In 1862, John Giscome and Harry McDame, approached the Lheidli T'enneh at Fort George regarding a suitable route to the Peace River Country, where the two men planned to prospect for gold.

The next year, a guide from the tribe led them across the nine-mile-long portage and John Giscome later wrote an article for a Victoria newspaper.

Despite the newspaper coverage, the trail saw little use until the height of the Omineca Gold Rush in 1871, when nearly 400 miners successfully petitioned the government to build a wagon road over the portage to facilitate travel to the goldfields.

After 1909, the area experienced new growth with the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway's plans to cross the province at Fort George and the arrival of the Chilco, one of twelve sternwheelers operating as far as Tête Jaune.

When the river was frozen in winter, the 27 settlers drew lots to determine who would walk the 41-mile trail from Giscombe landing to the South Fort George post office to collect their mail.

[12] With the aid of government grants and local fundraising, the Giscome Portage Historical Society (formed in 1983) restored the store and homestead.