Vancouver’s North Shore Filming Locations Day Trip

Take a gentle walk through the forest, stand outside Mel’s cabin from Virgin River, then find out where the Cylons had a standoff…all in one afternoon on Vancouver’s North Shore.

I’ve been coming to these two parks for years. I’ve walked the Cleveland Dam in every season, brought my women’s hiking group here for our very first hike, and visited with just about everyone I love. These are places I know well.

What I didn’t know – until I did a Cineventure filming locations tour with Cameron Gardner from Angus Films – was how many productions had been filming here the whole time. Virgin River, Battlestar Galactica, Supernatural, Tracker and dozens more, all shot in parks I’d been walking for years while completely oblivious.

Here’s what’s worth knowing before you visit.

Vancouver’s North Shore

Vancouver’s North Shore sits just across Burrard Inlet from Vancouver, about 20 to 30 minutes by car depending on where you’re coming from. It covers the District of North Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, and West Vancouver, and it punches well above its weight as a filming destination.

I was hosted by Melanie Savard from Vancouver’s North Shore Tourism Association alongside Cameron Gardner from Angus Films, who guided us through both locations with the kind of insider knowledge that completely changes how you see a familiar place.

Cameron has worked in the BC film industry for years and knows these parks the way most people know their own street.

Both stops on this day trip sit within the District of North Vancouver. You’ll need a car to get between them comfortably, though each location has its own parking area.

Murdo Frazer Park Filming Locations

I’ve walked past this park more times than I can count. It sits quietly off Paisley Road in the District of North Vancouver, the kind of place locals drive past without giving it much thought. That’s partly what makes it such a good filming location.

The star of the show here is the caretaker’s cabin, built in 1950, tucked into the trees beside a small pond. It’s a short, easy walk in from the parking area – five minutes at most, on a comfortable path.

Where is Mel’s Cabin from Virgin River?

If you’ve watched Virgin River, you already know this cabin. It’s where Mel arrives at the start of the series, and it appears throughout multiple seasons as her home.

The exterior is the real location. The interior scenes were shot on a studio lot, which is worth knowing before you visit, so you’re not surprised by what you find inside.

Standing in front of it, it’s smaller than it looks on screen. That’s almost always the way with filming locations.

If you’re a Virgin River fan, the Watershed Grill in Squamish was used as Jack’s Bar throughout the series. My Squamish filming locations guide covers that and more, and it makes a natural next stop if you’re heading up the Sea to Sky Highway.

Other Productions Filmed at Murdo Frazer Park

Virgin River is just the beginning. That same cabin has appeared in Once Upon a Time, Supernatural, The Flash, MacGyver, Stargate SG-1, Nancy Drew, Siren, Travellers, and A Dog’s Way Home.

Cameron told us it averages 12 productions a year. Twelve. For a cabin most North Vancouver locals have never heard of.

Several of those same productions also filmed across Greater Vancouver. If Supernatural and Once Upon a Time brought you here, my Burnaby filming locations day trip covers Deer Lake Park and Burnaby Village Museum, which have their own long list of screen credits worth exploring.

Cleveland Dam and Capilano River Regional Park Filming Locations

I’ve been coming to the Cleveland Dam for years. In winter, when the water runs high, and the mountains are dusted with snow. In summer, when the reservoir turns that impossible shade of blue.

I brought my women’s hiking group here for our very first hike together, and I’ve walked these trails with just about everyone I care about.

It’s one of those places that feels different every time you visit. Which is probably exactly why film crews keep coming back.

The dam itself is striking – a long concrete structure with a walkway across the top that looks out over the Capilano River below and the reservoir above. The surrounding forest is dense and green in every season. The Two Sisters peaks sit behind the reservoir on a clear day, unmistakable against the sky.

Cameron walked us through the full area – the dam walkway, the walkway above, the reservoir viewpoint, and the landing area below the dam. Each one has its own screen history.

From here, you can also see the gondolas going up Grouse Mountain to the north. You could consider adding a stop there to your trip if you want to spend more time in this area.

Battlestar Galactica, Tracker and More at the Cleveland Dam

The dam walkway and the landing area below are where Battlestar Galactica filmed a Cylon standoff scene.

Standing there with Cameron, he pointed out the Two Sisters peaks visible in that same shot. I could see those peaks from my window when I lived in the City of North Vancouver.

Watching them appear on screen in a BSG episode while looking at them through my window at the same time was one of those moments I didn’t expect to still think about years later.

Tracker has also filmed here, using both the landing area near the dam and the surrounding forest trails. So have Supernatural, Smallville, The Flash, Dark Angel, The 6th Day, Eureka, and Along Came a Spider.

Lunch at Kokomo, Edgemont Village

After a morning walking both parks, Edgemont Village is a natural next stop for where to eat in North Vancouver. It’s a charming little village with independent shops and local restaurants, and Kokomo sits right in the middle of it.

Everything on the menu is vegan, which makes ordering easy. Get the buffalo soy curls wrap – buffalo soy curls, tofu feta, pickled onion, black pepper, and hemp heart dressing in a flour tortilla. If you want something heartier, the chickpea curry is a longtime favourite.

📍 Kokomo, 3270 Edgemont Boulevard, North Vancouver

Vancouver’s North Shore pairs well with a day in New Westminster or a drive through the Fraser Valley if you’re building out a longer filming locations road trip from Vancouver. My New Westminster filming locations guide and Fraser Valley filming locations guide cover both in detail.

Planning Your Visit to Vancouver’s North Shore Filming Locations

Both parks are free to visit and open year-round. I’ve been to the Cleveland Dam in every season, and it’s genuinely worth the visit whenever you can get there. Spring and summer bring the best light, and the reservoir turns a remarkable shade of blue on a clear day.

Fall adds colour to the forest trails around Capilano River Regional Park. Winter is quieter, and the water running over the dam is higher and more dramatic, which is its own kind of reward.

Wear comfortable walking shoes for both locations. The path to the cabin at Murdo Frazer Park is easy and flat. The Cleveland Dam walkway is also flat, but the trail down to the landing area below is steeper, so proper footwear matters if you want to see where Tracker and Battlestar Galactica filmed.

You’ll need a car to get between the two parks comfortably. Allow a full morning for both without rushing, then head to Edgemont Village for lunch at Kokomo and one of the many places for coffee in North Vancouver.

Tips for Visiting Vancouver’s North Shore Filming Locations

• Both parks are free to visit and no booking is required.
• Arrive at Murdo Frazer Park first as it’s a shorter visit, then head to Cleveland Dam.
• Wear proper footwear if you want to walk down to the landing area below the dam.
• Both locations have parking, which is part of why film crews keep coming back – easy access without the logistics headaches you get at more remote spots.

If you enjoyed this post, the rest of my Cineventure filming locations series is worth bookmarking. I’ve covered Burnaby, New Westminster, Squamish, and the Fraser Valley, and each one has its own surprising screen history worth exploring.