn on Bralorne Road.
Historical Bralorne Inn
31. Looking left down Dirks Place.
Dirks Place Bralorne BC Canada
32. Historical Bralorne church.
Historical Bralorne Church
33. Bralorne hall.
Bralorne Hall
34. Inside a small shack in the side of Bralorne hall, there is a community message board, as well as a working Telus payphone (appears to accept credit cards only, via an operator). There is no cell phone signal in Gold Bridge or Bralorne.
35. Gold Bridge has an ambulance station, and Bralorne has a fire hall.
Bralorne Fire Hall British Columbia
Gold Bridge and Bralorne are a living BC history, and are very interesting towns to visit. Just be aware of very limited services of any kind in the area.
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ihikebc.com Trip 210 - Towns of Gold Bridge and Bralorne BC Visit (near Lillooet BC)