A local couple are happy campers after participating in a three-week guided cavalcade across four provinces.
Mark Peltz and his wife Lisa from Warren recently took part in the Northern Woods and Water RV Tour across the northern parts of Western Canada.
Mark and Lisa Peltz of Warren recently completed a three-week, 3,500-kilometre Northern Woods and Water RV Tour through four provinces, travelling with a small group from Cache Creek, B.C., to Grosse Isle, Man., and enjoying historic sites, outdoor adventures and new friendships along the way
Along with five other camping units, they began their journey on June 8 in Cache Creek, B.C. From there, they travelled about 3,500 kilometres in their RV on the guided tour that took them up through Dawson Creek and across the northern roads of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
It was a full-circle experience, with the tour wrapping up in Grosse Isle on June 28.
Tour organizer Dale Harrison was originally involved with Northern Woods and Water 35 years ago. Decades later, he became interested in restarting the organization.
“It’s the furthest north that you can travel across northern Canada laterally. It was designed as a vacation route, not a high-speed route,” he said.
“The original concept was developed by a retired CN employee up in McLennan, Alberta. He used to take a group of campers from Dawson Creek to Winnipeg along the highway and stop in different communities — and talk about a great way to travel. They eventually formed an association and lobbied the provincial governments to recognize it.”
The camping cavalcade has the chance to cross paths with wildlife while traversing the varied natural landscapes of the north. The guided tour shares the history and heritage of the areas along their route, while also bolstering the economies of the small towns that they visit along the way. From the Northern Woods and Water Highway, travellers can also venture further north through takeoff points on the route.
The tour guide arranges group camping spots as well as dinner each evening, while campers are responsible for their own breakfast and lunch. In addition, the adventure includes special activities and tours along the way. Most days, the participants have the chance to customize their daily activities and travel on their own schedule to meet up with the group for dinner.
For the Warren couple, the adventure allowed them to develop new friendships and make many unforgettable memories.
“We went to Barkerville in B.C., which is a historic mining community. It’s actually a designated historic site, a very neat place. We did a jet boat tour in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., about an hour and a half run up a river up to a set of falls that are taller than Niagara Falls,” said Peltz, who learned about the tour three years ago after getting a brochure in the mail.
“Then we came back about a half a mile and the tour operator had a camp set up on a little island in the middle of a river and he made us steak sandwiches. The meals have been absolutely incredible. We also did a horseback tour, and we did some golfing, fishing and lots of touring.”
The Peltzes were the only couple from Manitoba on the tour. They were accompanied by four camping units from Alberta and one from B.C.
“This has turned out to be a lot of fun. Nobody knew each other at first, and after the length of time we spent together, we’re just like family. It was all seniors on our tour. There’s one gentleman who’s 86 years old driving a semi with a fifth wheel. He rode a horse for two hours and looked like a natural cowboy. That’s the kind of people we have — some are quite adventurous,” he said.
“We probably would never have done a trip like this if it weren’t for Northern Woods and Water Highway. To try to find other individuals who would want to do something like this is a hard thing to do because it’s a time commitment. We were basically on the road for the whole month of June.”
The tour wrapped up in Manitoba, which was ideal for the Peltzes. Typically, the Manitoba portion includes visits to Swan River, The Narrows, Lundar, St. Laurent, Warren and Grosse Isle. However, some of the stops were modified due to wildfires and other considerations.
In Grosse Isle, the group enjoyed a dinner cooked by the ladies at the hall as well as a ride on the Prairie Dog Central. They originally were going to spend the night in Grosse Isle, but plans pivoted and the group ended up camping at the Peltzes’ property in Warren, making it a true homecoming.
And for anyone considering embarking on a similar adventure through Northern Woods and Water Highway, Peltz shared some sage advice based on experience.
“I would most certainly recommend it to others. The biggest recommendation I would give is to go out to B.C. and do the west-to-east route,” he said.
“The second recommendation — bring long underwear. There were some chilly days and that’s one thing I never brought. It’s quite a unique experience.”
To learn more about Northern Woods and Water Highway, including a map of the route, visit nwwr.ca. In addition to the guided tours, self-guided trips are also an option. To view a video of the group’s adventures, visit www.youtube.com for the video titled “2025 NWW RV Tour.”
