The Upper Clearwater Valley and Clearwater River Corridor are known for the abundance of wildlife roaming the area. Two of the most popular species in Wildlife Viewing, the Bears and the Moose are taking turns in inhabiting the valley.

In Springtime the bears wake up and first feed on green grass along the roadways and in the hay fields, then they populate the shores of the Clearwater River in Mid July to Mid September to feast on Salmon. Before they go to find their winter dens they move back into the hay fields to fill up on some more second growth grass which is not harvested at this altitude.

The Moose spend their summers mostly in the high valleys and swamp areas where food is abundant for them and human traffic is practically non existent. When the winter comes the deep snow chases them back down into our valley where they find enough food to easily survive the winter. Our average snow load of 60 – 80 cm makes it easy for them to move around. From December to March you can find them roaming freely around the valley as if they would know that a hunting ban allows them to feel relaxed.

The Wells Gray Guest Ranch recently purchased two neighboring ranches with extensive hay fields. Especially these fields are almost all year round play- and feeding grounds for Black Bear, Moose, White Tail Deer, Mule Deer, Foxes, Coyotes, Eagles, Cranes and Canada Geese. We now decided to build a wildlife viewing shelter at the edge of a treed area above the fields and take our guests to enjoy viewing wildlife in their natural habitat. There they will be comfortably seated and enjoying refreshments while they wait for animals to step out of the forest into the open areas. Our knowledgeable guide will give detailed interpretive lectures about the various species, supply binoculars for everybody and also carry a high powered spotting scope with tripod for everybody to use.

YOUR GUIDE - PAUL ELLIS: Originally from England he moved to British Columbia and spent many years in the outdoors. He is a highly qualified and multi talented wilderness guide and his passion is wildlife  photography. Almost all of the photos on this page are shot by him on his extensive exploration trips with our guests in Wells Gray Park.

 SUMMER

The Morning Sunrise :

2,5 hours incl. champagne breakfast                                    $  60.00

Trip starts at 05.30 a.m. at the ranch office. We drive to the top of a mountain with breathtaking views of the southern end of Wells Gray Park where we will be sipping coffee or a hot beverage of your choice while enjoying the beautiful sunrise over Battle- Table- and Trophy Mountains. After this experience we take a slow drive to a hidden viewpoint and hope to spot the Grizzly which is seen on this place every spring. Then we proceed to our wildlife viewing shelter overlooking our vast hay meadows where we will be served a champagne breakfast (Bagels or Croissants, Muffins or Scrumpets, Black Forest ham, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, cream cheese, fruit salad, butter, jam, honey, coffee, tea, milk, orange juice and non alcoholic champagne) and spend the rest of the morning with wildlife observation and interpretive talks. Binoculars and spotting scope are provided. We return to ranch at approx. 08.00 a.m.

This morning tour will only operate when there is a decent chance to see wildlife. We do not feel comfortable to sell this tour to our customers in bad weather conditions or when the chance of actually seeing wildlife is minimal or close to nil for other reasons.

This is a very popular trip and only a limited number of participants can be accepted. Reservations are on a first come, first serve basis and only accepted in person at check in at the ranch desk or at the Blue Grouse Country Inn. Minimum number of participants is 4. This trip is only available to guests of the Wells Gray Guest Ranch and the Blue Grouse Country Inn.                                        

The Sundowner :                        

1 hour wildlife observation and interpretive talk                 $  20.00

This trip starts at 08.30 p.m. at the ranch office. After being greeted by the guide we will board our van and take a short drive to our wildlife viewing shelter. There we listen to the guide’s interpretive lecture and expectantly watch bears and other wildlife feeding in the fields. Binoculars and spotting scope are provided.

This evening tour will only operate when there is a decent chance to see wildlife in the month of May & June and late September and our wildlife expert is not on another assignment. We do not feel comfortable to sell this tour to our customers in bad weather conditions or when the chance of actually seeing wildlife is minimal or close to nil for other reasons

This is also a very popular trip and only a limited number of participants can be accepted. Reservations are on a first come, first serve basis and only accepted in person at check in at the ranch desk or at the Blue Grouse Country Inn. Minimum number of participants is 6. This trip is only available to guests of the Wells Gray Guest Ranch and the Blue Grouse Country Inn.                                        

The Wildlife Experience

10 hours of hiking, exploring and animal tracking including champagne breakfast & lunch

$ 195.00  per person
 

Trip starts at 05.30 a.m. at the ranch office. We drive to the top of a mountain with breathtaking views of the southern end of Wells Gray Park where we will be sipping coffee or a hot beverage of your choice while enjoying the beautiful sunrise over Battle- Table- and Trophy Mountains. After this experience we take a slow drive to a hidden viewpoint and hope to spot the Grizzly which is seen on this place every spring. Then we proceed to our wildlife viewing shelter overlooking our vast hay meadows where we will be served a champagne breakfast (Bagels or Croissants, Muffins or Scrumpets, Black Forest ham, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, cream cheese, fruit salad, butter, jam, honey, coffee, tea, milk, orange juice and non alcoholic champagne) and spend the rest of the morning with wildlife observation and interpretive talks. Binoculars and spotting scope are provided. We return to ranch at approx. 08.00 a.m. and change vehicles as we need a 4x4 pickup truck for the rest of the day.                       
From now on we are off the beaten track. We will use abandoned logging roads to explore wild backcountry and see various hidden and very impressive waterfalls and scenic viewpoints. we will enjoy a picnic lunch by the river and observe bald eagles and ospreys catching their prey. All along we will watch for animal tracks and hope to find a black bear feasting on fish along the river banks, deer roaming the forest or a moose feeding in the swamp. In the afternoon we visit the Clearwater Fish Hatchery and during salmon season hike to Raft River Falls to view the Salmon at the end of their life’s journey. We will arrive back at the ranch between 03.30 and 04.00 p.m. after a definitely very exciting and adventurous day.

We operate this trip only on a pre - arranged basis, therefore it is imperative to book this trip at least 2 days before arriving in Wells Gray Park, best at time of accommodation reservation to guarantee your participation. The maximum number of participants is 4 adults or a group of five with at least one child of 10 years of age or under. Because of road conditions we are using a 4x4 Crew Cab Pickup Truck and space is limited. For reservation please click here.

 WINTER

 The Moose Tracker:

3 hours snowshoeing  including hot drink and snack            $  65.00

This trip starts daily from December to March at either 09.30 a.m. or 01.30 p.m. at your choice of accommodation in the Upper Clearwater Valley. We drive to the trailhead where we will be instructed in the use of snowshoes. We then hike along a ridge with a view of the Clearwater River Valley and Battle-, Table-, and Trophy Mountains to the East. This area is on the mayor migration route to the winter feeding grounds of the many moose populating the higher elevation valleys in the summer. We then will rest at the a viewpoint were moose and deer are usually seen and also enjoy a fantastic view of the Hemp Creek Canyon Lands. Your guide will teach you about animal tracks, feeding habits and other important information. We also loan each of the participants a pair of binoculars and in addition the guide carries a high powered spotting scope. We will return to the Blue Grouse Country Inn at approx. 12.30 or 04.30 p.m..

Reservations are  recommended as the maximum number of participants is 5, minimum 2. Larger groups have to have own transportation. Please ask for group rates. For reservation please click  here.

Always bring warm and weather proof clothing and cameras with sufficient batteries.

All rates do not include 5% GST and gratuity for the guide.