Where to see salmon spawning

October 4, 2023

By: Meghan Rooney

Spawning season provides an opportunity to witness one of the truly great miracles of the natural world. In previous years, we compiled this list of some great places to view salmon spawning. So far, this year has been a mixed bag in terms of returns, so please, let us know what you see out there in your local rivers and streams.

Get involved!

You can help us build a better picture of how the salmon returns are faring across the province. If you head out to see salmon spawning in your area, use your phone to take photos or make a short video and post on social media with the date and location in the text of your post and the hashtag #salmonspawnwatch. Include any observations you make while you are there. If there are no salmon returning, and you expect them to, that is an important observation too!

As always, please feel free to suggest viewing spots that have not yet been added to this list!

Victoria and surrounds

Goldstream Provincial Park, Victoria

Goldstream is a beautiful park any time of the year, but especially when the chum, coho, and Chinook salmon are running in October and early November. There are plenty of walking trails, picnic areas with fire pits and an engaging nature house.

Ayum Creek Regional Park, Sooke

Visit Ayum Creek in the fall to observe spawning coho and chum salmon.

Vancouver Island

Stamp River Provincial Park, Port Alberni

Salmon runs begin in late August in Stamp River Provincial Park, running all the way into December. Full of walking trails and beautiful views, you can watch sockeye; coho, and Chinook circle the pool below Stamp Falls before climbing fish ladders to get to their spawning beds.

Campbell River, Campbell RiverSONY DSC

Campbell River calls itself the “Salmon Capital of the World” and is a great spot, not just for fishing, but for seeing spawning salmon. There are a lot of spots to see them running in the fall, pinks in September, and Chinook and coho in October and November.

Big Qualicum River, Qualicum Beach

A 10-kilometre trail runs along the river from the Big Qualicum Hatchery providing plenty of viewing opportunities.

Englishman River Regional Park, Parksville

Salmon typically begin to return to the Englishman River in September.

Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast

Chapman Creek, Sechelt

A 1.5- to 2-hour nature trail, for biking or walking, takes you to Chapman Creek, a spawning channel for chum and coho.

Capilano River Hatchery, North Vancouver

North Vancouver’s Capilano River Hatchery draws more than 225,000 visitors a year. Right up the road from the entrance to the Capilano Suspension Bridge, an information centre educates visitors on the spawning cycle and offers various viewing areas to see the fish. There are also trails to hike which give a fantastic view of the salmon spawning. You can see Chinook travelling upstream in October and November and other salmon species throughout the year.

Lower Mainland

Chehalis River, Agassiz

Spawning salmon can be observed between mid-October and November.

Great Blue Heron Reserve, Chilliwack

Witness the return of pink, chum and coho salmon from October through mid-December.

Inch Creek, Dewdney

Observe coho and chum salmon in November.

Harrison RiverWeaver Creek Spawning Channel, Harrison Mills

Harrison River has all five species of salmon, with spawning times between late summer to mid-October. In the same area, you can also visit Weaver Creek Spawning Channel, a 3 km man-made spawning channel created in 1965. Chum, sockeye and pink all spawn there, with sockeye spawning in early to late October.

Thacker Regional Park, Hope

Visit Thacker Regional Park in October for a chance to see spawning coho, pink and chum salmon. The hike to a good viewing point is approximately 1 kilometre.

Williams Park, Langley

Mid-October to late November/December is a great time and place to watch coho, chum, and Chinook. 

Kanaka Creek, Maple Ridge

Visit the Kanaka Creek fish fence to see returning chum and coho salmon from mid-October through mid-November.

KEEPS and the Bell-Irving Hatchery put on two major events during the run; Return of the Salmon on Sunday, October 22 from 11 AM-2 PM and Let the EGGcitement Begin on Sunday, November 5 from 11 AM-2 PM at the Bell-Irving Hatchery.

Hyde Creek, Port Coquitlam

Chum and coho can be seen in Hyde Creek between mid-October and November. Visit Hyde Creek Nature Reserve and walk along the creekside trail for many opportunities to see salmon. A  great spot to watch from is a streamside platform located behind the Hyde Creek Recreation Centre. Hyde Creek Watershed Society runs a volunteer-run salmon hatchery here and hosts an annual salmon festival in the fall.

Mamquam Spawning Channel, Squamish

In the Mamquam River, you can see coho, chum and pink salmon spawning between August and November. Walk along the main trail head toward the river and you’ll find an interpretive sign and spawning channels. Keep walking to where the Mamquam meets the Squamish River for the best viewing.

Tynehead Park, Surrey

You can see steelhead, coho, chum and Chinook in the Serpentine River that runs through Tynehead Park. Take a walk on the Salmon Habitat loop or get a good view of spawning salmon from late August to November from one of the many bridges. The Serpentine Enhancement Society runs a volunteer-based hatchery here.

Interior

Tsútswecw Provincial Park (Roderick Haig-Brown), Salmon Arm
N.B. Tsútswecw Provincial Park is temporarily closed due to recent wildfires.

With one of the largest sockeye runs in North America, the Adams River between late September and late October is a great place to see spawning salmon. In Tsútswecw Provincial Park, trails lead to riverside viewing platforms with interpretive signage describing the salmon run and spawning process. 2026 will be the next dominant year, which means there will be larger runs for viewing. For information about the Salute to the Sockeye festival, and about guided tours, visit the Adams River Salmon Society website. 

Fulton River, Granisle
Witness sockeye salmon returning between late August and mid-October.

Some more sites suggested by our supporters include:

Stoney Creek, Burnaby

Stoney Creek, Abbotsford

Sooke Potholes Park, Sooke

Charters Creek Hatchery, Sooke

Coquihalla River, Hope

Morrison Creek, Comox Valley

Puntledge River, Comox Valley

Tsolum River, Comox Valley

Hoy Creek Hatchery, Coquitlam

Tenderfoot Creek, Squamish

Seton Creek Spawning Channels, Lillooet

Share This Story!

Where to see salmon spawning

October 4, 2023

By: Meghan Rooney

Spawning season provides an opportunity to witness one of the truly great miracles of the natural world. In previous years, we compiled this list of some great places to view salmon spawning. So far, this year has been a mixed bag in terms of returns, so please, let us know what you see out there in your local rivers and streams.

Get involved!

You can help us build a better picture of how the salmon returns are faring across the province. If you head out to see salmon spawning in your area, use your phone to take photos or make a short video and post on social media with the date and location in the text of your post and the hashtag #salmonspawnwatch. Include any observations you make while you are there. If there are no salmon returning, and you expect them to, that is an important observation too!

As always, please feel free to suggest viewing spots that have not yet been added to this list!

Victoria and surrounds

Goldstream Provincial Park, Victoria

Goldstream is a beautiful park any time of the year, but especially when the chum, coho, and Chinook salmon are running in October and early November. There are plenty of walking trails, picnic areas with fire pits and an engaging nature house.

Ayum Creek Regional Park, Sooke

Visit Ayum Creek in the fall to observe spawning coho and chum salmon.

Vancouver Island

Stamp River Provincial Park, Port Alberni

Salmon runs begin in late August in Stamp River Provincial Park, running all the way into December. Full of walking trails and beautiful views, you can watch sockeye; coho, and Chinook circle the pool below Stamp Falls before climbing fish ladders to get to their spawning beds.

Campbell River, Campbell RiverSONY DSC

Campbell River calls itself the “Salmon Capital of the World” and is a great spot, not just for fishing, but for seeing spawning salmon. There are a lot of spots to see them running in the fall, pinks in September, and Chinook and coho in October and November.

Big Qualicum River, Qualicum Beach

A 10-kilometre trail runs along the river from the Big Qualicum Hatchery providing plenty of viewing opportunities.

Englishman River Regional Park, Parksville

Salmon typically begin to return to the Englishman River in September.

Vancouver and the Sunshine Coast

Chapman Creek, Sechelt

A 1.5- to 2-hour nature trail, for biking or walking, takes you to Chapman Creek, a spawning channel for chum and coho.

Capilano River Hatchery, North Vancouver

North Vancouver’s Capilano River Hatchery draws more than 225,000 visitors a year. Right up the road from the entrance to the Capilano Suspension Bridge, an information centre educates visitors on the spawning cycle and offers various viewing areas to see the fish. There are also trails to hike which give a fantastic view of the salmon spawning. You can see Chinook travelling upstream in October and November and other salmon species throughout the year.

Lower Mainland

Chehalis River, Agassiz

Spawning salmon can be observed between mid-October and November.

Great Blue Heron Reserve, Chilliwack

Witness the return of pink, chum and coho salmon from October through mid-December.

Inch Creek, Dewdney

Observe coho and chum salmon in November.

Harrison RiverWeaver Creek Spawning Channel, Harrison Mills

Harrison River has all five species of salmon, with spawning times between late summer to mid-October. In the same area, you can also visit Weaver Creek Spawning Channel, a 3 km man-made spawning channel created in 1965. Chum, sockeye and pink all spawn there, with sockeye spawning in early to late October.

Thacker Regional Park, Hope

Visit Thacker Regional Park in October for a chance to see spawning coho, pink and chum salmon. The hike to a good viewing point is approximately 1 kilometre.

Williams Park, Langley

Mid-October to late November/December is a great time and place to watch coho, chum, and Chinook. 

Kanaka Creek, Maple Ridge

Visit the Kanaka Creek fish fence to see returning chum and coho salmon from mid-October through mid-November.

KEEPS and the Bell-Irving Hatchery put on two major events during the run; Return of the Salmon on Sunday, October 22 from 11 AM-2 PM and Let the EGGcitement Begin on Sunday, November 5 from 11 AM-2 PM at the Bell-Irving Hatchery.

Hyde Creek, Port Coquitlam

Chum and coho can be seen in Hyde Creek between mid-October and November. Visit Hyde Creek Nature Reserve and walk along the creekside trail for many opportunities to see salmon. A  great spot to watch from is a streamside platform located behind the Hyde Creek Recreation Centre. Hyde Creek Watershed Society runs a volunteer-run salmon hatchery here and hosts an annual salmon festival in the fall.

Mamquam Spawning Channel, Squamish

In the Mamquam River, you can see coho, chum and pink salmon spawning between August and November. Walk along the main trail head toward the river and you’ll find an interpretive sign and spawning channels. Keep walking to where the Mamquam meets the Squamish River for the best viewing.

Tynehead Park, Surrey

You can see steelhead, coho, chum and Chinook in the Serpentine River that runs through Tynehead Park. Take a walk on the Salmon Habitat loop or get a good view of spawning salmon from late August to November from one of the many bridges. The Serpentine Enhancement Society runs a volunteer-based hatchery here.

Interior

Tsútswecw Provincial Park (Roderick Haig-Brown), Salmon Arm
N.B. Tsútswecw Provincial Park is temporarily closed due to recent wildfires.

With one of the largest sockeye runs in North America, the Adams River between late September and late October is a great place to see spawning salmon. In Tsútswecw Provincial Park, trails lead to riverside viewing platforms with interpretive signage describing the salmon run and spawning process. 2026 will be the next dominant year, which means there will be larger runs for viewing. For information about the Salute to the Sockeye festival, and about guided tours, visit the Adams River Salmon Society website. 

Fulton River, Granisle
Witness sockeye salmon returning between late August and mid-October.

Some more sites suggested by our supporters include:

Stoney Creek, Burnaby

Stoney Creek, Abbotsford

Sooke Potholes Park, Sooke

Charters Creek Hatchery, Sooke

Coquihalla River, Hope

Morrison Creek, Comox Valley

Puntledge River, Comox Valley

Tsolum River, Comox Valley

Hoy Creek Hatchery, Coquitlam

Tenderfoot Creek, Squamish

Seton Creek Spawning Channels, Lillooet

Share This Story!

Stand with us to defend wild Pacific salmon

Stand with us to defend wild Pacific salmon

14 Comments

  1. JACKIE CAMPBELL September 29, 2018 at 11:28 am - Reply

    Kanaka Creek fish fence Kanaka Way and 240th Street Maple Ridge

  2. Laura dupont September 29, 2018 at 2:41 pm - Reply

    Despite heavy urbanization on Burke Mountain, Port Coquitlam is fortunate to have numerous Salmon bearing creeks including Maple Creek and Hyde Creek. A great place to see spawners is behind Hyde Creek Regreation Centre at 1379 Laurier Ave. There is a wonderful walking and biking trail that parallels the creek and makes for a nice stroll along the Poco Trail.

  3. Colin Levings October 2, 2018 at 8:20 pm - Reply

    Anderson Creek near Pender Harbour has spawning areas for chum salmon. A good viewing point is John Daly Park on Garden Bay Road.

    PS liked the item on Tynehead Park/Serpentine River – in late 1950s used to see the spawners there when I was delivering papers
    on my bike

    I tweeted out a video of chum spawners at Anderson Creek from October 2016 and retweeted it today – see @cdlevings

  4. Irene L October 15, 2019 at 11:43 am - Reply

    The Brunette River at Cariboo Dam is good spot. You can see splashing in the Brunette where the salmon are actively spawning. There is a beautiful fishway to watch the salmon make their way up past the dam and into Burnaby Lake. They usually start appearing around Thanksgiving. We’re working on sharing the story of this waterway, and the hard work done over thirty years to bring this river back to life and the salmon to return.

  5. Donald Edgar October 26, 2020 at 7:43 pm - Reply

    No more spawns like that.
    Not even at the Nitinaht river, where once river escapement was 300k.Hoping they get the Nitinaht Hatchery producing again. Funding has been cut back so much. Runs mostly are only 2/3,ds that

  6. Helen Englund September 5, 2021 at 8:43 am - Reply

    The Horsefly River about an hour east of Williams Lake

  7. Anne Woosnam September 5, 2021 at 8:46 pm - Reply

    Hoy Creek Hatchery, Coquitlam, BC. In Hoy Creek Linear Park.
    See for maps and more info: http://hoyscottcreeks.org/
    Tentative date for modified Salmon Come Home event is October 24th, 2021

  8. Tracy Lyster September 15, 2021 at 9:23 am - Reply

    The Lower Stave river near Mission is an incredible spot to view large numbers of spawning chum and coho.
    Also great for eagle viewing.
    Ample parking and river access is in the Ruskin recreation area, just below the Ruskin dam on Hayward street.
    More public awareness is needed to protect this incredible estuary from development.

  9. Dave Anderson September 7, 2022 at 9:19 pm - Reply

    I’m up in the Bulkley Valley so home waters are the Bulkley, Morice Rivers. Allot of spawning tribs to cover over a long distance. Closest spawning creek would be Toboggan Creek which supports a Coho hatchery and Steelhead natal waters come Mar/April.
    Dave

  10. Kevin black November 1, 2022 at 10:20 am - Reply

    lots of salmon in sooke river, and goldstream river right now!

  11. Simon Matthews October 7, 2023 at 4:21 pm - Reply

    Come to the Kanaka Creek Fish Fence (at 23960 Kanaka Creek Rd, Maple Ridge) to see the returning Chum and Coho salmon from mid-October through mid-November.

    KEEPS and the Bell-Irving Hatchery put on two major events during the run; Return of the Salmon (https://keeps.org/return-of-the-salmon-2023) Sunday, Oct 22nd from 11AM-2PM, and will have interpretive staff at the fence on Oct 29th and Nov 4th. Of course, Bell-Irving staff are onsite once or twice a day during the runs removing fish from the fish trap to take to the hatchery for spawning, and will always offer viewing and education!

    The second event is “Let the EGGcitement Begin” (https://keeps.org/let-the-eggcitement-begin/), Sunday, Nov 5th 11AM-2PM at the Bell-Irving Hatchery (11485 256th St., Maple Ridge). We will be doing a number of chum egg takes throughout the day, and offering explanations of the whole process! See where we keep the adult spawners, how we harvest, measure, and fertilize the eggs, and what happens (and why) to all of the bodies! We will also have presentations and displays in the George Ross building.

  12. David Beatty October 7, 2023 at 4:29 pm - Reply

    Quinsam River Hatchery on Quinsam River Hatcher Road

  13. Irene October 15, 2023 at 7:30 pm - Reply

    Cariboo Dam,
    Cariboo Road, Burnaby, BC

    Located at the east end of Burnaby Lake, Cariboo Dam overlooks the Brunette River to the East where the salmon have made their way from the Fraser. They will spawn in the Brunette or make their way up any of the tributaries such as Stoney Creek or Eagle Creek. Some of them will rest and continue up the beautiful fishway into Burnaby Lake.

    Located on Cariboo Road between Government Road and Avalon Avenue in Burnaby, BC. You can park at the lot at 9157 Avalon Avenue or look here for directions:
    https://burnabylakepark.ca/directions/

Leave A Comment

Related Posts