EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

A compact little village surrounded by green pastures and tree-covered hills, CLINTON - named after a British duke - marks the beginning of the heart of Cariboo country. The town has a couple of bed and breakfasts , a new campsite , Clinton Pines Campground, 1204 Caribbo Ave (tel 459-0030; $14-24; May-Sept) and a motel - the Nomad (tel 459-2214 or 1-888/776-6623; $40-60). The three tiny settlements beyond Clinton at 70, 100 and 150 Mile House are echoes of the old roadhouses built by men who were paid by the mile to blaze the Cariboo Wagon Road - which is doubtless why 100 Mile House is well short of a 100 miles from the start of the road. 100 Mile House has a year-round infocentre at 422 Cariboo Hwy 97 S (May-Sept daily 9am-6pm, Oct-April Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; tel 395-5353) for details of the fishing, riding and other local outdoor pursuits. There are also a handful of motels in or a few kilometres away from town, the biggest in-town choice being the Red Coach Inn , 170 Hwy 97 N (tel 395-2266 or 1-800/663-8422; $80-100). The central Imperial is smaller and cheaper (tel 395-2471; $60-80).

WILLIAMS LAKE , 14km north of 150 Mile House and still 238km south of Prince George, is a busy and drab transport centre that huddles in the lee of a vast crag on terraces above the lake of the same name. It has plenty of motels, B&Bs, boat launches and swimming spots south of the town - but it's hardly a place you'd want to spend any time, unless you're dead-beat after driving or around on the first weekend in July for its famous rodeo . The year-round infocentre is at 1148 Broadway S (May-Sept daily 9am-5pm; Oct-April Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; tel 392-5025).