Cheakamus River

Check out the “Cheak.” You won’t be disappointed. This river is named for a special fish weir or trap called a *chiyak* used by the local First Nations to harvest salmon. Needless to say the kayak fishing here is really good for not only salmon, but also steelhead, trout, and char. The “Cheak” is also one of the most popular whitewater runs in the province: the upper section offers intermediate and expert paddlers continuous river running at its finest (class IV) while the lower section is mellower (class II-III) and better for newbies Class II+. Lots of great wave trains. Biggest rapid lies where Culliton Creek joins the Cheakamus and is sometimes described as a class III rapid. River is a spillway controlled by the Daisy Lake Dam. The take out is river-left just before the bridge after the North Vancouver Outdoor School. Large parking area at take out. A great run for beginners and gorgeous for scenery and eagle watching. Home to a variety of fish species such as the Chinook, Coho, Chum, Pink, Sockeye and Steelhead all can be found in the lower Cheakamus, along with the resident species Rainbow Trout, Cutthroat Trout and Bull Trout. These resident species occur also above the barrier and upstream of Daisy Lake Dam.