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Highway 1: Hope to Lytton, Fraser Canyon, British Columbia
Photo: Kiwibirdman · CC BY 3.0

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

Highway 1: Hope to Lytton

TCH 1 · Hope → Lytton

Leisurely64 mi1 hr 25 min6,500 ft climbHigh point ≈ 1,300 ftOne way
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The drive

Highway 1 climbs the Fraser Canyon from Hope to Lytton, the old route between Vancouver and the Interior. The road clings to the canyon wall above the river, with the Fraser a long way down on one side and rock on the other. Between Yale and Boston Bar it passes through seven tunnels, built between 1957 and 1964, and the Alexandra Bridge and Hell's Gate are along the way.

The tunnels are short and old. China Bar is the longest at about 610 meters, and Hells Gate is only 57 meters long and has no overhead lighting. Yale Tunnel runs through Lady Franklin Rock, where the river squeezes through a slot about 50 meters wide. The curves are gentle, but this is a two-lane road with trucks, so it rewards a steady pace.

Wildfire and roadwork have closed or slowed the canyon before, so check DriveBC before you go.

Along the way

  1. Hope
  2. Yale
  3. Hell's Gate
  4. Boston Bar
  5. Lytton
Elevation
6,500 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 1,300 ft
HopeLytton
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
HopeLytton
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Expect single-lane alternating traffic and reduced speeds at work zones, including near China Bar Tunnel and the Nicomen River Road area.
  • The tunnels are narrow and some are curved; cyclists use this road too, and warning lights at the China Bar and Alexandra tunnels flash when one is inside.
  • Burned slopes can drop rock onto the road, especially after rain.
  • This is a working highway with heavy truck traffic; the Coquihalla (Highway 5) is the alternate route.

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 1 through the Fraser Canyon take?

Hope to Lytton on Highway 1 is 64 miles and takes about 1 hr 25 min, more if you hit single-lane work zones.

Is Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon open?

Usually, but not always. Wildfire and roadwork with single-lane alternating traffic have affected the canyon, so check DriveBC before you go.

How many tunnels are on the Fraser Canyon highway?

There are seven tunnels between Yale and Boston Bar: Yale, Saddle Rock, Sailor Bar, Alexandra, Hells Gate, Ferrabee and China Bar.

Is the Fraser Canyon a twisty drive?

Not very. Highway 1 from Hope to Lytton has mostly gentle curves; the challenge is the narrow tunnels, trucks and work zones.

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.
Drive it with no signalAPEXDownload the map and every turn before you go.
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.
Record your drivesAPEXRecord a drive and turn it into a route to drive again or share.

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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 1: Hope to Lytton, from Hope to Lytton