BC Highway 20 Road Conditions – from Williams Lake on Highway 97 through to Bella Coola connecting with BC Ferry routes to Port Hardy, Bella Bella, Ocean Falls, Shearwater, Klemtu, and Prince Rupert.
| Highway 20, in both directions. Watch for livestock between Elsey Rd and Chipman Rd for 143.1 km (39 km east of Tatla Lake to 6 km west of Anahim Lake). minor incident | last updated Thu Nov 13 at 8:10 PM PST. |
| Highway 20. Fog patches between Bush Rd and the end of Highway 20 for 47.6 km (Williams Lake). minor weather condition | last updated Fri Nov 14 at 6:55 AM PST. |
| Highway 20. Watch for slippery sections between Olsen Dr and Stack Valley Rd for 387.8 km (16 km east of Bella Coola to 44 km west of Williams Lake). Compact snow. minor road condition | last updated Fri Nov 14 at 6:54 AM PST. |
| Highway 20. Utility work planned between Thompson Rd and Lyle Rd for 1.6 km (18 to 19 km east of Anahim Lake). Starting Mon Nov 17 until Fri Dec 5. From 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM PST daily. Southbound lane will be closed. Please watch for signage and personnel. Expect minor delays of up to five minutes. minor construction | last updated Fri Nov 14 at 9:38 AM PST. |
Highway 97 Road Conditions Report Williams Lake
BC Ferries Bella Coola Ferry Information
Highway 20 Route Information
Highway 20 is also known as the Chilcotin Highway, and also the Alexander MacKenzie Highway.
Hwy 20 is one of the two main East-West routes in the Central Interior of British Columbia, the other being Highway 16 (the Yellowhead Highway).
The Chilcotin Highway (Highway 20) runs 457 km (284 mi) from Williams Lake westward through the Chilcotin region to an inlet (North Bentinck Arm) from the Pacific Ocean where the town of Bella Coola is located.
BC Ferries Bella Coola Terminal in Bella Coola, provides transportation to Port Hardy on Vancouver Island, and to northern destinations such as Bella Bella, Ocean Falls, Shearwater, Klemtu, and Prince Rupert. Check Highway 20 Road Conditions.
BC Ferries has a complete route map. This map can be downloaded here – Download BCF Route Map
Driving into Bella Coola is a spectacular experience. Bella Coola has a unique location on the coast of British Columbia. You will pass through remote areas. It is important when driving in these conditions to be prepared. There aren’t a lot of facilities along the way, so start out with a full tank of gas.
You can easily make this trip in a day, especially in summer, but be sure to leave plenty of time to stop and explore.
The road is very challenging. It includes 11km of switchbacks on the way up to Heckman Pass (see weather cams to the right), nicknamed as The Hill, at 1.524m (5.000ft) above the sea level.
The road descends 43 km (27 mi) of steep, sharp hairpin turns and two major switchbacks to the Bella Coola Valley. The descent includes a 9 km (5.6 mi) section with steep grades.
