“He must be baaa-lingual,” quips Randy Gulick, a local guide and tour operator, who swears he’s never seen a mountain goat come so close. It’s the first of many surprises on a three-day journey through Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark in Northern B.C. 

Set in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, the geopark is located approximately an hour southwest of Dawson Creek, B.C., by following Highway 52. Spanning 8,500 square kilometres of rugged landscapes, Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, offering a range of activities from hiking and mountain biking to the opportunity to uncover real dinosaur fossils. At its heart is the town of Tumbler Ridge, a master-planned community built in the 1980s for the coal industry, now reimagined through adventure, discovery and a deep connection to the land.

The town’s fortunes shifted from fossil fuels to fossils in 2000 when two school-age boys discovered dinosaur tracks imprinted in the bedrock by Flatbed Creek. This find launched a series of significant paleontological discoveries. Then, in 2014, the region received its UNESCO designation due to the abundance of dinosaur fossils and trackways, as well as breathtaking geological formations that reveal the planet’s natural history. 

Tumbler Ridge draws its share of “geotourists,” but it also attracts visitors seeking a quiet getaway or an immersive experience in Canada’s outdoors. Here’s how to spend three days soaking in the scenery and sights of this underrated destination.

7 P.M. | Wine and dine

Located inside the Trend Mountain Hotel & Conference Centre, the Western Steakhouse serves juicy cuts of meat and handhelds, such as the Dirty Coal Miner Burger (featuring sautéed mushrooms and onions), in a welcoming, upscale saloon space. Pair a meal with whiskey, neat, or select a classic cocktail, such as the Old Fashioned or Caesar. 

DAY 2

10 A.M. |  Jet boat adventure

Deep in Monkman Provincial Park, Kinuseo Falls is a true gem of the Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geopark and one of Northern B.C.’s most iconic natural wonders. Plunging an astonishing 70 metres, which is taller than Niagara Falls, Kinuseo Falls spills about 40 cubic metres of water every second, creating a lingering mist that adds a surreal layer to the impressive sight. 

Since 1978, Randy Gulick has been guiding visitors to the falls through his company, Wild River Adventure Tours. Though Kinuseo Falls can be seen at a distance from a viewing platform, the only way to get up close to the crashing water is by riding a jet boat up the Murray River. Along the way, Gulick points out seams of coal, old-growth forests and tree trunk fossils. Don’t be alarmed when he guns the boat around a bend in the river and heads straight for the thundering base. The drama (and getting sprayed by mist) is part of the adventure. No need to pack a lunch, either: Gulick serves up a feast of grilled chicken sandwiches, and fresh vegetables and fruit, on shore with a dreamy view of the waterfall.

DAY 3 

9 A.M. | Travel back in time 

Travel back more than 200 million years to the Triassic Period at the Tumbler Ridge Museum, where the region’s rich paleontological heritage is displayed through fossilized plants, marine animals, Ice Age mammals and dinosaur footprints, such as those of a tyrannosaur (likely an Albertosaurus). The museum also showcases the discoveries of citizen scientists, such as seven-year-old Wyatt Werner, who found a mammoth molar in Tumbler Ridge in 2013.

“People come here from all over the world to go fossil hunting,” says Monica Wojciuk, the museum’s visitor services coordinator.

10 A.M. | In the footsteps of dinosaurs

Join a guided, two-hour tour to the Cabin Pool-Flatbed Creek Dinosaur Track, leaving from the museum twice daily during the summer, at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The geosite features approximately 80 dinosaur tracks set in sandstone bedrock, most notably those of theropods (bipedal, carnivorous dinosaurs, such as tyrannosaurs) and ankylosaurs (armoured dinosaurs that walked on all fours). It’s a three-km out-and-back hike to the site, and visitors are asked not to walk directly on the trackways.