| Thirty-two Lower Mainland Region fish viewing sites are listed. It is important to note that the fish runs identified vary from very small to very large, and that the actual timing of each run depends on many factors, including the amount of water in the stream.
These sites are representative of the hundreds of important small streams that provide critical, year round fish habitat. Many opportunities exist for you to participate with local groups in projects involving the maintenance and enhancement of fish streams. For more information an any of the listed streams contact the agency or group indicated in the ? symbol column. Check out the fish viewing etiquette section before you visit any of these sites. Many of these sites also offer bird and mammal vewing opportunities. There are fish viewing opportunities in other regions. |
Urban Streams are Year Round Habitat
| The spawning portion of the fish life cycle depends on very specific environmental conditions. All fish need clean water, the right amount of oxygen and a narrow water temperature range. When adult fish return to spawn they need an unobstructed river or stream for migration to their spawning grounds. Sometimes these basic needs are overlooked. Small but important urban fish-bearing streams are lost or are in critical condition because they are being used as dumps for discarded items, are being culverted and covered over as part of city growth, or are loosing streamside vegetation that is needed for maintaining viable habitat.
Very small streams provide critical habitat for juvenile fish to live and to grow. Salmon fry will spend up to 1 year in local freshwater streams before they migrate to the sea, while young Trout may inhabit freshwater streams for up to 3 years before migration. Therefore, stream habitat must be maintained throughout the year, not just during the time spawning occurs. What happens to the stream during the rest of the year will determine if spawning will occur, if the eggs laid will survive and hatch, and if the newly emerging fish fry will live. |
| site name | closest community | best viewing times for spawning activity | fish species | facilities | access conditions | closest highway(s) | additional directions | |
| Greater Vancouver | ||||||||
| Terminal Creek (Crippen Reg. Pk.) |
Bowen Island | November, December | Coho, Chum | viewing facility, hatchery | paved road | 1, 99 | off Mt. Gardner Rd. | |
| Davies Creek (Crippen Reg. Pk.) |
Bowen Island | a | November, December | Chum | viewing facility | paved road, trail | 1, 99 | along boardwalk from Snug Cove |
| Musqueam Creek (Musqueam Pk.) |
Vancouver | b | October, November | Coho | paved road | 99 | off Southwest Marine Dr. | |
| Noons Creek (Shoreline Pk.) |
Port Moody | c | October, November | Coho, Chum | in-site info., viewing facility, hatchery | paved road | 7 | off Ioco Rd. |
| Bear Creek (Bear Creek Pk.) |
Surrey | d | November | Chum | paved road | 99A | on 88th Ave. | |
| Serpentine River (Tynehead Reg. Pk.) |
Surrey | e | October, November | Coho, Chum, Chinook | viewing facility, hatchery | paved road | 1 | on 96th Ave. |
| Salmon River (Williams Pk.) |
Langley | d | October, November | Coho, Chum | on-site info. | paved road | 1, 10 | off 68th Ave. and 238th St. |
| Kanaka Creek (Kanaka Creek Reg. Pk.) |
Maple Ridge | f | October, November, December | Coho, Chum | on-site info., hatchery | paved | 7 | off Dewdney Trunk Rd. or 240th St. |
| Fraser Valley | ||||||||
| Stave River (Ruskin Rec. Site) |
Mission | g | October, November | Chum | on-site info., spawning channel | paved road | 7 | on Hayward St. |
| Inch Creek (Inch Creek Hatchery) |
Mission | h | November, December | Coho, Chum | on-site info, spawning channel, hatchery | paved road | 7 | off Hawkins Pickle Rd. |
| Weaver Creek (Weaver Creek Spawning Channel) |
Harrison Mills | i | October, November | Sockeye, Chum, Pink | on-site info., spawning channel | paved/gravel road | 7 | on Morris Valley Rd. |
| Trout Lake Creek (Sasquatch Prov. Pk.) |
Harrison Hot Springs | j | October, November | Chum | paved/gravel road | 9 | off Rockwell Dr. | |
| Hicks Lake Outlet (Sasquatch Prov. Pk.) |
Harrison Hot Springs | j | April, May | Rainbow Trout | on-site info. | paved/gravel road | 9 | off Rockwell Rd. |
| Chilliwack River (Chilliwack Lk. Prov. Pk.) |
Chilliwack | j | April | Steelhead Trout | on-site info., spawning channel, hatchery | paved/gravel road | 1 | on Chilliwack Lk. Rd. |
| Sweltzer River | Cultus Lake | d | October, November, December | Sockeye, Chum, Pink | paved road | 1 | on Columbia Valley Hwy. | |
| Maria Slough | Agassiz | d | October, November, December | Sockeye, Coho, Chum, Chinook | paved road | 1 | off highway and Sea Bird Is. Rd. | |
| Sucker Creek | Hope | d | October, November | Coho, Chum, Pink | on-site info., spawning channel | paved | 1, 3, 5 | off Union Bay Rd. |
| Kopp Creek | Hope | d | September, October | Kokanee | paved raod | 1, 3, 5 | on Kawkawa Lk. Rd. | |
| Coquihalla River (Coquihalla Canyon Rec. Area) |
Hope | j | June, July, August | Steelhead Trout | on-site info. | paved road | 1, 3, 5 | off Kawkawa Lk. Rd. |
| Squamish-Pemberton | ||||||||
| Mamquam River (Mamquam Spawning Channel) |
Squamish | k | November, December | Coho, Chum | spawning channel | paved road, trail | 99 | off dyke on northwest side of highway |
| Tenderfoot Creek (Tenderfoot Hatchery) |
Brackendale | l | November, December | Coho, Chum | on-site info., spawning channel, hatchery | paved road | 99 | off Paradise Valley Rd. |
| Crabapple Creek | Whistler | d | May(1), June(1), September(2), October(2) | Rainbow Trout(1), Kokanee(2) | paved road, trail | 99 | along Valley Trail | |
| Millar Creek (or Jordan Creek) |
Whistler | d | May, June | Rainbow Trout | paved road, trail | 99 | along Valley Trail | |
| Fee Creek (Fee Creek Spawning and Rearing Channel) |
Pemberton | m | November, December | Coho | viewing facility, spawning channel | paved road | 99 | on highway just north of Mt. Currie |
| Phelix Creek (Birkenhead Lk. Prov. Pk.) |
D'Arcy | n | September, October | Kokanee | on-site info. | paved/gravel road | 99 | north of Mt. Currie |
| Sunshine Coast | ||||||||
| Langdale Creek (Langdale Ferry Terminal) |
Gibsons | d | October, November, December | Coho, Chum | paved road | 101 | at Langdale Ferry Terminal | |
| Chapman Creek (Chapman Creek Hatchery) |
Sechelt | o | August, September, October, November, December | Coho, Chum, Pink | on-site info., viewing facility | paved road | 101 | off Field Rd. |
| Angus Creek (Porpoise Bay Prov. Pk.) |
Sechelt | n | October, November | Chum | on-site info., viewing facility | paved road | 101 | off Sechelt Inlet Rd. |
| Anderson Creek (John Daly Reg. Pk.) |
Pender Harbour | p | October, November | Coho, Chum | on-site info., viewing facility | paved road | 101 | off Garden Bay Rd. |
| Ruby Creek | Pender Harbour | d | October, November | Kokanee, Cutthroat Trout | on-site info. | paved road | 101 | off Halowell Rd. |
| Lang Creek (Lang Creek Hatchery) |
Powell River | q | August, September, October, November | Coho, Chum, Chinook, Pink | on-site info., spawning channel, hatchery | paved road | 101 | on highway |
| Sliammon Creek (Sliammon Hatchery) |
Powell River | r | October, November | Chum | spawning channel, hatchery | paved road | 101 | on highway |
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| Fish viewing demands courtesy and common sense. For the well being of fish, other wildlife and their habitats please follow these guidelines.
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Be Considerate of Fish and Wildlife