Which highway? Fraser River or Coquilhalla?
 

Driving from Kamloops to Vancouver, which highway is the more scenic? What are the attractions? Thnks for your advice.

The Coquihalla is faster because it is a limited access highway. In fact, I recall paying a toll. It is also shorter in distance. I thought the Coquihalla route to be scenic, but it is not along a river. I think either way you see lovely views, and the quicker driving time is a bonus if you are in a hurray. I don't recall many roadside attractions along the Coquihalla. <BR>So I think the Fraser River route gets the nod for scenic attractions, mainly because of the canyons and other natural formations that you see along the way.

I definitely prefer the trans Canada - the Coquilhalla is not that interesting. You don't pass through any towns. It is faster than the Trans Canada, but if I wasn't in a hurry I would not take it.

The old highway along the Fraser River is by *far* without a doubt the most scenic. But the Coquihalla is much faster. It really depends. <BR> <BR>With the Fraser River Hwy (funny enough, I forget the name of this highway!), it basically follows along the Fraser River canyon... and the views are amazing. There's never a point where it's no scenic. You have the rushing water in the Fraser River below... the canyon walls.. the mountains to the other side... and you pass through several tiny towns. There's also plenty of places to stop off on the way. <BR> <BR>The Coquihalla is a very twisty toll highway carved through the mountains. It's not as scenic as it sounds. Everytime I've taken that route, we drove through mist and clouds. Because you're *in* the mountains, you don't have any real panaramic views, and the scenery is the same. This highway was built for speed and time-saving in mind, and nothing much else.

The Comptons: I live in Hope, and work in Boston Bar, which is on Highway no.1, as it passes through the Fraser Canyon, what others on this list are referring to as the Fraser River Route. The other posters have summarized the situation accurately. If you want speed, and a boring drive, plus a $10 toll, you should take the Coquiahalla, although be advised because of altitude, this route can get snow in June, and even the beginning of July, at its highest points. The Fraser Canyon route is definitely more scenic. I do it every day, and never get tired of the scenery. <BR>The road is quite narrow, and twisty, and there are some key areas where you have to be alert for other drivers, particularly semi drivers, who use this road extensively. I wouldn't drive this road after dark, simply because of the commercial traffic on it. As you're driving, take some time for a few stops, such as Yale, and Alexandra Bridge, where you can learn some fascinating history of the early development of the road, as a trail to the gold fields.

Comptons: Further to my posting yesterday, if you are interested in scenic vs. speed, I would recommend you do the following. From Kamloops take route 5A to Merritt, and from there, take route 8 to Spences Bridge. From there you can take no. 1, the Trans Canada through to Hope, passing through the Fraser Canyon. From Hope take no. 9 to Agassiz, and then no.7 the rest of the way to Vancouver. You will definitely see the best of what these areas have to offer, and on two of the routes, 5A, and 8, there should be relatively little traffic to enhance your enjoyment even more. Bon voyage. Thor