In the heart of British Columbia, Williams Lake is perhaps the quintessential wilderness town. On the map, there are only a few roads striking out from the city. The rest is pristine, punctuated only by the blue line of a mountain river, or an expanse of green designating a protected park. This is a region of picturesque rivers running across the central plateau grasslands of BC, with mountains to the east and west. Fishing tours, horseback riding and canoeing are all popular here, but with a lengthy tradition of ranching, guest ranches have become the area's specialty – a tradition reflected in Williams Lake during the town's stampede and at BC's only cowboy museum. In addition to cowboys, miners have left their mark. The gold rush slammed into this region in the late 1800s, suddenly swelling a few huts into some of the continent's largest cities. Historic themed towns such as Barkerville remember those days.