British Columbia Highway 97

Highway 97 marker
Highway 97
Map
Highway 97 highlighted in red.
Route information
Maintained by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Length2,081 km (1,293 mi)
Existed1953–present
Component
highways
(1) Okanagan Highway between Osoyoos and Vernon

(2) Vernon-Monte Creek Highway between Vernon and Monte Creek
(3) Cariboo Highway between Cache Creek and Prince George
(4) John Hart Highway between Prince George and Dawson Creek

(5) Alaska Highway between Dawson Creek and Watson Lake, Yukon
Major junctions
South end US 97 at the Canada–United States border near Osoyoos
Major intersections
North end Hwy 1 at the Yukon border
Location
CountryCanada
ProvinceBritish Columbia
Regional districtsSummerland, Peachland, Lake Country, 100 Mile House, Chetwynd, Taylor
Highway system
Highway 95A Highway 97A

Highway 97 is a major highway in the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is the longest continuously numbered route in the province, running 2,081 km (1,293 mi) and is the only route that runs the entire north–south length of British Columbia, connecting the Canada–United States border near Osoyoos in the south to the British Columbia–Yukon boundary in the north at Watson Lake, Yukon.

The highway connects several major cities in BC Interior, including Kelowna, Kamloops, Prince George, and Dawson Creek. Within and near these cities, Highway 97 varies from a two-lane highway to a freeway with as many as six lanes. Some remote sections also remain unpaved and gravelled. The route takes its number from U.S. Route 97, with which it connects at the international border. The highway was initially designated '97' in 1953.