Today, the quaint community of Blue River is home to roughly 280 year-round residents – though, it has a history steeped in exploration. The First Nations people inhabited this area long before prospecting explorers and settlers began passing through along fur trading routes. Boasting a ruggedly rich natural environment, abundance of wildlife and unsurpassed beauty, Blue River became a pivotal point along the soon to be called "Yellowhead Highway” transport and trade route of the mid 1800’s. The Canadian Northern Railway established switching tracks and a roundhouse in Blue River in 1914, providing links between Alberta and British Columbia’s coast, that were invaluable for transporting goods and people from province to province. Eventually logging operations were formed and towns were created, along with the formation of the Yellowhead Highway that remains a major route for tourism and transportation today. Conveniently located halfway between Kamloops, BC and Edmonton, AB, Blue River is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat, stretch your legs, rest your head and fuel-up before continuing your travels.