New Hazelton

New Hazelton is a small town in the North Coast-Nechako region of British Columbia. Together with the neighbouring communities of Hazelton and South Hazelton, the communities are known as "The Hazeltons".

Understand

New Hazelton is one of the "Three Hazeltons", the other two being the original "Old" Hazelton, 6 km (3.7 mi) to the northwest very near to the confluence of the Skeena and Bulkley Rivers, and South Hazelton located 5 km (3.1 mi) to the west. New Hazelton is the service and commerce centre for the Kispiox Valley, which includes several first nation communities as well as residents of Hazelton and South Hazelton. The population of this area is approximately 6,500 people.

History

Hazelton is one of the oldest settlements in northern British Columbia; its European settlement dates back to 1866 when the Collins Overland telegraph went through. Hazelton was the original gateway and staging area for the Omineca Gold Rush of 1869-73. Besides the hunt for riches, there was one other important reason to visit: it had the only proper hospital for hundreds of miles in any direction. One of its other, less appreciated, distinctions was in having dozens of roaming, foraging and howling sled dogs, as nearly everyone had their own team and many were allowed to run free. Transportation options got better in 1891 when the Hudson's Bay Company’s sternwheeler Caledonia arrived from Port Essington. Being the head of navigation on the Skeena, Hazelton was to play host to more than a dozen sternwheelers throughout the next 22 years.

Two Mile was a community two miles out of Hazelton. During the gold rush and rail construction, it was home to a stopping house and a prosperous red-light district.

Soon after 1868 Thomas Hankin, father of Constance Cox marked out a town site at confluence of the Skeena River and the Bulkley River. He named it Hazelton because of the large number of hazelnuts ripening at the time.

When it was announced in 1903 that the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway would be coming through near Hazelton, another flurry of excitement erupted and hundreds of settlers poured into the district, buying whatever land they could get a hold of. Everyone was certain there was a fortune to be made and Hazelton was widely advertised as the "Spokane of Canada". What made Hazelton even more attractive was her mines, the Silver Standard, and the Rocher de Boule. In 1911, two rival town-sites, Robert Kelly’s New Hazelton and the Grand Trunk Pacific’s South Hazelton, both came into existence and competed to sell the most lots. Thus, the original Hazelton was called "Old" and together they became known as the "Three Hazeltons". Where the railway station would be built was an issue for many years until both South Hazelton and New Hazelton received one.

Get in

By car

New Hazelton is on the Highway 16 (Yellowhead Highway), 1½ hours east of Terrace, 3 hours east of Prince Rupert, and 5 hours west of Prince George. The area is in the northern mountains so extra precautions should be taken during the winter.

By train
See also: Rail travel in Canada

By bus

Get around

From New Hazelton, Hazelton is 6 km to the northwest along Churchill Road (also known as Highway 62, which is unsigned), while South Hazelton is 5 km to the west along Highway 16.

  • BC Transit (Hazeltons Transit System), ☏ +1-250-842-2134, toll-free: +1 855 935 2666. Bus routes 31 & 32 operates within the Hazeltons, which also serve the surrounding Indigenous villages. Route 31 runs between Gitsegukla and Kispiox, while Route 32 runs between Hazelton and Gitwangak (Kitwanga). $2.50 cash fare for local travel and up to $6 for regional travel. Children 5 and under free. (updated Jul 2020)
    • Operates a bus route three days per week between Smithers and Kispiox via New Hazelton.
    • Operates a bus route three days per week (not on days travelling to Smithers) between Terrace and Kispiox via New Hazelton and Kitwanga.

See
  • 🌍 'Ksan Historical Village and Museum, 1500 River Road, Hazelton, ☏ +1 250-842-5544. Home of the Gitxsan peoples for over 8000 years, 'Ksan is a place to honour generations past and present. This attraction showcases Indigenous culture near the ancient village of Gitanmaax, at the confluence of the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers. (updated Jul 2020)
  • 🌍 Hagwilget Canyon Bridge. Located between Hazelton and New Hazelton, a single-lane steel suspension bridge built in 1932 along Highway 62. Offers views of the Hagwilget Canyon and Mount Roche De Boule. (updated Jul 2020)
  • 🌍 Historic Old Hazelton. The Village of Hazelton remains much like the original settlement, founded in 1866. Explore the historical buildings. (updated Jul 2020)
  • 🌍 Kispiox Totem Poles, Kispiox (16 km N of Hazelton via Kispiox Valley Road). The Kispiox totem poles stand in the grass at the edge of the community of Kispiox where the Kispiox and Skeena Rivers meet. There are approximately 24 totem poles that are privately owned by House Groups in the Kispiox Valley. They were carved between 1880 and 1995. (updated Jul 2020)

Do
  • 🌍 Anderson Flats Provincial Park, South Hazelton (6 km W of New Hazelton). Anderson Flats, also known as Mission Flats or The Forks, is located within the traditional territory of the Gitxsan First Nation (People of the River of Mist) and is identified as Lax Lit Hetwit House territory. The park provides accessible public access to the riverfront on both the Bulkley and Skeena Rivers with excellent recreational fishing, camping and day-use recreation opportunities. (updated Jul 2020)
  • 🌍 Ross Lake Provincial Park (6 km NE of New Hazelton). Popular with anglers, boaters and swimmers. A picnic area, beach, hiking trail and boat launch are available. (updated Jul 2020)

Learn

Eat

Drink
  • 🌍 Zelda's Travel Mug Cafe, 4429 10th Avenue, New Hazelton, ☏ +1 778-250-5444. Tu-F 7AM-5PM, Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 10AM-3PM. (updated Jul 2020)

Sleep

Cope

Go next
Routes through New Hazelton
Prince Rupert ← Kitwanga ←  W  E  → Smithers → Jasper
Prince Rupert ← Kitwanga ←  W  E  → Smithers → Prince George


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