Eagle Run dyke
49°45′ N 123°09′ WViewpoint
The Eagle Run dyke in Brackendale is where to watch the bald eagles that winter on the Squamish River, and it suits anyone in the Sea to Sky from November to January with binoculars. BC Parks closes the eagles' own park across the river all winter, so you watch from this bank and keep your distance.
Photo by Matthew Stephenson on Unsplash and others, credited in the gallery
Field card · Sight · No. 010 · checked 17 Oct 2026
Check the EagleWatch daily count online before you drive up.
Access
Tourism Squamish calls the dyke an accessible site with a ramp at the south end. Volunteers clear snow from the ramp in winter when they can.
Chum salmon running up the Squamish River and the rivers that feed it draw bald eagles from across the Pacific Northwest and BC's interior from November to February, BC Parks says. In the 1994 winter count Squamish logged a world record of 3,769 eagles. The birds roost and feed inside Brackendale Eagles Park on the river's west bank, and BC Parks gives that park no road access or river crossing.
The Squamish River valley lies in the territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation). Viewing happens from the Eagle Run dyke on the east bank, across from the BC Easter Seals camp at 41015 Government Road. The viewing shelter there carries an interpretive display on the eagles and the chum salmon they feed on. In season, Squamish EagleWatch volunteers count the birds on the dyke every day and post the numbers online, and Tourism Squamish puts the winter's eagles at more than 1,300.
Tourism Squamish asks watchers to stay on the dyke and off the gravel bars and private land, and to keep dogs on a leash. It also asks for binoculars or a long lens in place of a drone. An eagle chased off its food on the shore might not return to it, and it needs that energy to get through the winter.
Worth knowing
- Check Squamish EagleWatch's daily count online before you drive up.
- Stop at the Squamish Adventure Centre for a map of viewing spots, since Tourism Squamish says every eagle tour is self-guided for now.
- Pair the dyke with the Tenderfoot Creek Hatchery, open 9 am to 3 pm daily, where you can watch salmon and eagles and use the washrooms.
- Keep food packed away, because BC Parks lists black bears and cougars in the eagles' park and BC's Wildlife Act makes feeding them an offence.
Quick answers about Eagle Run dyke
When is the best time to see eagles in Brackendale?
BC Parks puts the peak of the Brackendale eagle season in November and December, with good numbers into January. Tourism Squamish recommends early morning and 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm, when the eagles move between their feeding areas and their roosts.
Where do you watch the eagles in Squamish?
Watch from the Eagle Run dyke on Government Road in Brackendale, across from the BC Easter Seals camp at 41015 Government Road. BC Parks closes Brackendale Eagles Park on the far bank to recreation from 1 October to 31 March.
Is eagle viewing at the Eagle Run dyke free?
Yes. Watching from the Eagle Run dyke and its viewing shelter costs nothing, and Tourism Squamish says the shelter is open year-round.
Should you fly a drone to see the Brackendale eagles?
No. Tourism Squamish's ethical viewing guidelines ask visitors not to use drones around the eagles and to bring binoculars or telephoto lenses instead.
What are the opening hours of Eagle Run dyke?
Eagle Run dyke is open tourism Squamish says the Eagle Run viewing shelter is open year-round. Volunteers clear snow from the ramp when they can, so winter access is more limited.
When is the best time to visit Eagle Run dyke?
Eagle Run dyke: BC Parks puts the peak in November and December, with good numbers into January. Tourism Squamish suggests early morning, when the eagles hunt after a long cold night, or 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm, when they leave their feeding areas for the roosts.
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