Fraser Valley Information

The Fraser Valley region in southern British Columbia lies due east of Vancouver and is essentially two distinct geographical landscapes. The wide, fertile lower Fraser Valley spreads out between the Coast and the Cascade Mountains, and runs parallel with the Canada-USA border for 150 km (100 miles) from Vancouver to Hope before changing dramatically into sheer cliffs and deep gorges at the edge of the Cascade Mountains. The powerful Fraser River has eroded a deep canyon along its route south of Lillooet through Lytton and extends all the way to Hope. Don’t miss a chance to experience Hell’s Gate and stand right over the thunder and roar of this awesome Fraser River.

Fraser Country communities are largely rural and residential, and include Langley, Abbotsford, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Mission, Chilliwack, Harrison Hot springs and the District of Kent, Hope and Manning Park, the Fraser Canyon and Lytton.

A great introduction is to take a Circle Farm Tour and explore the Fraser Valley’s lush green fields and rolling hills that highlight prosperous farm communities and provide an escape to award-winning wineries, heritage pioneer sites, such as the Kilby Historic Site, and authentic First Nations tours. You can find farm-gate vendors with fresh berries, vegetables, dairy products, honey, hazelnuts, trout, corn, herbs and flowers, and variety of locally produced artisan specialties, charming eateries, open-air markets, heritage sites, fairs, rodeos, air shows and other special events.

The area is rich in Gold Rush history with buildings and memorabilia from the 1860’s to bring back memories of a by-gone era when communities here were once the envy of world-wide attention as news got out that nuggets had been found. Try your hand at panning for gold or warm up your GPS and compass to hunt for clues and treasure cached for fun. Don’t forget to check out Lillooet’s Jade Trail too.

Of course with the surrounding mountains, lakes and rivers it is paradise for many outdoor activities including fishing, hiking, camping, white-water rafting, canoeing and kayaking, skiing, trail riding on bikes or horseback, bird watching, and berry picking. Challenge yourself on one of the many golf courses, like the one that takes you through the challenges and hazards of a working sheep farm! Take a dip in the mineral-rich warm waters of Harrison Hot Springs and relax even more.

More about:

Abbotsford
Langley: City of Langley & Township of Langley
Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows

Click here to return to the British Columbia regional overview page.

Map: See street photos by zooming in and using Google’s Street View by dragging the yellow man icon from left hand side bar onto streets highlighted in blue.

Photo credits: Hope, Mighty Fraser Country and Harrison Bay Jet Ski courtesy Vancouver Coast Mountain/Graham Osborne; Fraser River Fishing Lodge BBQ courtesy Tourism Vancouver/Fraser River Fishing Lodge