British Columbia provincial highway 97
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| Highway 97 |
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| Formed: | 1953 |
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| South end: |  US 97 at the United States border |
| Major junctions: |
 BC 3 in Osoyoos BC 3A in Kaleden BC 97C in Peachland BC 33 in Kelowna BC 6 in Vernon BC 97A near Vernon BC 1 in Monte Creek BC 5 in Kamloops BC 1 in Cache Creek BC 16 in Prince George BC 2 in Dawson Creek |
| North end: | YT 1 (Alaska Highway) at the Yukon border. |
| Major cities: | Osoyoos Penticton Kelowna Vernon Kamloops Cache Creek Williams Lake Quesnel Prince George Dawson Creek |
| System: | British Columbia provincial highways |
British Columbia provincial highway 97 is the longest continuously-numbered route in the province, going for 2,081 km all the way from the Canada/U.S. border in the south to the British Columbia/Yukon border in the north. The route takes its number from U.S. Highway 97, which it connects with at the international border. The highway was initially designated '97' in 1953.
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[edit] Okanagan Highway
This is the 269 km-long section of Highway 97 between the international border and Monte Creek on the Trans-Canada Highway. It begins in the south at the international border crossing north of Oroville, and travels 4 km north to its junction with the Crowsnest Highway at Osoyoos. A branch of highway designated as 3A starts here, sharing a common alignment with Highway 97 north of Osoyoos. The highway travels north for 47 km, passing through the community of Oliver, before arriving at a point called Kaleden, where Highway 3A diverges west.
13 km north of Kaleden, Highway 97 arrives at the city of Penticton. North of Penticton, Highway 97 follows the western shore of Okanagan Lake for 45 km, through the communities of Summerland and Peachland, before reaching its junction with Highway 97C just south of Westbank. From there, Highway 97 passes through Westbank, Westside, and reserve lands belonging to the Westbank First Nation until, 15 km northeast of the 97C junction, Highway 97 begins to cross Okanagan Lake via the Okanagan Lake Bridge (a 1 km-long causeway and bridge), soon to be replaced with a newer bridge. The highway enters the city of Kelowna upon landfall on the east shore of the lake. 6 km east into the city centre, the highway reaches its junction with Highway 33.
4 km north of the Highway 33 junction, Highway 97 leaves the urbanised area of Kelowna (the municipal boundary is actually a further 12 km north). Through the route's next 43 km, it travels well east of Okanagan Lake, passing through the community of Winfield, then alongside the west shore of Wood Lake to Oyama. Both of these communities lie within Lake Country. Highway 97 then passes along the west shore of Kalamalka Lake before entering the city of Vernon and a junction with Highway 6. The highway then travels north for 10 km to a junction with Highway 97A at Swan Lake, at which point it veers northwest. 81 km later, Highway 97 merges onto the Trans-Canada Highway at Monte Creek, following Highway 1 for 105 km west to Cache Creek.
[edit] Cariboo Highway
This section of Highway 97, between Cache Creek and Prince George, is 441 km in length and is officially designated as the Cariboo Highway, with much of its length as far as Quesnel approximating the original Cariboo Wagon Road through this region. The highway starts off going north for 11 km from Cache Creek to its junction with Highway 99. North of Highway 99, Highway 97 travels 92 km through Clinton, which is where the British Columbia Railway joins Highway 97, as well as the communities of Chasm and 70 Mile House before reaching a junction with Highway 24.
In the 100 km just north of Highway 24, Highway 97 travels through 100 Mile House and 150 Mile House before reaching the city of Williams Lake and a junction with Highway 20. Another 120 km north, going through McLeese Lake and Marguerite en route, Highway 97 follows the east bank of the Fraser River to the city of Quesnel, where Highway 26 begins. 115 km north of Quesnel, after passing through the hamlets of Strathnaver, Hixon, Stoner and Red Rock, Highway 97 meets its junction with Highway 16 at Prince George.
[edit] John Hart Highway
This 405 km-long stretch of Highway 97 begins at Prince George, going for 152 km north through the small hamlet of Summit Lake, where it makes a time zone boundary crossing, as well as through Crooked River Provincial Park, Bear Lake and McLeod Lake, to its intersection with Highway 39. It then goes northeast for 150 km through the Continental Divide to its intersection with Highway 29 in the town of Chetwynd. Another 97 km east, and Highway 97 finally reaches the small city of Dawson Creek.
[edit] Alaska Highway
This northernmost section of Highway 97 is 965 km long, and goes through the communities of Fort St. John and Fort Nelson, the latter community being the point near where Highways 77 and 97 meet.
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Expressways and Freeways of British Columbia
| Highway 1 | Highway 3 | Highway 3A | Highway 5 | Highway 7B | Highway 11 | Highway 16 | Highway 17 | Highway 19 | Highway 91 | Highway 91A | Highway 97 | Highway 97C | Highway 99 |
| British Columbia Provincial Highways |
