harrison river

Harrison Hot Springs is a spa village in the Fraser Valley of British Columbia, a popular weekend escape for many residents of Vancouver. The community was founded in 1886 after the Canadian Pacific Railway opened, making the village’s lakeside springs more accessible. The springs were discovered by a party of travelers looking to mine gold up in the province’s interior. They capsized on Harrison Lake and sunk to a spot that was surprisingly warm, not cold.

Today, the hot springs are a major attraction for tourists. The Harrison Hot Springs vent is actually the most sulphuric of any in British Columbia. Another attraction of the village is the annual Harrison Festival of the Arts, which takes place in the summer. There is also an international sandcastle building competition held every September.