Outdoor Adventure Itinerary

Be in the Wild
Outdoor Adventure

(3 nights and 4 days)

Day 1

The Harrison River Valley offers various accommodations including hotels, motels, B&B’s, cabins and campgrounds!

Arrive early and enjoy the afternoon discovering a local hiking trail. Hiking is an unscripted experience where exploration and spontaneity meet. It’s natural medicine. Serotonin levels are boosted creating a sense of serenity, and increased dopamine will leave you feeling great. 

Lace up your hiking boots, pack a snack, and fill your water bottle! 

“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.”  While we are all for self-exploring, we can’t resist sharing one of our favourite experiences: Shinrin-yoku, also known as forest bathing, is a practice of therapeutic relaxation where one spends time in a forest or natural atmosphere, focusing on sensory engagement to connect with nature.  Ya Doma Nature and Forest Therapy offers guided nature walks aka forest bathing, helping you reconnect to the natural environment to help support healing and wellness. Individual and group sessions are available.

Whether you are looking for a family-friendly walk or to hit the mountains hard, in the Harrison River Valley you’ll find a variety of hiking and trail options. 

SPIRIT TRAIL AND BRIDLE LOOP TRAIL

Spirit Trail is a short walk through an old-growth cedar forest that is very accessible from the Village of Harrison Hot Springs. What makes this trail so special is that a local resident and artist has decorated many of the cedars along the trail with beautiful masks. Several dozen in fact. The trail is found on McCombs Drive heading south from Harrison Lake. It is a 1.1 km loop, or you can add the Bridal Trail and turn this into a 5 km walking loop surrounded by forest, flora, wetlands, cliffs, and wildlife.

HICKS LAKE LOOP

Hicks Lake is a short 20-minute drive east of the Village of Harrison Hot Springs. This family-friendly 6.6-km trail loops around Hicks Lake in Sasquatch Provincial Park and offers absolutely stunning views of the lake with water access in various spots. The water is a pretty blue-green colour and great for swimming. The lake is a favourite for paddle boarding, and the trail is popular for birding! 

SANDY COVE AND WHIPPOORWILL point TRAIL

Head out on a hike in search of the elusive Sasquatch beast.  Follow the lakefront past the Resort Hotel and Qwolts Park. The trailhead starts 30 meters past the hot springs source. The first 150 meters are the most difficult, but you’ll be rewarded with amazing views of Harrison Lake at the first plateau. After some twists and turns, you’ll reach Sandy Cove and discover a little secluded beach to picnic and swim. You can head back at this point or continue along the beach until you reach the far end and starting point of the Whippoorwill Point trail. The hike is a moderate 3 km loop.

harrison grind aka CAMPBELL LAKE trail

This 11.4 km hike is great for the more experienced. It has an 850m elevation gain and takes 5-6 hrs to complete.

An old logging road takes you up a path that runs alongside a series of granite bluffs toward a great lookout. After the lookout, the hike continues upwards to Campbell Lake.

BEAR MOUNTAIN

Not for the faint of heart, this 18.3 km, 6-7 hour hike east of Harrison Lake is on the property of an active mining site. With an elevation gain of 1155m this trail has it all with beautiful waterfalls and views overlooking Harrison Lake. The summit features a viewpoint overlooking local farmland, the Cheam Range, and the Fraser River.

Day 2

Soul-soothing goodness

You may have heard Harrison Hot Springs is home to magical healing hot springs, but there is a whole free-spirit side to Harrison that you may not be aware of.  Harrison is also a kayaking mecca. From Harrison Mills to where the Harrison River meets Harrison Hot Springs, the scenery remains untouched, the water calm, and the exploration routes are endless. 

Kayakers come to the Harrison River Valley to embrace the serene and be held in suspense. Our area overflows with bird sightings, scenic wilderness, wildlife, breathtaking views, and waterfalls. Paddle it out with our top picks.

1. DABBLE WITH A PADDLE: Harrison Eco Tours offers the perfect trip for the novice or experienced kayaker. Leaving daily from the Harrison Lakeshore this tour includes safety orientation and a two-hour paddle on Harrison Lake and part-way down the Harrison River.

2. MIAMI RIVER IS FAMILY FRIENDLY: Bring along the little ones. This is an easy paddle suited for families with young children. The Miami River is a fun route where you’ll paddle through the Village enjoying wildlife including a variety of birds along the riverside. Keep an eye out for the resident beaver who is usually spotted close to the beaver dam by the 2nd bridge. 

3. HARRISON HISTORY THAT REMAINS A SECRET: Paddle past the First Nations’ petroglyphs, burial sites, and the historic “Bubble and Squeak” sunken steamship. Abundant wildlife and scenic beauty abound. 4-5 hours long.

4. OVER THE RAINBOW: Accessible by boat only, experience this unforgettable day trip by kayak. Pack a picnic lunch and plenty of water and take a guided paddle to Rainbow Falls. Stretch your legs as you take a short hike up to the falls. 8-hour round trip. 

5. FROM LAKE TO RIVER: From Harrison Hot Springs to Harrison Mills this experience is best done with a friend as two vehicles are required. Leave one in Harrison Mills at the Kilby Park Boat Launch and drive the other vehicle to Harrison Hot Springs. This is gorgeous year-round but especially in the fall when bald eagles gather! Be sure to explore the hatcheries along the way to catch the salmon run.

Note: Harrison Lake is the largest lake in southwestern BC measuring 60 km long and 9 km across at its widest point. It is a cold glacier-fed lake. Despite the seemingly calm waters, kayakers can experience strong gusts of winds without warning. Come prepared, use good quality fitted life jackets, stay close to shore, and only venture out with a guide or if experienced. 

Bring your own kayak or rent one from Killer’s Cove Boat Rentals.  Better yet, take a guided tour with Harrison Eco Tours.

6. SASQUATCH PROVINCIAL PARK: Located east of Harrison Hot Springs, Sasquatch Park is characterized by a series of pocket lakes, a unique second-growth and birch forest, and scenic mountain ridges. Hicks and Deer Lake are ideal for motorboating (<10hp) and canoeing, while Trout Lake provides a tranquil fishing experience. The Park is known for camping, hiking, wildlife viewing and picnicking.

7. HICKS LAKE: Located in Sasquatch Park this small lake offers a tranquil canoeing experience and is a wonderful way to spend the day. Canoe rentals are available seasonally.

Harrison Lake is a water sports paradise for windsurfing, parasailing and paddle boarding!

Day 3

Ride it out in the country or in the mountains

The Harrison River Valley is home to stunning countryside filled with experiences to captivate your senses and connect you to our friendly people and their agricultural roots. See our agricultural itinerary to discover the 26-km country road route filled with self-guided Circle Farm stops!

Pedal then pool: Stay and soak in the indoor public hot spring pool or enjoy the healing springs spa at Harrison Resort.

SYÉXW CHÓ:LEQW ADVENTURE PARK: Located near Ruby Creek (towards Hope) this Park features 4 km of walking and cycling trails, a bike skills park, viewing platforms, a 90,000 square foot playground, and more! Check out the mural paintings and wood sculpture art installations throughout the park.

Day 4

Go Fish!

Trout, salmon, sturgeon… you name it the Harrison River Valley is a sport fisher’s paradise. Situated on the largest freshwater lake in southwestern BC, the beautiful surroundings, immaculate rivers, and majestic wildlife attract anglers from across the globe. 

Fraser River transports thousands of migrating salmon between late August – December, and is home to our modern-day dinosaurs…the white sturgeon! These fish can weigh up to 1,000 lbs and live up to 200 years! Yes, we are being literal and are talking BIG FISH. The Fraser feeds right into the Harrison River which is home to Pacific Salmon species: King, Sockeye, Coho, Pink, and Chum. The vibrant phenomenon attracts tens of thousands of bald eagles and raptors which has positioned the Harrison region as the world’s largest winter eagle gathering. Harrison River is now the first designated Salmon Stronghold in Canada.

Lillooet River, located at the top end of Harrison Lake is renowned for superior ‘catch and release’ trout and char fishing -ideal for fly fishers! 

In Harrison Mills the Chehalis River Enhancement Facility provides insight into the lifecycle of salmon and trout. Visitors can learn about modern fish culture techniques to produce various salmon, steelhead, and sea-run cutthroat trout. 

Fishing is a lifestyle…embrace the calm of the water and the endorphin rush when the line starts to tug. A Harrison adventure guarantees fishing tales to be shared for years to come. 

How to get started?

• Obtain a fishing license
• Check out the Freshwater Fishing regulations
• Make sure you have the right equipment, fishing lines, hooks, and attire
• Choose the right bait for the type of fish you want to hook
• Reach out to one of our experienced fishing guides

The Harrison River Valley offers accommodations specializing in fishing trips. Be sure to enquire when reserving.

For more information on fishing in the region, guided packages, boat rentals, and guided tours, check out our website.