Harrison Hot Springs: Lakeside, Mineral Baths and Culture

When choosing a hotel or other accommodation in Harrison Hot Springs, you can focus on what matters most to you: waterfront areas, walking trails, galleries, mineral baths and events offer different ways to spend your time here.

Lakeside and Harrison Lake

The lakeside in Harrison Hot Springs includes sandy beaches, parks, swimming areas and playgrounds. If you’re planning to spend time by the water, you’ll find different types of waterfront areas there. Harrison Lake, accessible from Harrison Hot Springs, is glacier-fed, about 60 kilometres long and about 9 kilometres wide at its broadest point. The lake offers opportunities for sailing, boating, windsurfing, kayaking and fishing—a different way to include the lake in your trip than staying on the shore.

Harrison Hot Springs also has a public boat launch. It is owned by the Village and operated by the Fraser Valley Regional District; a fee applies to its use. If you’re planning a boat trip, this fee is a practical detail to consider. Which of the activities mentioned is right for you depends on how you’d like to spend your time on or by the water.

Walking Trails and Time Outdoors

Harrison Hot Springs has well-maintained hiking and walking trails, including the Miami River Greenway. This means there are trails for getting around on foot as well as activities on the water. Another point of interest is the recreation area with the Spirit Trail on McCombs Drive near McPherson Road. There are picnic tables, a washroom facility and a parking lot, as well as interpretive signs. These amenities can be useful if you’d like to take a break during a walk.

Mineral Baths, Art and Sasquatch

The Harrison Mineral Baths are an indoor pool located in the centre of the Village. The pool is kept at 38°C (100°F). Separate from this is the cultural significance of the mineral-rich waters: the local Sts’ailes First Nations have revered them for thousands of years as a “healing place.”

You can discover art in other ways: the Ranger Station Art Gallery is a public art gallery in Harrison Hot Springs and is open year-round. The Harrison Sasquatch Museum includes exhibits on Land of the Giants and the Sts’ailes Longhouse room, as well as carvings and interactive displays; admission is free. The Sasquatch Trail offers another way to explore the subject: it lets you discover Sasquatch carvings and statues in Harrison Hot Springs.

Events Throughout the Year

The Harrison Festival of the Arts is an annual ten-day event held lakeside in July. The program includes concerts, a craft market, visual arts exhibitions and interactive workshops. The different formats bring together music, art and hands-on activities over several days of events.

Sasquatch Days is also held annually and is jointly hosted by the Village of Harrison Hot Springs and the Nation of Sts’ailes. This gives the events calendar a distinct cultural focus. If a particular festival is important to your travel plans, check the event date in advance. That way, you can connect your search for accommodation with the activities you actually want to plan.

For the broader travel overview: Fraser Valley.