If you’re planning a 6 day BC road trip, this loop from the interior to the Sea to Sky is a good one. It covers some of the best-known spots in the province, a couple of historic towns, and two of the most popular hikes around – Joffre Lakes and the 32 km Panorama Ridge.
This was our fifth BC road trip, and honestly one of my favourites. We started from Vernon, but you can start from Vancouver, Kelowna, Kamloops, or pretty much anywhere. Just adjust day one and the rest of the loop still works.
Six days, from the dry interior canyons, along the Fraser River, through Lillooet, Pemberton, and Whistler, into the Sea to Sky, then back along the Thompson River. You barely repeat any road.
We did this 6 day BC road trip in early summer, and it’s the loop I’d recommend to anyone with a week to spare.
6 Day BC Road Trip at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Route type | 6 day BC road trip loop, no backtracking |
| Good for | RV travellers / regular car + hotels |
| Total distance | Around 1,100 km |
| Hiking highlights | Joffre Lakes, Panorama Ridge (both need bookings) |
| Where to stay | Provincial or private campgrounds / hotels |
| Best season | June to September |
If you’re not in an RV, you can still do this. There are places to stay in Lillooet, Pemberton, Hope, and Merritt, so you can run it as either an RV camping road trip or a hotel road trip.
This post covers the full route. I’ll write separate posts for the stops, campgrounds, and hikes.
The Route
Here’s the full route for our 6 day BC road trip:
Vernon → Kamloops → Cache Creek → Marble Canyon → Pavilion Lake → Lillooet → Pemberton → Joffre Lakes → Garibaldi Lake → Hope → Spences Bridge → Lytton → Merritt → Kamloops → Vernon
The nice thing about this loop is how the landscape changes. You start in the dry interior, move into the Fraser Canyon, then into the Coast Mountains and the Sea to Sky, and finally follow the Fraser and Thompson rivers back to the interior. It’s not just a trip to a few viewpoints – it’s a proper BC scenic drive.
Day 1: Vernon to Lillooet
We started this 6 day BC road trip from Vernon, but honestly, you can start from pretty much anywhere. Vancouver, Kelowna, Kamloops – just adjust the first day and the rest of the loop still works.
Day one was an easy one. We drove from Vernon to Kamloops, did a short hike just outside town to warm up for the bigger stuff later, then kept going west on Highway 1. After a couple of provincial parks, we turned onto Highway 99 at Cache Creek. That’s where the scenery starts to change.
Marble Canyon Provincial Park
Worth a stop. We used it as a lunch break. You get a mix of canyon, lake, and that dry, semi-desert look the BC interior is known for.
Pavilion Lake
This stretch along Highway 99 was one of my favourites, and it’s not because of any single viewpoint. It’s just a nice road to drive. Sometimes that’s the whole point.
We followed the Fraser River up to Lillooet and called it a night.
If you’re not camping
Stay in Lillooet. That way you’re already in town for day two and don’t have to rush.
Day 2: Lillooet and around
Day two was all about Lillooet and the area around it.
We started with the Red Rock Trail in the morning. Compared to Panorama Ridge on day five, this one is much easier, which makes it a good middle day on a road trip. If you’re not here specifically for hiking, you can keep it simple: a short walk, some time in town, a bit of river scenery, and an easy afternoon.
Lillooet – Our favourite stop on this trip
I really want to recommend Lillooet to RV travellers. We stayed two nights at a BC Hydro Recreation Site, and it was free. For anyone who likes RV camping, that’s a pretty good deal. It’s not a commercial RV resort and there are no fancy facilities, but the setting is nice and it’s quiet. We stayed two nights and loved it. I’ll write a separate post about Lillooet RV camping later.
If you’re not camping
We stayed two nights in Lillooet. You won’t have to change hotels every day, and you can give day two fully to the area.
Historic Seton Portage Train
If you’re travelling with kids, this is a fun one. It takes about three hours return. It’s not a typical sightseeing train – it’s more of a local railway trip. If someone in your group isn’t up for long hikes, this fits nicely into a road trip.
This little train has been running since 1934, back when there was no road over the mountain and it was the only way to reach the communities on the far side of Seton Lake.
It’s still mostly a local service: kids going to school, people picking up groceries – and that’s part of the charm. It’s literally a school bus on rails. No fancy seats, just benches.
The driver talks the whole way, pointing out landmarks and telling stories like a guide. The ride hugs the north shore of Seton Lake, with jade-green water one side and mountains rising straight up the other side. One curve is so tight the track bends at an 18-degree angle, and there’s a long dark tunnel near the end.
The whole round trip takes about 3 hours. For the price and the views, it’s hard to beat.
Day 3: Lillooet to Pemberton, via Duffy Lake and Joffre Lakes
Day three is where the trip gets really pretty. This is Highway 99, the Duffy Lake Road.
Heading west from Lillooet, we stopped at a few Recreation Sites along the way. This is one of my favourite things about BC road trips. Most people only look at the famous spots, but for RV travellers, the Recreation Sites along the route are worth checking out on their own.
Duffy Lake Provincial Park
After Duffy Lake, the mountains start to feel bigger. Keep going west and you’re heading toward Joffre Lakes Provincial Park.
Joffre Lakes Provincial Park
Joffre Lakes is one of the most popular hikes in BC, partly because it’s close to Vancouver. You need a day-use pass to get in and to park, and you have to book it for free in advance on the BC Parks website.
The classic route is about 11 km round trip, with 400–530 m of elevation gain. You pass three lakes, and the water is that bright blue-green you’ve probably seen in photos. There are plenty of people on the trail, but still bring bear spray.
After the hike we drove straight to Pemberton and got the last campsite at Nairn Falls Provincial Park. Lucky.
If you’re not camping
Stay in Pemberton. It’s north of Whistler and a well-known outdoor town in its own right. Compared to Whistler, Pemberton is much easier on the wallet. There are hotels and a good number of vacation rentals with kitchens.
Day 4: Nairn Falls, One Mile Lake, and Pemberton
After Joffre Lakes the day before, and with the 32 km Panorama Ridge hike coming up, we kept day four light. In the morning we walked over to Nairn Falls. It’s an easy walk from the provincial park. Later we did a short trail by the railway in town and went to One Mile Lake. In the afternoon we wandered around town and stopped by the library.
No big hiking challenge today. Just a waterfall, a lake walk, a small town, and a rest. Road trips need days like this. If you’re doing 15 or 20 km every single day, you’ll burn out.
Day 5: Garibaldi Lake and Panorama Ridge
Day five happened to be Canada Day. We left Pemberton and got to the Rubble Creek parking lot at Garibaldi Lake Provincial Park in about 50 minutes.
You need to book parking here too. Not long after you leave the highway, BC Parks staff have a checkpoint set up. No booking, no entry – you’ll be turned around before you even reach the lot.
Panorama Ridge Hike
This was the hike we were most looking forward to on this 6 day BC road trip, and it turned out to be the biggest challenge too. We did Garibaldi Lake plus Panorama Ridge in one day.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Total distance | 32 km |
| Elevation gain | 1,770 m |
Garibaldi Lake on its own is already beautiful. But if you have the legs for it, keep going to Panorama Ridge. The view opens up completely and you get a 360° look over the lake. This was the day I was most looking forward to on the whole trip.
If you mostly do short trails, don’t underestimate this one. 32 km and over 1,770 m of gain asks a lot of your body, your water, your food, and your start time. We gave this day almost everything we had. And honestly, if I had to pick one hike to end our 6 day BC road trip on, it would be this one. It’s a long day, but the view from Panorama Ridge is about as good as it gets.
This is a full-day hike, so plan for it properly. If you’re not sure what to bring, I put together a backcountry hiking gear checklist – it’s the same list we use for hikes like this one. I’ll write a full guide to Panorama Ridge separately – timing, gear, and how to pace yourself.
Day 6: Pemberton to Merritt
Day six of our 6 day BC road trip was the drive home.
We could have taken the more direct route back to Vernon. Instead we picked a road we’d never driven before, and it turned out to be worth it.
Hope and Bridal Veil Falls
After Hope, we stopped at Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park to see the waterfall. It’s a good mid-drive stop, with a pit toilet and picnic tables.
After the falls, instead of heading back the way we came, we kept going toward Spences Bridge.
Spences Bridge, along the Fraser River
This was one of the most memorable stretches of the whole trip.
From Hope to Spences Bridge, you follow the Fraser River north. The water is a really distinct muddy yellow. The fun part: this is the same Fraser River we saw on day one. Same river, different spot, different direction.
If you drive this, try to go south to north. The river is on your right, which makes it easier to pull over at viewpoints.
Lytton: Fraser River to Thompson River
At Lytton, things change again. The Fraser fades out of view, and the clear Thompson River takes over.
From there you follow the Thompson. The color, the valley, the whole feel is different from the Fraser. This is what I love about BC road trips — a lot of the time, the best part is just the driving.
Highway 8: Spences Bridge to Merritt
Next we took Highway 8. We’d never driven it before.
It was hit by wildfires and flooding in 2021, and after repairs it only reopened fully last December. Driving it now, the main thing we noticed was: good road, almost no traffic. If you like scenic drives, this is a really comfortable one. If you have the time, I’d add it to any BC interior road trip.
Day 6.5: Merritt to Vernon
From Merritt we took Highway 5A to Kamloops.
This stretch is pretty flat and not busy, though there are quite a few trucks, so pay attention. You’ll pass a few lakes along the way. Nothing famous, but as a last leg of a road trip, it’s a nice one.
Then back to Kamloops, and back to Vernon. That was our 6 day BC road trip loop done. Well, kind of – we actually took 6.5 days. You could drive the whole thing back to Vernon on day 6 if you’re okay with a longer day behind the wheel, but we split it up and took our time.
Doing this without camping
We did this in an RV, but you can absolutely do it in a regular car with hotels. If you’re not camping, here’s roughly how I’d book it:
| Day | Route | Stay |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Vernon → Kamloops → Cache Creek → Marble Canyon → Pavilion Lake → Lillooet | Lillooet |
| Day 2 | Red Rock Trail + around Lillooet | Lillooet |
| Day 3 | Lillooet → Duffy Lake → Joffre Lakes hike → Pemberton | Pemberton |
| Day 4 | Nairn Falls + One Mile Lake + Pemberton | Pemberton |
| Day 5 | Garibaldi Lake + Panorama Ridge | Pemberton or Whistler |
| Day 6 | Pemberton → Hope → Spences Bridge → Lytton → Merritt → Kamloops → Vernon | Back in Vernon |
If you don’t like camping, or you’re travelling with kids or older family members, this version is easier and more comfortable.
To compare hotels along the route, I usually check Booking.com, or VRBO for family-friendly places.
Is this 6 day BC road trip for you?
Good fit if you:
- Like scenic drives (Fraser River, Thompson River, Highway 99) and road trips in general
- Love being outside — hiking, paddling, that kind of thing
- Want a loop instead of an out-and-back
- Are happy to plan ahead for parking and campsites, and don’t mind changing where you sleep
Not a great fit if you:
- Want to drive two hours a day and then relax at a resort
- Don’t want to move around much
- Can’t book parking or campsites in advance (Garibaldi and Joffre Lakes both need it)
- Have no hiking experience at all
If you only have 4 or 5 days
You can still do a shorter version of this loop. The easiest way is to cut day two, or skip the Panorama Ridge day and just do Garibaldi Lake. If you only have 4 days, I’d drop Lillooet and go straight from Kamloops toward Pemberton, then do Joffre Lakes and one lighter day before heading back.
The main thing is to keep the loop shape. The drive itself is a big part of the trip, so don’t rush it.
If you only do one 6 day BC road trip in your life, this is a pretty good one to pick.
