Capilano River

The Capilano River' is located near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The river is one of three primary sources of drinking water for residents of Greater Vancouver. The Cleveland Dam impounds a reservoir for this purpose.

The Capilano has a historic salmon run which was impacted by the dam construction. A fish hatchery was built 1/2 km downstream of the dam to ensure the survival of the run.

The river flows through coastal rainforest and, in its lower stretches, follows a striking granite canyon with walls in excess of 40 metres tall in places.

Recreation

The Capilano flows during snow melt and when it rains. Commonly seen on the river at these times are the colourful boats and apparel of whitewater kayakers as the river becomes a prime destination located just ten minutes from downtown Vancouver. The river is rated as class III though at high water it can be much more challenging. A kayaker was killed in high water as recently as 1998.

A Regional Park adjacent to the fish hatchery provides several kilometers of scenic, easy to moderate hiking trails alongside the river.