Where to see spawning salmon in Metro Vancouver and beyond

Fall is the time for spawning salmon across B.C., and mid-October to mid-November is prime time to see the fish making their annual journey upstream. In Metro Vancouver, the season is marked by migrating coho and chum, as well as pink salmon during odd-numbered years, according to the Pacific Salmon Foundation.

Spawning is the process by which mature salmon migrate from the ocean back to their freshwater origins to reproduce. The Foundation clarifies that these migratory patterns and life cycles differ between species of Pacific salmon.

For example, steelhead and cutthroat salmon can spawn more than once, while others only spawn once in their lives. Some spend years in their original natal streams, while others leave before their age of maturation.

The one thing they all have in common is the fact that they are anadromous; they all start in freshwater streams or rivers, migrate to the ocean, and then return home to spawn and die. The natural phenomenon is the perfect emblem of the circle of life, and there are plenty of places to witness it in our own backyard in B.C.

This includes tons of provincial and regional parks as well as conservatories in the Greater Vancouver area, so you don’t have to travel far from the city if you don’t want to.

Here are just some of the many spots in Metro Vancouver and beyond where you can see spawning salmon this fall:

Metro Vancouver 

• Capilano River Regional Park
• Hoy Creek Hatchery, Coquitlam
• Little Campbell River Hatchery
• Tynehead Regional Park
• Terminal Creek Fishway / Bowen Island Hatchery
• Williams Park

Squamish 

• Tenderfoot Creek Hatchery
• Mamquam River Trails

Harrison Hot Springs and Harrison Mills

• Kilby Provincial Park Loop Trail (215 Kilby Rd., Harrison Mills)
• Sandpiper Resort Eagle Interpretive Trail (14282 Morris Valley Rd., Harrison Mills)
• Qwólts Park and Whippoorwill Point (100 Esplanade Ave., Harrison Hot Springs)
• Sts’ailes Heritage Trail (16300 Morris Valley Rd., Harrison Mills)
• Chehalis River Hatchery (16250 Morris Valley Rd., Harrison Mills)

Vancouver Island

• Goldstream Provincial Park 
• Stamp River Provincial Park
• Ayum Creek Regional Park
• Qualicum River Hatchery Trails (Qualicum Beach)
• Englishman River Regional Park
• Sooke Potholes Provincial Park
• Stamp River Provincial Park

Elsewhere in B.C. 

• Great Blue Heron Nature Reserve

Salmon viewing tips

BC Parks recommends using binoculars or polarized glasses to best view fish in the water, urging park visitors to remain on marked trails and keep noise to a minimum around spawning areas.

It’s also best to wear dull-coloured clothing to prevent spooking the salmon or drawing their attention away from their journeys.

Finally, remember to keep pets on leash and out of the water, and avoid walking through the shallower spawning areas.

As with all wildlife, every small human action helps protect the fish and the many ecosystems that depend on them.

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