Kamloops gold panner Jamie Pearce pans in Tranquille River in September, 2024.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Jamie Pearce

Tranquille River near Kamloops is famous for its gold panning activity, but for the second year in a row it has been closed for the spring, right at the prime time for gold panning.

Located on the north side of Kamloops Lake roughly 13 kilometres from the city, the river has been mined for gold since the mid-1800s and at one time was widely known as one of the only three “18 carat creeks” in the province, according to BC Gold Adventures. 

At the head of a walking trail running along the riverbanks is a sign posted by BC Parks saying “please stay out of the Tranquille River in order to protect salmon spawning grounds. No dogs in river, gold panning or swimming until further notice.”

“Right now, until peak flood in June, is perfect for panning when the water is low and there are hardly any bugs,” said Kamloops resident Jamie Pearce who has been panning the river for six years. “Panning is my hobby, my happy place and a place to get away.”

A BC Parks sign is posted on the trailhead at Tranquille River in Kamloops.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Jamie Trudell

The advisory on the BC Parks website provides more detail stating the river is temporarily closed to recreational use to protect spawning salmon including endangered coho salmon.

“Any activity within the river and its banks can cause direct physical damage to sensitive egg nests (called REDDS) as well as burying them with displaced sediment,” the advisory read.

Last year, the sign was posted for the first time and stayed up from September 2023 until June when the spring freshet was over.

“The water levels have been so low the salmon couldn’t get up the river,” Pearce said. “Someone dug a trench to help the fish and started the ban. I hate it, but I understand it’s for the fish.”

Pearce is concerned the initiative might become permanent and is skeptical about the necessity of it.

“The word is it’ll be reopened after the floods in June,” he said. “It really floods in June. Water turns to chocolate milk and is scary fast. It sounds like a bowling alley during a good flood, with rocks bouncing, but me panning is a problem.

“If it’s closed permanently the amount of gold that’ll start to build up will cause problems. Gold fever is not to be messed with.”

Tranquille River is located on the north side of Kamloops Lake roughly 13 kilometres away from Kamloops city centre.

(SHANNON AINSLIE / iNFOnews.ca)

Kamloops resident Jamie Trudell is a long-time gold panner who has found “a bit” of gold in the Tranquille River since moving to the Tournament Capital from the Lower Mainland two years ago.

“It’s a hot spot for gold panners, has been for a long time and it’s considered to be one of BC’s best sites,” he said. “It’s pretty popular.”

Trudell gold pans for the serenity but also the physical work out and fresh air he gets. He is frustrated by the closure of the river.

“I don’t mind doing stuff for the salmon, but every time I’ve been up there I’ve never seen evidence of them so I wonder if there is any truth to spawning still happening in that channel,” he said. “I’ve only been here for two seasons so maybe the fish are on a cycle.

“Panners want to get in there when the water level is the lowest, so right now is a good time. Once it starts getting high water and flooding its off limits, you can’t get to the spots in the creek you’re likely to find gold.”

Trudell said gold panning regulations require panners to be meticulous about not causing disturbance in the water.

“If the Tranquille River was an actual spawning ground they wouldn’t allow panning to begin with,” he said.

Trudell and Pearce both claimed they’re following the advisor, with the former saying he hasn’t seen any other panners working the river while the sign has been up and the latter claiming people are still panning.

The closures are due to a recent increase in salmon returning to the river that prompted concerns about the impact of recreational activities on spawning and rearing salmon by the Secwepemc Fisheries Commission and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, according to an emailed statement to iNFOnews.ca by Ministry of Environment and Parks issued April 4.

BC Parks said gold panning in the Lac du Bois Protected Area the Tranquille River runs through is a unique allowance, as typically gold panning and other resource extractions aside from hunting and fishing are prohibited under the Park Act.

The park was designated through the 1996 Kamloops Land and Resource Management Plan under the Environment and Land Use Act that allowed gold panning to continue as long as it did not negatively impact the area’s environment.

“Gold panning in this area has been a casual outdoor activity enjoyed by many, and the seasonal closure has been well supported by users,” the statement reads. “Park rangers have been conducting regular patrols along the creek and have observed high compliance with the closure.”

There are no plans to increase enforcement such as issuing tickets or fines.

The seasonal closures aim to protect coho and pink salmon spawning and overwintering cycles and are in place from September to May, depending on when the salmon return to Tranquille River and when the spring freshet happens.

“The freshet is essential to the salmon, when this water movement pushes the salmon fry into the open water, however, species like coho may stay longer in the creek and an extended closure may be implemented to protect these species.”

— This article was updated Friday, April 4, 2025 to include a statement from BC Parks. 

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