| Clearwater is by far the best base locally, but you may find the
accommodation options at Blue River and Valemount (a whopping 225km
north of Clearwater on Hwy 5) useful. BLUE RIVER , a slip of a place
100km north of Clearwater, has far fewer possibilities, with its
cheapest option being the Blue River Motel with one- and two-bedroom
units two blocks off the highway on Spruce Street (tel 673-8387;
$40-60). For a few dollars more you could try the Mountain View Motel on
3rd Avenue and Spruce Street (tel 673-8366; $40-60) and, top-of-the-pile,
but on the highway, is the fine Venture Lodge (tel 673-8384; $40-60).
The only campsites for miles are the Eleanor Lake Campsite and Trailer
Park on Herb Bilton Way (tel 673-8316; $12-20; May to mid-Oct), with
free showers, store and canoe rentals, and the Blue River Campground and
RV Park , Myrtle Lake Road and Cedar Street (tel 673-8203; $12-18; May
to mid-Oct), with showers, canoe rentals and a variety of fishing,
canoeing and horse-riding tours.
In VALEMOUNT there's a seasonal infocentre at 98 Gorse St on Hwy 5 (mid-May
to mid-Sept daily 9am-5pm; tel 566-4846) and around ten motels and two
campsites. One block off the highway on 5th Avenue are a bunch of motels
, of which the cheapest is the Yellowhead (tel 566-4411; May-Oct;
$60-80); the rest have more facilities, but all are pretty soulless,
including the Best Western Canadian Lodge (tel 566-8222; $100-125) with
a jacuzzi and kitchenettes; the Canoe Moutain Lodge (tel 566-9171;
$100-125) with duvets on the beds; and the Chalet Continental , 1450 5th
Ave (tel 566-9787; $80-100) with an indoor pool. On Loseth Road, 1km
north of Valemount, is the modern Irvins Park and Campground (tel
566-4781; $23-32; April-Oct) with activities including horse riding and
ATV tours. Another campsite, the wooded Valemount Campground , is off
the highway in the north side of town (tel 566-4141; $19; mid-April to
mid-Oct).
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