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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Tete Jaune Cache
Tête Jaune Cache
Stop for one night on the Yellowhead run, or two if you want a raft trip: the village itself is a 15-minute look, the value is Rearguard Falls and the salmon in August.
Tete Jaune Cache is a 500-person village at the junction of Highway 5 and Highway 16 in the Robson Valley, about an hour west of Jasper. It has no town centre to speak of: the draw is Rearguard Falls, Jackman Flats, rafting on the Fraser and the Chinook salmon run in August. Most travellers use it as a bed between Jasper and Prince George, or as a quieter, cheaper alternative to Valemount.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- Tête Jaune Cache
- Best months
- Jun–Sep; late Aug for the salmon run
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (ice, snow, few services open)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$70–110 excl. bed · Mid C$110–180 excl. bed · High C$180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · BC health advice line (24 h) 811 · BC Bus North reservations +1-844-564-7494
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$3–6 |
| Casual restaurant main | C$18–30 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can from a store | C$8–10 / C$3–5 |
| Campground night, tent or RV site | C$25–40 |
| Whitewater rafting, 3–4 h | C$99–109 |
| Fraser float trip, about 2 h | C$40–50 |
| Fuel, per litre | C$1.60–1.90 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YPR · Prince George Airport
- About 3 h east by car on Highway 16; the nearest airport with scheduled service
- YEG · Edmonton International
- About 5 h east via Jasper on Highway 16; check road conditions in winter
- YVR · Vancouver International
- About 8 h via Kamloops on Highway 5; a full driving day
Typical fares
- BC Bus North, Prince George ↔ Valemount via Tete Jaune Cache
- twice weekly; book ahead
- VIA Rail, Harvey signpost stop (5 km away)
- flag stop toward Jasper or Prince George; no amenities, book ahead
- Drive, Jasper → Tete Jaune Cache
- about 100 km, roughly 1 h on Highway 16about 62 mi, roughly 1 h on Highway 16
Get around
You need a car. The village is spread along Old Tete Jaune Cache Road and the highway junction, with no local transit and no taxi worth counting on. Everything listed here is a 5–15 minute drive. Fuel up in Valemount or McBride: the village has limited services and hours.
See and do
Known for
- Rearguard Falls and the Fraser River
- Jackman Flats sand dunes
- Chinook salmon spawning in August
- Whitewater rafting and flyfishing
- Mica Mountain trail
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rearguard Falls Provincial Park | Drive east on Highway 16 about 5 min, then a short walk to the viewing platform | About 30–45 min |
| Jackman Flats Provincial Park | Drive south on Highway 5 about 5 km to the signed entranceDrive south on Highway 5 about 3.1 mi to the signed entrance | 1.5–3 h |
| Mount Robson Provincial Park | Drive east on Highway 16 about 20 min to the visitor centre | Half a day |
| Jasper | Drive east on Highway 16 about 1 h | About 1 h each way |
| Valemount | Drive south on Highway 5 about 20 min | About 20 min |
| McBride | Drive west on Highway 16 about 45 min | About 45 min |
Sleep
- Old Tete Jaune Cache Road
- The village strip along the Fraser: lodges, cabins and the campground, all within a few minutes of each other.
- Highway 16 east toward Rearguard Falls
- Quieter guest houses and B&Bs; you need a car for everything.
- Valemount (20 min south)
- More beds, restaurants and a supermarket if the village is full or you want a proper town.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you / Merci |
| Where is the trailhead? | Where is the trailhead? |
| Is the road open? | Is the road open? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| I have a reservation | I have a reservation |
| Call 911 | Call 911 |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- Cell coverage is patchy along Highway 16 and Highway 5; download offline maps before you leave Jasper or Valemount.
- Wildlife on the road at dawn and dusk: moose and deer on the shoulders, bears near the highway.
- Most businesses are seasonal and small; book beds and raft trips ahead in July and August, and call before driving out in shoulder season.
- No hospital in the village: the nearest is in McBride or Valemount. 911 works where there is signal.
- Salmon viewing is on a gravel riverbank with fast water: keep back from the edge and keep dogs out of the spawning beds.
Very low crime; the real risks are highway driving, wildlife on the road, fast river water and thin services. Tell someone your route and carry water and a spare tyre.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tete Jaune Cache yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Rearguard Falls and the Fraser River
- Jackman Flats sand dunes
- Chinook salmon spawning in August
- Whitewater rafting and flyfishing
- Mica Mountain trail
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- BC Parks — Jackman Flats Provincial Park: bcparks.ca/jackman-flats-park/
- BC Parks — Rearguard Falls Provincial Park: bcparks.ca/rearguard-falls-park/
- BC Bus North: bcbus.ca/
- VIA Rail — Harvey station: www.viarail.ca/en/explore-our-destinations/stations/rockies-and-pacific/harvey
- Stellar Descents Whitewater Rafting: www.stellardescents.ca/
- Tete Jaune Lodge: www.tetejaunelodge.com/
- Mica Mountain Lodge: micamountainlodge.bc.ca/wp/
- Bearberry Meadows Guest House: bearberrymeadows.com/
- Wikivoyage: Tete Jaune Cache, revision 5253023 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5253023
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tete Jaune CacheTête Jaune Cache
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- BC health advice line (24 h)811
- BC Bus North reservations+1-844-564-7494
No consulates in the village. For US citizens the nearest consulate is in Calgary or Vancouver; UK, Canadian and Australian travellers should use their national emergency lines and the nearest consulate in Vancouver or Edmonton.
Print or screenshot this card: cell coverage is patchy on Highway 16 and Highway 5.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tete-jaune-cache). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.