Hurley River facts for kids
The Hurley River is an important river in west-central British Columbia, Canada. It flows into the larger Bridge River. Long ago, people called it the South Fork of the Bridge River.
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About the Hurley River
How the Hurley River Got its Name
For a time, the river was known as "Hamilton's River." This name came from Danny Hamilton, an American who was one of the first people to look for gold in the upper Bridge River area.
Later, around the 1920s, its name changed to the Hurley River. This new name honors Dan Hurley. He was an important early explorer and settler in the Lillooet Country.
Where the River Flows
The Hurley River starts high in the mountains near Railroad Pass. This pass is a gap between the Bridge River and Lillooet River areas.
The river first flows east through a wet, marshy valley. Then, it turns north, passing close to the old gold-mining town of Bralorne.
From there, the river tumbles over the partly hidden Hurley Falls. It then enters the deep Hurley Canyon. This canyon stretches for about 16 kilometers (10 miles). The river flows through this canyon before joining the Bridge River near Gold Bridge. This meeting point is just below the Lajoie Dam.
There is still a working placer mine at the end of the canyon. A placer mine digs for gold in riverbeds. This mine is called "South Fork," which reminds us of the river's older name.
The Hurley Main Road
The Hurley River also gave its name to a famous road in British Columbia. This road is called the Hurley Main. It connects Gold Bridge and Pemberton.
A "main" road is a main route for logging trucks. It is the biggest road in a network of smaller logging roads. The Hurley Main road uses Railroad Pass near the river's source.
From the pass, the road goes high above the Lillooet River. Drivers then have to go down a steep, winding road to reach the valley floor.
Railroad Pass got its name because it was considered for a railway route. Engineers looked at it in the 1870s for the Canadian Pacific Railway. They also considered it again later, between the 1890s and 1910s, when many new railways were being planned.
