Mackenzie

A northern BC resource town on the shores of Williston Lake — gateway to the Rocky Mountain wilderness.

Mackenzie is a planned resource town in the northern interior of BC, built in the 1960s to support the forestry and mining industries of the region. It sits at the southern end of Williston Lake — the largest reservoir in BC and one of the largest in North America — created by the W.A.C. Bennett Dam on the Peace River. The town has a dramatic setting, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains to the east and the vast boreal forests of the northern interior in every other direction. Williston Lake is the dominant feature of the Mackenzie landscape. The reservoir stretches for hundreds of kilometres through the Rocky Mountain Trench, and its clear, cold waters offer excellent fishing for rainbow trout, lake trout, bull trout, and Arctic grayling. The lake is also popular for boating and camping, with numerous wilderness campsites accessible only by boat. The Mackenzie area is one of the best places in BC to see northern wildlife. Moose are abundant throughout the region, and caribou, wolves, black bear, and grizzly bear are all present in the surrounding wilderness. The Peace River country to the north is one of the most important caribou habitats in BC. Mackenzie has a strong community spirit and a genuine pride in its northern character. The town's recreation facilities are excellent for its size, and the surrounding wilderness provides year-round outdoor recreation opportunities including snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, hunting, and fishing.