Bear Mountain is one of the fun hikes close to Harrison Hot Springs and Sasquatch Provincial Park Campground, on the north side of the Fraser Valley, BC. The hike itself is a bit of a grind; It starts on a forest service road, and just keeps slowly climbing up the whole way. It would be a good hike for sunny days as so much of the route is shaded. We visited on a gloomy day and were rewarded with a few minutes of sunshine and fabulous views near the top.

Bear Mountain trail map

The map below shows the route up Bear Mountain next to Harrison Lake. See my  strava recording here.

Bear Mountain – The basics

Distance: 18km (alltrails distance) My strava recording said 20km.
Elevation Gain: 1100m ish 
High Points: 1050m (this is before the viewpoint, which is at 1020m)
Time: 5 hours. (We took 5.5 hours with 30mins break at the top)
What to bring:
Plenty of water, and bear spray.
The 10 Essentials
Facilities: Nothing, although Sasquatch Provincial Park is nearby and there are loos there.
Dogs: Great for dogs
How hard is it? Moderately hard. It’s an unrelenting uphill slog until you reach the lake.

Panoramas from Bear Mountain – Harrison

I’ll start with these so you can see why you might want to visit this lovely area.

Bear Mountain – Getting started

The trailhead is at the bottom of a forest service road, on Rockwall drive, 5km from Harrison Hot Springs. It doesn’t show up on google maps, but the GPS coordinates are 49°19’57.7″N 121°45’02.9″W. Park at the bottom, without blocking any driveways and begin your walk up the old service road. There is a closed gate with a “no trespassing” sign – that’s not the way!

Old RN Mine

You’ll see a yellow bulldozer on the first corner of the FSR. Then, after a few minutes, you’ll reach the RN Mine. The mining company, Bear Mountain Gold, is still operating here. The gate was open and there was no-one around when we visited at the weekend. Just be aware if you come when they are working, the gate to the trailhead may be locked.

After the mine, you should take the trail that forks off to the right. The FSR is a little more wild and overgrown from this point onwards.

You’ll cross a washed out section of trail (with views down to Harrison Lake.) Soon after that, if you peek into the trees you’ll be able to spot a wrecked car.

Bear Mountain Waterfall

About 2km along the trail you’ll reach a pretty waterfall that cascades down the cliffs, plus a second smaller waterfall. The surrounding rocks are blanketed in moss. It’s gorgeous.

Overgrown but gorgeous

The further along the Bear Mountain trail we walked, the more grasses and bushes take over the path. This is fabulous for flowers, but you may want to wear long hiking pants if you visit later in the summer!

There are soooo many gorgeous wildflowers along this trail in early summer!

Harrison Lake views

At 850m(ish) elevation, there are some great views of Harrison Lake. This would be a good destination if you don’t have time to hike to the top. You can see over to Mount Agassiz (aka the Harrison Grind), which is another great hike.

After the viewpoint, the trail goes back into the trees and up around one last large bend in the road. It’s steep, but keep going! After this, the trail plateaus out so it is easier going beyond Bear Lake. We didn’t stop at the lake, but we did meet a beautiful toad.

After Bear Lake, continue along the path into the forest. It is flat for a while, then climbs up to the highest point, within the trees. The best views on Bear Mountain are not at the summit – so you need to climb down to the Bear Mountain viewpoint

Bear Mountain Viewpoint

This is what makes Bear Mountain worth the slog up! The viewpoint is lovely! There is an ugly tower and a helipad, so you’ll know you’ve found the right spot.

The views are great (even on moody days!) You can see down to the Fraser River. Hope is in one direction, with Chilliwack in the other. It is always cool to see the giant sediment-filled river and the valley that it has shaped to the south.

Heading back

You need to retrace your steps back to the trailhead. It’s just a bit faster and easier now you’re heading downhill the whole way. The trail is flat enough to make running down a good option, if you’re not too tired.

Other trails near Harrison Hot Springs:

We were camping in Sasquatch Provincial Park when we attempted this trail. If you are staying in the area, there are quite a few other great hikes near here.

• Campbell Lake (The Harrison Grind) – another fun workout hike
• The other Bear Mountain in Mission – this is a much easier option
• The other side of the valley is Cheam Peak – the best hike in the area
• Hope Lookout trail – for a shorter workout hike

What do you think? Does Bear Mountain look like the kind of challenge you’d relish, or would you prefer one of the easier adventures nearby? Click on the pins below to save this for later.