Alaska Highway Hat Collection

Originally opened in 1947 by the prospecting Callison Brothers and their families, the Lodge has only had a few owners since most recently Darrel Stevens and Matthew Roy. After a life traveling Western Canada and working in the oil, mining, and logging, the best friends came across the Toad River Lodge in British Columbia, at mile 422, during a family trip along the Alaska Highway. In 1999 they became the new owners.

A regular breakfast stop for fishermen and hunters—noted for its soup, chili, and pies, as well as massive cinnamon buns)—it also hosts truckers, tourists, and hikers. In addition to the cozy restaurant, the lodge’s biggest claim to fame covers its walls (and even the ceilings): countless baseball caps that make up their vast “museum” collection.

There are hard hats, military hats and several other types too, but it’s mainly the classic ball cap, featuring some global brand names but also countless local companies, gone and extant, from the thousands of miles of the Highway (and even foreign parts). The walls of the lodge are also lined with old newspaper clippings and photos with history of the area and the lodge, and of course a taste of the local scenery and animals you might see.

Update as of July 2022: The hats are no longer on display.