About this spot

Provincially designated recreational hand-panning reserve on roughly 1.5 km of the south bank of the Fraser River at Hope, from the Fraser bridge toward the Coquihalla confluence. The closest free public panning to Metro Vancouver; fine flood gold in the bars.

Before you go

Hand pans and hand shovels only — no metal detectors, sluices or motorized equipment inside the reserve. High spring water can cover the bars. Verify current reserve boundaries and status with the BC ministry responsible for mines before visiting.

Source

BC Ministry of Energy and Mines recreational hand panning reserve; Tourism Hope, Cascades & Canyons (tourismhcc.ca/gold-panning-in-hope-cascades-canyons)

Marked Verified: confirmed against an official or authoritative source at the time of writing.

This guide is general information for recreational prospectors — it is not legal advice. Mining, land-access, and environmental regulations change and vary site by site. Always verify the current rules with the official sources linked above before heading out, obtain permission from private landowners and mineral-claim holders, and respect First Nations rights, settlement lands, and treaty areas — some lands require permission or are closed to panning entirely.