Fans of Dan Hurd are familiar with his fondness for saying there is gold everywhere on the Fraser. He seemingly mentions it in every video he posts from one of his Fraser River claims. Considering the amount of gold in those same videos, he may be on to something.
The BC government apparently concurs. Of the fourteen public panning reserves they’ve established across the province, six of them, in whole or in part, are on the Fraser River. I can personally vouch for Lytton and Yale having gold. And now I can render a verdict on the Hope Recreational Panning Reserve.
An odd thing to announce, I agree. But if you’ve done any online research about the Hope reserve, you’ll know that it’s not well-regarded by recreational panners. The consensus is that it’s panned out and that you’re better off driving an extra twenty minutes to the Yale Recreational Panning Reserve, which definitely has gold.
I took that advice to heart on our first two summer gold panning road trips. So, even though our route took us right past the Hope Recreational Panning Reserve, we ignored it, preferring to use our time chasing treasures on reportedly better hunting grounds.
When our third summer road trip came along, I decided it was time to give Hope a shot. A brief one, mind you, but a shot, nonetheless. No point driving by past it every summer and not trying it at least once.
How to Get There
Hope Recreational Panning Reserve, as the name suggests, is located in the town of Hope, B.C. Hope is found at the south end of the Fraser Canyon at the confluence of the Coquihalla River and the Fraser River. It’s also the gateway to the Lower Mainland.
As such, it’s the closest panning reserve to the three million plus people living in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. That many people within an hour and forty-five minute drive lends some credence to the possibility it’s been panned out.
The Hope Recreational Panning Reserve encompasses approximately 1.5 kilometers of the Fraser’s south riverbank starting from the confluence of the Coquihalla. This bend in the Fraser River demarks the northern, and a portion of the western, boundary of the primary residential area of Hope.
There’s about 7,000 people living in Hope, some of whom live literally across the street from the panning reserve. I don’t know about you, but if I lived in that neighborhood, I’d be spending a fair amount of my recreation time digging up that panning reserve. I’m sure locals think likewise. With zeal.
The Setting
You access the core of the reserve via a lovely park that rims the neighbourhood. Large cedars and other trees provide shelter to the assortment of benches and picnic tables present. Additional benches exist on the river side of the park. It all makes for a great spot to pan and enjoy a picnic lunch.
Once you’re standing on the panning reserve things get even better. The view is impressive, both upstream and downstream. It looks as though you’re in the middle of the wilderness. Had you been placed there blindfolded, you’d never guess you’re on the edge of town.
The panning reserve is primarily comprised of a large, gravel bar. Depending on time of year and accompanying water level, the exposed bar can be quite substantial. In late July, when we were there, the width of the bar made for quite a trek from the park to the water’s edge. I’d recommend bringing a bucket to haul bulk material unless you’re keen on getting your steps in.
Is There Gold at Hope Recreational Panning Reserve?
True to the online warnings, we didn’t find much gold at Hope Recreational Panning Reserve. It wasn’t a complete bust, but little to boast about. Granted, we only searched for a short period of time. An hour or so at most.
I recovered a single flake in each of two pans retrieved from a pre-existing hole dug next to the downstream end of the central bar apex. I guess I should thank the previous panner who didn’t fill their hole. Everywhere else we tried, be it near the water’s edge, mid bar, or along the bank, came up empty.
So, based on our admittedly small sample size, while there still is gold in the Hope Recreational Panning Reserve, it is small and sparse. The reserve’s location is convenient and views are pretty; I’d never dissuade anyone from trying there. But the advice to drive a little further to pan at Yale Recreational Panning Reserve is solid. There’s more gold at Yale and it’s easier to accumulate.