The Muskwa (Bear) River, above, flows past the south end of Fort Nelson, and is the lowest point on the Alaska Highway at 1,000 ft. elevation. It's both a blessing and curse to the town. It the summer it hosts beaches, boating, fishing and camping. Winter provides a solid surface for skiing, skating, or hiking. However, in June flood waters cascade down from its origin in the Northern Rocky Mts. to the northwest. The spring runoff can rise to 20 ft. The 1970 bridge was built higher than past versions to compensate for the flood waters.
Some 2,000 military personnel descended on Fort Nelson in 1941 t0 build the section from here to Whitehorse plus a side road north to Fort Simpson NWT. These trucks were involved.
The spacious Visitor Center is across the highway from the museum. It has an abundance of useful materials for visitors.