This trail was a traditional route for First Nations people of the area, connecting the villages at Cayoosh (Lillooet) and Big Bar.  The section of the Fraser between Bridge River and Big Bar has a number of cliffs on both sides and rapids below.   When Simon Fraser came to map a route down the Fraser, the guides told him not to paddle down the river and they hiked over the hills to Cayoosh in 3 days.   During the early days of the gold rush, prospectors also used the trail on their way north.   When Judge Begbie arrived to Yale in 1858, he drew a map of the area from Yale to the gold fields and added this trail.   When the Cariboo Wagon Road was completed in 1863, most of the gold rush traffic followed a route on the other side of the river, over the flanks of Pavilion Mountain toward Cache Creek.   The West Fraser Route remained in use, just a single track across the steep hillside until roads were built for vehicles in the last century.

Today the West Fraser Historic Trail is just a single-track remnant below the West Pavilion Forest Service Road that connects Big Bar to the Bridge River- Fraser River confluence.   To find the trailhead, drive north from Lillooet on Highway 40 to the mouth of the Bridge River.   Cross the bridge and start up the West Pavilion Road, a good gravel road that goes along the river bench, then climbs the slopes of Camelsfoot Mountain by switchbacks.   As the road crests a ridge overlooking the Fraser River and at the sign for Km20 (but only 10.4 km of driving on the road), park at a wide pull-out area on the right.   A sign marks the start of the trail.

The trail starts as a double track, but only a few metres down the track, another sign and flagging tape directs us to a single track to our left.  The trail descends gradually through the forest and over the next 6 km, a number of viewpoints are found across to Pavilion Mountain, and up and down the river.

As the trail passes through Douglas fir and ponderosa pine forest, a homestead with a snake fence can be spotted on the bench below and sections of the trail can be seen running across the sidehill ahead.

At 6.15 km, the trail swings out onto a barren ridge overlooking the river, the end of the trail, and a good spot for lunch.   We returned by the same route more quickly, enjoying the open forested slopes, a total of 12.3 km, about 4 hours of hiking.   The trail is in good shape for most of the length, but there are sections where it has eroded so a hiking pole and good boots help.   It could use a little trail work here and there, but we were just thankful that the trail is still there after all these years. 

• Start of the Trail – N50 45.688 W121 51.678
• Turn-Around spot at the end of the trail – N50 48.385 W121 52.578