The
dominant characteristic of the
Cariboo country is the interior wetbelt forest of the Columbia
mountains. In these forests undergrowth is dense with Devil's
club
and various other kinds of vines and berries. This ecosystem
is reminiscent of the rainforest
on BC's outer coast, although the climate here in the Cariboo Region is
colder and snow plays
a much more important role. A complex of protected
areas from Bowron Lake down through the Cariboo Mountains to Wells Gray helps to
protect the diversity of the area. The heavier interior rainforest of this
region is a dramatic contrast to the dry grasslands of the Chilcotin
country to the west.
Wells Gray Provincial Park
is well known for its alpine hiking, kayaking,
wildlife viewing and spectacular waterfalls. The
Cariboo Mountains
provide world-class fly-fishing for Rainbow Trout, Lake Trout and
Dolly Varden, and is also an area of exceptional scenic beauty perfect
for hiking, photography, or nature viewing. Bowron
Lake Park offers a top calibre canoeing circuit on mountain lakes.
Common forest types in this region include old-growth Interior Douglas-fir,
old-growth western red cedar, Interior Cedar-Hemlock forests, Sub-Boreal
Spruce, and important stands of riparian deciduous forests.
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