Barkerville Airport

The closure was primarily due to economic reasons and declining use. As a small, unpaved airstrip with limited facilities, it served a niche general aviation and tourism market. The operational costs, combined with low and often seasonal traffic, made it unsustainable. Improved road access to Barkerville and the proximity of other airports, such as the one in nearby Wells (CZWL, 7 km away) and the larger regional airport in Quesnel (CYQZ, 85 km away), ultimately made the Barkerville strip redundant.

The airport is completely abandoned. Satellite imagery of the coordinates (53.0881, -121.514999) clearly shows the remnants of a single north-south runway. The airstrip is heavily overgrown with grass, weeds, and small trees, and is slowly being reclaimed by the surrounding forest. There are no buildings or infrastructure remaining on the site, and it is not used for any other purpose. The land is undeveloped and appears to be part of the greater Barkerville Historic Town & Park area.

Barkerville Airport's primary function was to support the tourism industry of the Barkerville Historic Town & Park, a National Historic Site of Canada. It provided direct air access for private pilots and small charter companies flying tourists into the remote gold rush town. The airport handled light, STOL (Short Takeoff and Landing) capable aircraft such as Cessna 185s and de Havilland Beavers, which were suited for its short, unpaved turf and gravel runway. It played a small but important role in the local economy by providing a faster travel alternative to the mountainous terrain. The identifier CA-1004 is a non-standard code, likely a database-specific or provincial identifier, as it does not follow the official 'C' prefix for Canadian airports designated by the ICAO.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Barkerville Airport. The factors that led to its closure—lack of demand, high costs, and the availability of nearby alternatives—are still valid today. Furthermore, given its location within a sensitive historical and natural park area, any proposal to re-establish an airport would likely face significant environmental and regulatory hurdles. The prospect of reopening is considered extremely low to non-existent.