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Highway 8: Merritt to Spences Bridge, Nicola Valley, British Columbia
Photo: Jack Borno · CC BY-SA 3.0

Drives British Columbia The Okanagan, the Kootenays and the BC Interior

Highway 8: Merritt to Spences Bridge

BC 8 · Merritt → Spences Bridge

Sweeping39 mi55 min2,100 ft climbHigh point ≈ 2,000 ftOne way
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The drive

Highway 8 follows the Nicola River downstream from Merritt to Spences Bridge. It starts in ranchland and sagebrush hills and narrows into a canyon as it nears the Fraser.

The 2021 atmospheric river washed out long sections. The province rebuilt them over the following years, restoring 13 kilometers of lost roadway, reinstating three bridges and building two new ones, and the highway is open to two-lane traffic again.

It is a quiet road with a few reduced-speed sections, and it ends just short of the Trans-Canada at Spences Bridge.

Along the way

  1. Merritt
  2. Spences Bridge
Elevation
2,100 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 2,000 ft
MerrittSpences Bridge
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
MerrittSpences Bridge
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Some repair and restoration work was still planned, so expect occasional lane closures and slower sections.
  • Check DriveBC before you go, since this road was heavily damaged in 2021.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check DriveBC.

Questions about this drive

How long does Highway 8 from Merritt to Spences Bridge take?

Highway 8 from Merritt to Spences Bridge is 39 miles and takes about 55 minutes.

Is Highway 8 open after the 2021 floods?

Yes. Highway 8 is open to two-lane traffic after long repairs from the 2021 floods.

Where does Highway 8 end?

Highway 8 meets the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) at Spences Bridge.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
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Live Group TrackingAPEXEveryone on the route, on the map, by name.
Road conditionsAPEXWet or dry, ice, fog and wind along the road before you go.
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More drives near here

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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Highway 8: Merritt to Spences Bridge, from Merritt to Spences Bridge