Harrison Lake
Encyclopedia
Harrison Lake is the largest lake
in the southern Coast Mountains
of Canada
, being about 250 square kilometres (95 mi²) in area. It is about 60 km (37 mi) in length and at its widest almost 9 km (5.6 mi) across. Its southern end, at the resort community of Harrison Hot Springs
, is c. 95 km east of downtown Vancouver. East of the lake are the Lillooet Ranges
while to the west are the Douglas Ranges
. The lake is the last of a series of large north-south glacial valleys tributary to the Fraser
along its north bank east of Vancouver
, British Columbia
. The others to the west are the Chehalis
, Stave
, Alouette
, Pitt
, and Coquitlam River
s.
At the north end of the lake is a small Indian
community of the In-SHUCK-ch Nation
, Port Douglas, British Columbia
, known in the St'at'imcets language
as Xa'xtsa (ha-htsa). There are several hot springs along the shores of the lake or near it, including at Port Douglas, Twenty Mile Bay and Harrison Hot Springs
. Doctors Point on the lake's northwest shore was a village and Transformer site, with a large rock painting depicting either the spirit of the winds that rule travel on the lake, or a medicine man turned to stone by the Transformers.
The main waterflow coming into the lake is the Lillooet River
, where there is a small bay named Little Harrison Lake. At the head of this bay was one of British Columbia
's main ghost towns, Port Douglas; today on its eastern shore is the rancherie
(village) or the Port Douglas Band of the In-SHUCK-ch Nation
. Halfway down Harrison Lake on its eastern shore is the valley of the Silver River
, also known as the Big Silver River, one of its tributaries being the Little Silver.
Opposite Silver River
on the west shore of Harrison Lake is Twenty-Mile Bay, site of one of the lake's many hotsprings; mid-lake between the Silver River and Twenty-Mile Bay is the northern end of the lake's longest and largest island, aptly named Long Island, 9.5 km long, 2.6 km wide. The other main island of any size in the lake is Echo Island, 4 km long and 2.2 km wide. It is offshore from Harrison Hot Springs
, and is immediately east of the forested canyon of the Harrison River
at the lake's outflow. The Harrison
enters the Fraser
near the community of Chehalis
.
Harrison Lake was important in the early history of British Columbia
as one of the water links on the Douglas Road
, which accessed the goldfields of the upper Fraser during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush
of 1858-60.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the southern Coast Mountains
Coast Mountains
The Coast Mountains are a major mountain range, in the Pacific Coast Ranges, of western North America, extending from southwestern Yukon through the Alaska Panhandle and virtually all of the Coast of British Columbia. They are so-named because of their proximity to the sea coast, and are often...
of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, being about 250 square kilometres (95 mi²) in area. It is about 60 km (37 mi) in length and at its widest almost 9 km (5.6 mi) across. Its southern end, at the resort community of Harrison Hot Springs
Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia
The Village of Harrison Hot Springs is a small community at the southern end of Harrison Lake in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia. It is a member of the Fraser Valley Regional District; its immediate neighbour is the District of Kent and included in it, the town of Agassiz. It is a resort...
, is c. 95 km east of downtown Vancouver. East of the lake are the Lillooet Ranges
Lillooet Ranges
The Lillooet Ranges are the southeasternmost subdivision of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains of British Columbia. They are located between the drainage of the Lillooet River and Harrison Lake on the west and the canyon of the Fraser River on the east, and by the lowland coastal valley of...
while to the west are the Douglas Ranges
Douglas Ranges
The Douglas Ranges are a subrange of the Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains of the Canadian province of British Columbia, about 70 km east of downtown Vancouver, north of the Fraser River and between the valleys of Stave and Harrison Lakes. They are approximately 4900 km² in area...
. The lake is the last of a series of large north-south glacial valleys tributary to the Fraser
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
along its north bank east of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The others to the west are the Chehalis
Chehalis River
The Chehalis River may refer to:*Chehalis River , in the United States*Chehalis River , in Canada...
, Stave
Stave River
The Stave River is a tributary of the Fraser, joining it at the boundary between the municipalities of Maple Ridge and Mission, about 35 km east of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in the Central Fraser Valley region....
, Alouette
Alouette River
The Alouette River is a river in the Canadian province of British Columbia.The Alouette River was known as the Lillooet River until 1914, at which time its name was changed to avoid confusion with the much larger Lillooet River...
, Pitt
Pitt River
The Pitt River in British Columbia, Canada is a large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it a few miles upstream from New Westminster and about 25 km ESE of Downtown Vancouver. The river, which begins in the Garibaldi Ranges of the Coast Mountains, is in two sections above and below Pitt...
, and Coquitlam River
Coquitlam River
The Coquitlam River is located in between the cities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam, suburban municipalities located in the Metro Vancouver. This river is a tributary for the Fraser River. Each year hundreds of salmon return to spawn in the Coquitlam River. There is a reservoir near the...
s.
At the north end of the lake is a small Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
community of the In-SHUCK-ch Nation
In-SHUCK-ch Nation
The In-SHUCK-ch Nation, also known as Lower Lillooet people, are a small First Nations Tribal Council on the lower Lillooet River south of Pemberton-Mount Currie in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
, Port Douglas, British Columbia
Port Douglas, British Columbia
Port Douglas, sometimes referred to simply as Douglas, is a remote community in British Columbia, Canada at the head of Harrison Lake, which is the head of river navigation from the Strait of Georgia...
, known in the St'at'imcets language
St'at'imcets language
Lillooet or Lilloet, also known as St’át’imcets , is the Interior Salishan language of the St’át’imc, spoken in southern British Columbia, Canada around the middle Fraser and Lillooet rivers. The dialect of the Lower Lillooet people uses the name Ucwalmícwts as St’át’imcets properly means "the...
as Xa'xtsa (ha-htsa). There are several hot springs along the shores of the lake or near it, including at Port Douglas, Twenty Mile Bay and Harrison Hot Springs
Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia
The Village of Harrison Hot Springs is a small community at the southern end of Harrison Lake in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia. It is a member of the Fraser Valley Regional District; its immediate neighbour is the District of Kent and included in it, the town of Agassiz. It is a resort...
. Doctors Point on the lake's northwest shore was a village and Transformer site, with a large rock painting depicting either the spirit of the winds that rule travel on the lake, or a medicine man turned to stone by the Transformers.
The main waterflow coming into the lake is the Lillooet River
Lillooet River
The Lillooet River is a major river of the southern Coast Mountains of British Columbia. It begins at Silt Lake, on the southern edge of the Lillooet Crown Icecap about 80 kilometres northwest of Pemberton and about 85 kilometres northwest of Whistler...
, where there is a small bay named Little Harrison Lake. At the head of this bay was one of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
's main ghost towns, Port Douglas; today on its eastern shore is the rancherie
Rancherie
A Rancherie is a First Nations residential area of an Indian Reserve in colloquial English throughout the Canadian province of British Columbia...
(village) or the Port Douglas Band of the In-SHUCK-ch Nation
In-SHUCK-ch Nation
The In-SHUCK-ch Nation, also known as Lower Lillooet people, are a small First Nations Tribal Council on the lower Lillooet River south of Pemberton-Mount Currie in the Canadian province of British Columbia...
. Halfway down Harrison Lake on its eastern shore is the valley of the Silver River
Silver River (British Columbia)
The Silver River, aka the Big Silver River and Big Silver Creek, or zácta in the St'at'imcets language of the In-SHUCK-ch people, is the second-largest stream entering Harrison Lake in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada...
, also known as the Big Silver River, one of its tributaries being the Little Silver.
Opposite Silver River
Silver River (British Columbia)
The Silver River, aka the Big Silver River and Big Silver Creek, or zácta in the St'at'imcets language of the In-SHUCK-ch people, is the second-largest stream entering Harrison Lake in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada...
on the west shore of Harrison Lake is Twenty-Mile Bay, site of one of the lake's many hotsprings; mid-lake between the Silver River and Twenty-Mile Bay is the northern end of the lake's longest and largest island, aptly named Long Island, 9.5 km long, 2.6 km wide. The other main island of any size in the lake is Echo Island, 4 km long and 2.2 km wide. It is offshore from Harrison Hot Springs
Harrison Hot Springs, British Columbia
The Village of Harrison Hot Springs is a small community at the southern end of Harrison Lake in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia. It is a member of the Fraser Valley Regional District; its immediate neighbour is the District of Kent and included in it, the town of Agassiz. It is a resort...
, and is immediately east of the forested canyon of the Harrison River
Harrison River
The Harrison River is a short but large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it near the community of Chehalis, British Columbia. The Harrison drains Harrison Lake and is the de facto continuation of the Lillooet River, which feeds the lake....
at the lake's outflow. The Harrison
Harrison River
The Harrison River is a short but large tributary of the Fraser River, entering it near the community of Chehalis, British Columbia. The Harrison drains Harrison Lake and is the de facto continuation of the Lillooet River, which feeds the lake....
enters the Fraser
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
near the community of Chehalis
Chehalis, British Columbia
Chehalis, British Columbia is a small forestry, agricultural and First Nations community in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia located on Highway 7 on the west bank of the Harrison River between the town of Mission and the resort community of Harrison Hot Springs.Chehalis is the site of...
.
Harrison Lake was important in the early history of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
as one of the water links on the Douglas Road
Douglas Road
The Douglas Road, aka the Lillooet Trail, Harrison Trail or Lakes Route, was a goldrush-era transportation route from the British Columbia Coast to the Interior...
, which accessed the goldfields of the upper Fraser during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush
Fraser Canyon Gold Rush
The Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, began in 1858 after gold was discovered on the Thompson River in British Columbia at its confluence with the Nicoamen River. This was a few miles upstream from the Thompson's confluence with the Fraser River at present-day Lytton...
of 1858-60.