We acknowledge with gratitude that Pemberton lies within the traditional territories of the L ’ il ’ wat7úl and N’Quatqua First Nations. As you explore, we encourage you to recreate responsibly, tread lightly, and respect the land and its stewards, both past and present.
What makes a place memorable isn’t just what you do while you’re there. It’s who you meet, what you learn, and how it all makes you feel.
Working with Tourism Pemberton, I have the privilege of working alongside the people who shape this valley every day. The farmers curating produce from the fields around us, the entrepreneurs building businesses from the ground up, the guides and creators who share their knowledge of this place with care and pride. They are the reason Pemberton feels the way it does.
Yes, there is plenty to do here. You can spend your days exploring a world class network of trails,
casting a line in quiet rivers or lakes, playing a round of golf, saddling up a horse for a trail ride, or simply taking in the views that stop you in your tracks. You can eat your way through the valley at farm stands, cafés, breweries, and restaurants that reflect the richness of our local soil and the creativity of the people behind them.
But what makes Pemberton special isn’t just the list of experiences, it’s the connection behind them.
Tourism Pemberton exists to support the businesses and individuals who bring this place to life. Our members are deeply rooted here, and through their work, they invite you into something more meaningful than a typical visit. Whether it’s a
conversation at a farm gate, a recommendation from a shop owner, or a shared moment out on the land, these are the experiences that stay with you.
We’re proud of what’s growing here, not just as a destination, but as a community.
So as you explore, I encourage you to go a little deeper. Support local. Ask questions. Take your time.
You’ll find that Pemberton has a way of leaving an impression long after you’ve left.
COVER PHOTO BY SIMON BEDFORD
6 16 22 26 30
From valley dikes to alpine routes, Pemberton’s trail network blends accessibility, stewardship, and community-driven design.
Through cultural spaces and community events, Líl’wat tourism offers a deeper, land-based experience grounded in learning and connection.
Big Sky and Sunstone deliver contrasting rounds—from championship polish to laid-back play—just minutes apart beneath Mount Currie.
From farm fields to riverbanks, fall offers a quieter way to experience Pemberton’s food and outdoor culture.
Your go-to guide for all things Pemberton.
ART DIRECTOR Jon Parris SALES Tessa Sweeney, Andrew Budreski WRITERS Luke Faulks, Hilary Angus PUBLISHER Sarah Strother PUBISHED BY PIQUE NEWSMAGAZINE 202-1390 Alpha Lake Road, Whistler, B.C., V8E 0H9 TELEPHONE 604 938 0202 EMAIL sales@piquenewsmagazine.com IN CO-OPERATION WITH TOURISM PEMBERTON 604 894 6175 © Lodestarmedia 2026 No reproduction in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher.
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From grassroots beginnings to a world-class system, the PVTA’s work is as much about stewardship as it is recreation
BY LUKE FAULKS
In Pemberton, a once-informal patchwork of trails has grown into one of British Columbia’s most extensive networks, with more than 700 kilometres linking river dikes, forests, alpine terrain and farmland for hikers, runners, bikers and equestrians alike.
It’s a network that anchors Pemberton’s place in the broader Sea to Sky trail corridor—connecting users in Squamish and Whistler with quieter terrain.
What makes it stand out, according to Pemberton Valley Trails Association (PVTA) executive director Ariane Larouche, is both its scale and the way it’s managed.
“Pemberton’s trail network stands out for its diversity, scale and collaborative stewardship model,” she said. “Within a relatively small valley, you’ll find everything from world-class singletrack and backcountry routes to multi-use connectors and family-friendly paths.”
For visitors, the system is remarkably accessible. Trailheads and maps are scattered throughout the valley, and many routes are multi-use, designed to be shared. Understanding trail etiquette—yielding appropriately, staying on marked routes, and respecting signage—goes a long way.
But as Larouche notes, that shared access is also what defines the network.
Pembertonisn’t
PHOTO BY CRAIG BARKER
The goal is simple: build trails that respect the land and the people who have used it for generations.
“What truly sets it apart is that the network is shared and shaped by a wide range of user groups: mountain bikers, hikers, equestrians, trail runners and more,” she said.
The valley itself adds another layer. Sitting at an overlap between coastal rainforest and interior ecosystems, from river corridors to alpine tundra, the landscape supports remarkable biodiversity and demands careful planning.
Today, that planning runs through the Pemberton
Valley Trails Working Group, a collaborative table that includes provincial agencies, local governments, and the Lil’wat Nation Title and Rights Department.
“All trail development in the Pemberton area happens on the unceded territory of the Lil’wat Nation and that relationship is central to how we operate,” Larouche said.
In practice, that means cultural and archaeological assessments, consultation with the Nation, and, at times, rerouting trails to protect sensitive sites.
“We always say: be a steward, not just a user,” Larouche said.
As the network has grown, so has its reach. Events like the Pemby Pounder now draw runners from across the region, with distances ranging from shorter courses to a newly added marathon option set to debut in 2026.
“The trail network is at the heart of what makes Pemberton… Pemberton,” Larouche said.
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Pemberton is a winter adventurer’s backcountry dream
BY HILARY ANGUS
Pemberton isn’t the first town to come to mind when most people think of winter activities in the Sea to Sky corridor.
But while it could easily be overshadowed by the global reputation of neighbouring Whistler, the comparatively humble Pemberton Valley punches above its weight class in its winter offerings.
From snowmobile tours to cross-country skiing to ice fishing, Pemberton’s dramatic landscape and passion-driven local businesses offer postcardperfect opportunities to get out and enjoy the
scenery throughout the year.
“The raw beauty of glaciers, turquoise waters, alpine valleys, and remote fisheries creates an atmosphere that feels untouched and wild,” said Brad Knowles, who runs Pemberton Fish Finder with his wife, Melissa. “Winter is when Pemberton transforms into a snow-covered playground.”
The Knowles offer year-round fishing trips, so when the snow falls and the temperature drops, visitors can hit the lakes for guided ice fishing.
“Guests head out onto frozen alpine lakes
surrounded by jaw-dropping mountain views,” Knowles said. “For many visitors from warmer climates, it’s their very first time standing on a frozen lake — and often the highlight of their trip.”
For the alpine-inclined, Whitecap Alpine offers bucket list overnight ski-touring trips in the Coast Mountain backcountry with glamping or lodge accommodations.
Coast Range Heli Skiing and Whistler Heli Skiing will get you where you need to go – to the deep powder, with a flexible range of trip packages for single skiers or private groups.
“We get up on the cold, high North aspects and these big, beautiful, expansive glaciers,” said Erin Tierney of Whistler Heli Skiing. “It’s so special to be out there in the mountains…just with you and a few other people,
it’s an experience you can’t recreate on your own.”
If you prefer to pilot your own vehicle, Broken Boundary Adventures offers full-day guided snowmobile tours, with 50,000 acres of the vast Pemberton backcountry to explore. And for those looking to cram a little cardio into their vacation,
The Beer Farmers sets cross-country skiing tracks across their Pemberton Meadows farm. Hit the trails then warm up with a fireside pint at the family-run brewery.
So bundle up and get out there, there is something for everyone when winter arrives in Pemberton.
From grab-and-go cafés to slow mornings with a view, these local favourites keep the valley moving
BY LUKE FAULKS
Whether you’re heading up the Birkenhead, driving toward Joffre Lakes or rolling out for a long ride up the Meadows Road, a good coffee and something solid to eat is a necessity.
Fortunately, the village has that part dialled in.
As you enter town, stop in at Mount Currie Coffee.
The locally owned café has been serving Pemberton since 2007, pairing house-made food with freshly roasted beans. “We pride ourselves on carefully crafted locally roasted coffee as well as making all our food in-house from scratch,” said owner Chris Ankeny.
It’s the kind of place designed for motion—quick
stops on the way to work, the trailhead, or somewhere further up the valley—without sacrificing quality.
Head into the village core and you’ll find Blackbird Bakery, set inside Pemberton’s historic train station. Ask around, and you’ll hear rave reviews about the atmosphere. It’s “a whole day, whole town vibe,” as one regular put it; breakfast sandwiches and Americanos in the morning, pastries and lattes midday, and maybe pizza dough to take home later. Blackbird is where locals linger. “It’s basically Pemberton’s unofficial social hub,” another regular said. “You bump into someone you know
and end up staying way longer than you planned.” A few minutes further along Prospect Street, the Pemberton Valley Supermarket fills a different role: outfitting the day ahead.
From breakfast wraps and croissants to deli salads, fresh fruit, and ready-to-cook meals, the focus is on flexibility.
Local seasonal produce and B.C.-made products round out the offering, making it an easy one-stop before heading out of town.
Continuing up Highway 99, you’ll find North Arm Farm. The Pemberton institution also hosts “U-Pick” sessions—a unique DIY, hands-on experience for visitors. Bring your favourite baskets or borrow one from the farm and fill them to the brim with fresh strawberries, blueberries, or pumpkins.
Set beneath Mount Currie, the working farm pairs its café and market with sweeping views and seasonal ingredients grown on-site. It’s less about grabbing and going, and more about pausing, coffee in hand, in fields that supply much of what’s on the plate.
From quick roadside stops to places that invite you to stay a while, Pemberton’s coffee and food scene reflects the rhythm of the valley itself.
Pemberton has many reputations.
BY HILARY ANGUS
A world-class mountain biking destination. Rivers and lakes teeming with fish. An outdoor recreation playground filled with challenging hikes and spectacular views.
But for visitors looking for a more relaxed adventure, there is plenty to see from the comfort of a vehicle.
“Pemberton has a rich agricultural heritage,” said Gus Cormack, the executive director of Tourism Pemberton. The town’s nickname, Spud Valley, came from its early days as a renowned exporter of virus-free seed potatoes.
“So many people end up coming up here and just taking in the beauty of the valley, and a big part of that is the farmland,” Cormack said.
Tourism Pemberton operates the Slow Food Cycle Sunday, an annual event on the third Sunday of every August that draws over 3,000 cyclists to ride between farms, sample fresh produce and artisanal snacks, and hopefully learn a thing or two about agriculture.
This year, they are also busy compiling a selfguided driving tour that will lead visitors to Pemberton’s growing collection of farmstands –small, rustic stands, where local producers leave their products out for sale, typically at the end of their driveway.
“If you go and check out these farm stands, you’re
going to be driving through the land and territory that produces those products,” Cormack said.
“So it’s kind of an easy way to guide people from Birken all the way up the Pemberton Meadows.”
Farmstands are not staffed, they operate on an honour system where visitors and locals alike can simply drive by, check out what’s available, and ideally leave cash that the producers will collect at the end of the day.
Since many people don’t carry cash anymore, most farmstand operators also have I.O.U. slips on the stand so customers can jot down what they bought to send e-transfers later, as the majority of farms don’t have cell reception.
“It’s sort of a self driving economic opportunity where people can invest in the different entrepreneurs that are producing out of this valley in a really grassroots kind of way,” Cormack said.
Mike Rogers, who runs Willowcraft Farm with his wife, opened one of Pemberton’s first farmstands on their property in Birken over a decade ago.
“At first, we’d call it the beer stand because it was just enough money to buy a beer. And then it was the restaurant stand because there was enough money to go out for dinner,” Rogers said.
But as the culture grew and Pemberton developed a reputation for farmstands, Rogers said their humble stand has now grown into “something
more than we ever anticipated.”
In the decade since Rogers started his stand, many others have followed suit. There are currently 17 independent producers signed up to participate in the launch of Tourism Pemberton’s self-guided tour.
Rogers doesn’t see it as competition, but as the development of a culture that will draw visitors from the Pemberton Meadows all the way up to Birken.
“I want this to be the farmstand corridor, I want this to be a destination,” he said.
Alyssa Belter operates Plenty Wild Farms, a certified organic veggie farm in the Pemberton Meadows that she and her partner David started 14 years ago.
Belter said they were drawn to Pemberton because of the rich, fertile soil, the access to water, and the friendly, welcoming farming community.
“People seem to want to help each other out,” Belter said. “Even if we aren’t, you know, marketing cooperatively together…we share information and resources.”
Plenty Wild is one of the 17 farms signed up for the self-guided tour.
Others include Belle Acres Flower Farm, where farmer Krista Gee says she stocks her farmstand with her own organically grown flowers, as well as local products from other artisans, such as honey, candles, soaps, and even a specialty bug spray.
While visitors can expect plenty of flowers and fresh vegetables, not every artisan is a grower.
Kathleen Tennock goes by the moniker “The Clayfarmer,” and her farmstand is an opportunity to showcase and sell her handmade pottery.
Tennock has been a potter for 30 years, but in the past focused more on artistic rather than functional pieces.
“When we moved to Pemberton, it has such a strong farm-to-table culture, I just was so drawn to going back to making functional pieces again,” Tennock said.
Tennock said the idea of an honour-system stand felt like “such a foreign idea” after growing up in Johannesburg.
“When I told my family in South Africa that I’m putting out this farmstand and I’m just going to leave my pottery out on the street, they were just floored,” she laughed.
But she said she never gets anything stolen.
“I think that it’s such a great testament to human nature and definitely to the community that we live in,” she said. “I just think it’s such a beautiful part of our community.”
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FROM ROADSIDE STOPS TO CULTURAL SPACES AND COMMUNITY GATHERINGS,
TOURISM IN LÍL’WAT NATION IS GROWING WITH PURPOSE
BY LUKE FAULKS
Drive ten minutes north from Pemberton and the landscape shifts almost imperceptibly. Mount Currie rises to the east and the road begins to carry a different kind of story.
Tourism in Líl’wat Nation is still taking shape, but the direction is clear: it’s slower, more intentional and grounded in culture and connection to the land.
“You can feel it when you slow down—you hear the leaves under your feet, the birds around you, maybe drumming in the distance, an Elder speaking the language,” said Líl’wat Business Group retail operations general manager Graham Turner.
“That becomes part of your experience. It’s very different from just stopping for a photo and moving on. There’s a depth there people don’t usually get—and I think, in this world today, people need that. They need to slow down and listen.”
At the centre of that shift is the Hitching Post Motel, a familiar stop along Highway 99 that’s now become something more.
Located right on Main Street as you enter Mount Currie, the motel was purchased by the Líl’wat Business Group in 2024. It marks the Nation’s first foray into tourism. Long a fixture in the community, it’s been reimagined as a gateway to the territory itself. For Turner, the appeal is in its simplicity. It’s a place where visitors can pull up, step out and immediately be in the landscape.
“It’s that old-school motel where you can literally look out the window and your car is right there,” he said.
From here, the experience branches outward. Courtesy of the Hitching Post’s shuttle, guests might head up the Birkenhead Valley, explore nearby lakes, or simply spend time in the community.
There are plans to build on that with guided experiences—walking tours, youth ambassador programs and other opportunities to learn directly from community members.
PHOTO BY SIMON BEDFORD
A few minutes further along Lillooet Lake Road, the Líl’wat7úl Culture Centre offers an effective entry point.
Located at the Ts’zil Learning Centre next to the Nation’s gas station, the space brings together language, art and lived experience under one roof. Its guiding principle is Nt’ákmen—“Our Way”—a reflection of the values that shape daily life, from language use to relationships with the land. Visitors can explore exhibits, but the centre is equally focused on participation. Programming includes drum making, carving, leatherwork, language classes and guided nature walks.
“You can feel it when you slow down—you hear the leaves under your feet, the birds around you, maybe drumming in the distance, an Elder speaking the language.”
It’s a reminder that culture in Líl’wat isn’t static or performative. It’s ongoing and deliberately shared. That same thread runs through the Nation’s broader story.
The 1911 Declaration of the Lillooet Tribes—signed by Chiefs from across the St’át’imc Nation— continues to inform how the land is understood and protected today. Events like Declaration Days, still marked annually, carry that history forward as a living practice of gathering and reaffirmation.
PHOTO BY SIMON BEDFORD
A little further up Highway 99, a smaller stop offers a glimpse of how tourism and community needs intersect.
The Qwalímak Coffee Company sits within the Mosquito Garden—Qwal’ímak Nlep’cálten—a working farm focused on food security, education and sustainable growing.
On the surface, it’s a roadside café with strong coffee and sweeping views of Mount Currie. But its purpose runs deeper. The garden grows vegetables for community members, teaches growing and preservation skills and operates as a hub for learning.
“It’s more about where the coffee truck is,” Turner said. “It brings awareness to the agriculture and food security that’s going on within the Nation.”
It’s a small example of a broader approach where tourism supports and amplifies community priorities.
That approach is set to expand with the future Líl’wat Marketplace, located between the gas station and the Ts’zil Learning Centre.
Known as Qwal’ímak Nt’ákten—“Mosquito Crossing”—the project is envisioned as a gathering space for both community members and visitors.
Set against mountain views and landscaped gardens, the Hitching Post Motel offers a clean, affordable and welcoming base for exploring Joffre Lakes, Nairn Falls, Sloquet Hot Springs, local golf, and dining—with a classic, relaxed motel feel. Enjoy free parking right outside your room, convenient kitchenettes, free WiFi, and TV.
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• Rooms with Kitchenettes
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Plans include small shops, craft tables, food vendors and cultural spaces, alongside practical amenities like washrooms and picnic areas. At its heart will be an istken (pithouse), anchoring the space in traditional design and use.
The goal is twofold: to create opportunities for Líl’wat entrepreneurs, and offer travellers a place to stop, learn and engage more meaningfully with the territory.
It’s still evolving, but the intent is clear: the marketplace will be a space that reflects the community first, and invites visitors in on those terms.
If there’s one time to see that invitation in full, it’s during community events.
The Líl’wat Nation Open Rodeo, held each May long weekend at the Lillooet Lake Rodeo Grounds, draws competitors and spectators from across the province. With events ranging from bull riding to barrel racing—and opportunities for youth and even younger children to participate—it’s both a competition and a celebration.
The rodeo itself has deep roots, stretching back decades and continuing to evolve with new generations of riders and trainers. It’s part of a broader cultural continuity that includes storytelling, music and gatherings like the upcoming Stl’atl’imx Declaration Celebration in Tipella.
Events like these offer something that can’t be replicated elsewhere. It’s a chance to experience culture as it’s lived.
It’s a chance to experience culture as it’s lived.
Thousands of people pass through Líl’wat territory every day. The question isn’t whether tourism will happen, but how.
The answer, so far, is rooted in patience and intention. Build slowly. Prioritize community voices. Focus on education and respect.
It’s a different model that asks visitors to slow down and pay attention. And in doing so, to leave with something deeper than a photo—a sense of the place, the people and the stories that have always been here.
BIG SKY AND SUNSTONE DELIVER TWO DISTINCT ROUNDS OF CHAMPIONSHIP POLISH AND LAID-BACK LOCAL CHARM, JUST MINUTES APART IN THE PEMBERTON VALLEY
In a corner of B.C. better known for powder days and bike laps, Pemberton’s golf scene offers a different way to spend your time in the Sea to Sky.
The pace drops. You notice the mountains longer.
Devote a day apiece to Pemberton’s public courses—Big Sky Golf Club and Sunstone Golf Club—and you’ll get two distinct experiences under the same commanding presence of Pemberton’s most imposing feature.
Coming north on Highway 99, Big Sky is the natural first stop. Located on Airport Road northeast of the village core, the course has long been a big-name draw in Pemberton golf.
Designed by Robert Cupp, a former senior designer with Nicklaus Design, the course was built as a true championship layout with wide fairways, strategic bunkering and water in play on several holes.
Since opening in 1994, the public championship course has billed itself as one of the most highly acclaimed in British Columbia, and it has the supporting infrastructure to match—including practice facilities, PGA of Canada instructors, a par-3 academy course, stay-and-play packages and a full clubhouse restaurant.
That first round is the classic “big day out” golf experience. Big Sky is the kind of place where you can arrive early, hit the range with a complimentary warm-up basket included in an 18-hole round, spend time on the practice facilities, then settle in for a course that is meant to feel like an event.
The routing moves through a mix of open valley floor and tree-lined corridors, with long sightlines toward Mount Currie.
The club’s scorecard offers five primary tee options plus combination tees, giving golfers multiple ways to take on the course.
After the round, Big Sky gives golfers reason to stay put. With a rustic-style clubhouse setting and patio seating, Fescues Restaurant is more than a golfer’s quick stop.
The course naturally emphasizes its proximity to Mount Currie—known as Ts’zil to the Líl’wat Nation.
Even when you’re reading a putt or waiting on a tee box, the landscape is doing half the work of the experience. Big Sky’s group and package offerings lean into that too, pairing golf with overnight stays in Pemberton or Whistler for visitors turning one round into a full golf trip.
If Big Sky is the championship-course day, Sunstone is the exhale.
A few minutes farther north on Airport Road, Sunstone Golf Club makes a strong second round precisely because it feels different. Formerly The Meadows at Pemberton, the course was officially rebranded as Sunstone Golf Club in 2021. Their pitch was straightforward: keep the local jobs, the affordable rounds and the “rich heritage of community golf in Pemberton,” while giving the place a fresh identity.
That down-to-earth positioning still defines the club. Sunstone describes itself as “a place to unwind, take in the views and enjoy a great round of golf,” and the course itself as one that offers “two distinctly different layouts.”
The front nine is open and scenic, with the signature par-4 eighth island green serving as its centrepiece. Meanwhile, the back nine tightens up into a more forested stretch, with water hazards
and a more enclosed feel.
It is, in other words, a course that changes mood as you move through it.
That split personality is what makes Sunstone such a compelling second stop in a 48-hour golf getaway.
After a bigger, more polished first day at Big Sky, Sunstone offers a looser and more local-feeling follow-up: no fuss, the same strong mountain views and a round that starts broad and forgiving before asking for a little more precision on the back.
It’s “no fluff, just great golf,” Sunstone boasts.
The clubhouse experience matters here, too.
Sunstone Bar & Grill is a casual, affordable place to settle in after a round, with two patios, laidback seating and a steady calendar of events that ranges from men’s and ladies’ nights to live music, comedy, pancake fundraisers and summer parties. The venue positions Sunstone not just as
“It’s no fluff, just great golf.”
a golf course but as part of a broader social stop in Pemberton.
Together, the two courses make a compelling case for golf as one of Pemberton’s quieter-butnevertheless-signature experiences.
Big Sky brings the full championship-course treatment: architect pedigree, extensive practice amenities, mountain-framed dining and the sense of a destination round. Sunstone follows with something more relaxed and community-rooted: a hidden-gem course between two rivers, distinct front and back nines and a clubhouse built for hanging around after the 18th hole.
For travellers used to measuring a Sea to Sky trip in vertical feet, trail kilometres or powder depth, the shift in pace is part of the appeal. In Pemberton, golf still gets you outside all day. It still gives you a reason to chase views and stories.
It just asks you to do it one hole at a time.
BY LUKE FAULKS
As summer crowds thin and the first hints of frost settle over the valley, fall in Pemberton reveals a quieter, more intimate side of the Sea to Sky’s agricultural heartland.
It’s a season defined less by the adrenaline of skiing or mountain biking and more by immersion—whether that’s casting a line into salmon-rich rivers, riding horseback through golden fields, wandering a working farm, or tracing stories across downtown murals.
Here are four ways to experience Pemberton at its autumn best:
Just off Pemberton Meadows Road, North Arm Farm offers a classic fall experience rooted in the valley’s agricultural traditions.
Set against Mount Currie’s dramatic backdrop, the family-run farm is known for its u-pick fields, farm market, and seasonal events. Come autumn, pumpkin picking takes centre stage, with rows of bright orange gourds ready for harvest alongside fresh produce and baked goods.
Come autumn, pumpkin picking takes centre stage, with rows of bright orange gourds ready for harvest alongside fresh produce and baked goods.
Visitors can wander the fields, stock up on local vegetables, or browse the market for preserves, meats, and artisanal products sourced from the region. The farm’s u-pick café and picnic areas make it easy to linger, turning a quick stop into a half-day outing.
It’s a quintessential Pemberton experience.
Head north from Whistler along Highway 99, then wind into the Pemberton Valley where braided rivers and glacier-fed lakes define both the landscape and the fishing.
Fall marks one of the most dynamic times to be on the water. “
The rivers become overrun with salmon and they bring a ton of trout along with them,” said guide Brad Knowles. That convergence draws not just anglers, but wildlife too, with frequent sightings of eagles and bears along the riverbanks.
Knowles describes the area as “bull trout country,” a nod to the region’s prized species, which can reach impressive sizes. But the appeal isn’t limited to seasoned anglers. The company offers guided trips for all levels, alongside tutorials for beginners looking to build confidence.
“We’ll show them how to do it, so that they can do it on their own as well,” he said.
Based in Pemberton, the outfitter also operates a full-service tackle shop stocked with local knowledge. It’s ideal for visitors looking to extend their stay or explore independently. Whether you’re casting into the Lillooet River or heading to nearby lakes, the fall bite and the scenery make for a memorable day.
A short drive through the valley’s farmland brings you to Copper Cayuse, where horseback rides offer a slower, grounded way to experience the season. Owner Don Coggins calls September and October
“some of the nicest months to ride,” pointing to warm days, fewer bugs and well-established trails. By fall, both horses and routes are dialed in, creating a relaxed, predictable experience for riders of all levels.
Routes vary from flat, scenic rides across private farmland to longer excursions into backcountry terrain around Birkenhead Lake.
“We try and include river crossings with virtually all of our rides. It just seems to be magic for people,” Coggins said.
For first-timers, the experience can be transformative: “If you don’t take people a little bit out of their comfort zone, they don’t remember it,” he added.
That philosophy, paired with well-trained horses and experienced guides, makes Copper Cayuse a reliable entry point into the backcountry.
Back in the village core, Pemberton’s growing collection of murals offers a self-guided way to explore local creativity.
“Most of the murals are downtown. It’s a small town, so I would encourage people to have a look around.”
“Most of the murals are downtown. It’s a small town, so I would encourage people to have a look around,” said former Arts Council lead Cléa Thomas. The works—scattered across buildings and public spaces—reflect the landscape, culture, and community, with an emphasis on pieces that “reflect the area” and resonate with residents and visitors alike.
A full list of the town’s murals can be found on the Arts Council’s website. Just search for the “Outside Voices Mural Program.”
The council has also expanded access to the arts through low-cost workshops, inviting visitors to do more than just observe. “Anybody can join, the idea is to try something new,” Thomas said.
Pair a mural walk with a coffee stop or a stroll along the nearby trails, and it becomes an easy, low-key way to round out a fall day.
From riverbanks to riding trails, farm fields to painted walls, autumn in Pemberton is all about taking in one slower, quieter moment at a time.
We acknowledge with gratitude that Pemberton lies within the unceded traditional territories of the N'Quatqua and Lilwat7ul (Lílwat) Nation of the St'át'imc federation. As you explore, we encourage you to recreate responsibly, tread lightly, and respect the land and its stewards, both past and present.
