Northern Development Initiative Trust
The Northern Development Initiative Trust – New Tourism Signage Highlights the rich History of Likely in the Cariboo Regional District. Click here to read more about the NDIT signage program
LIKELY
Likely is situated at the mouth of 100 km long Quesnel Lake. The lake lays claim to being the deepest fjord lake in the world and the area surrounding it is a part of the only inland temperate rainforest in the world giving it a unique climate.
Likely is a small rural community in the Cariboo Region, nestled in the foothills of the Cariboo Mountains. This area played a significant role in the Cariboo Gold Rush of 1859 when rough-edged boom towns like Quesnel Forks, Cedar City, and Keithley Creek had overnight populations in the thousands, predating Barkerville.
Between 1896 and 1898, the river was damned (Golden River Dam Quesnelle) to allow mining of the Quesnel River bottom. As a result, the town that sprang up was eventually known as Quesnelle Dam. When the post office was moved from Quesnel Forks in 1923, it was felt that a name change was due to better suit the town’s new status. John”Plato” Likely was a popular miner at the time and so the name was changed.
Today Likely is a friendly rural centre with a population around 350 people.
Facilities include:
- school
- community hall
- museum and visitor centre at provincial park
- chapel
- library – Tues. & Wed. 1-5 – high speed internet
- post office
Amenities offered:
- general store
- cafe
- pub/hotel
- restaurant/post office
- motel
- B & B’s and lodges
- Guiding operations and guided tours are also available.
Likely has numerous Rec Sites and a Class “C” Provincial Park.
The facilities at Cedar Point Provincial Park include:
- a new boat access (2016). Three new docks were installed September 2016 as well as a bigger and deeper paved boat launch area.
- camping
- sani-dump
- drinking water
- shower house
- baseball diamond
- day use area
- children’s play area
- swimming area
- mining museum equipment
- Cedar City Museum and the Visitor Information Centre are also located within the Park.
Likely’s surrounding areas have many crystal clear lakes and rivers. The surrounding area supports recreational activities such as snowmobiling, mountain biking, ATV trails, white water rafting, kayaking, and walking and hiking trails. The area is known for world-class fishing, hunting and outback camping. Likely is the gateway to the Cariboo Mountains. The “Back Road to Barkerville” is the wilderness portion of the Williams Lake/Wells/Barkerville Circle Tour. This is a gravel road easily accessible by most vehicles. It is a very popular scenic trip that allows you to travel through sub-alpine meadows and view thundering waterfalls. All of this is surrounded by snow covered mountain ridges. The residents of Likely invite you to explore and experience our ghost towns, historic sites as well as view abundant wildlife and the opportunity to enjoy wilderness adventures.
LIKELY STAY
A hotel, Inn, resorts, bungalows, and campsites give you a varied selection of staying choices for your wilderness adventures.
There are several user-maintained Recreation Site campgrounds around Likely and on Cariboo Island, on Quesnel Lake.
Basic infrastructure for the community includes; a school, community hall, museum, chapel, library, general store, mechanic shop and post office and Chamber of Commerce. Winter activities for locals include snowmobiling, snowshoeing, local Pub, NFL Football Pool, floor curling and cards. For year-round services in the community.
LIKELY BUSINESS
Down Town Likely Businesses include;
- Valley General Store – combo; general store/liquor store/gas station/lottery tickets
- Lakeside Restaurant & Services – combo; cafe/post office/laundromat/lodging
- Likely Lodge – combo; pub/hotel/room & board/restaurant
- and further up the hill we have:
- A Likely Service – mechanic/tire shop
Today Likely is a friendly rural centre with a core population between three hundred and three hundred fifty people. Main industry mining, sub-industries; logging and tourism.
