Where was Journey of My Heart filmed? Guide to the Filming Locations

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Set in the Alaskan wilderness, this new Hallmark movie tells the story of a young biologist traveling to The Last Frontier estate. Abby is following her research on the migratory and mating habits of the king of all birds, the eagles.

However, if you are into Hallmark movies, you probably already know that many of them are shot in Canada. Journey of My Heart was filmed in and around Vancouver and features wondrous British Columbia locations.

Where was Journey of My Heart filmed

Rhiannon Fish plays scientist Abby Morgan, whose life revolves around her job at the fictional North Star Wildlife Institute. The investigation leads her to the lovely Lakeside Lodge, where she meets the handsome local guide, Eric Hughes, played by Darien Martin.

Eric will try to point her in the right direction to find the remote Eagle Crest, the birds nesting area. The original title of this romantic comedy was actually Love on the Wings of Eagles.

The results of our sleuthing revealed the key filming locations of Journey of My Heart.

The Lakeside Lodge

The Lakeside Lodge Alaska
Owned by Niko and Ellen Rivers, the Lakeside Lodge was filmed at Loon Lake Lodge.

This awesome spot is located near Maple Ridge on the Vancouver side of Golden Ears Provincial Park, the same location where The Adam Project was filmed.
(You can open all the locations on Google Maps by clicking on the links below in the captions ↴)
Image courtesy of Hallmark Channel - Map


Jacos Landing
Surrounded by lush nature, the Loon Lake Lodge complex is a retreat center offering corporate events, wellness weekends, and a summer recreation program called Camp Goodtimes.

This magnificent location was also used in the Hallmark hit movie Chasing Waterfalls, where a magazine reporter is searching for the mythical (and fictional) Redwood Falls.


Journey of My Heart lake
The lake where the expedition starts paddling down to Tanana River (a real Alaskan river, tributary of the big Yukon River) is Loon Lake.

You can see a section of the Golden Ears mountain range in the background (on the right side of the image).
Image courtesy of Hallmark Channel - Map

The Eagle Crest and Hidden Canyon

The Eagle Crest
Chasing Waterfalls and Journey of My Heart share some other filming locations.

When the duo gets to Hidden Canyon, the gorgeous area that "feels like no human being's ever set foot here" is the Mamquam River gorge in Squamish.

Located near the Garibaldi Highlands community, the 62-foot (19 meters) Mamquam Falls features turquoise and emerald green water pools, depending on the time of year.
Image courtesy of Hallmark Channel - Map


Mamquam Falls
The residents of the surrounding neighborhood in Mamquam Falls are developing a plan to build a non-invasive boardwalk around the river.

The project is called Squamish Canyon, and it also includes a forest lounge deck with a recreational playground under this unique rainforest canopy.


Paradise Valley Campground
According to one of our readers, many scenes including Jaco’s Landing (where Abby meets tribal elder Jaco Thomas), the glamping location, Jaco’s log house, the fishing lesson, canoeing to native camp, the camping, the bear scene, the eagle close up, and most of the hiking scenes were filmed in a private property near the Paradise Valley Campground in the Cheakamus River in Squamish.
Image courtesy of Hallmark - Map


Cheakamus Canyon
There is another sequence that recalls another scene from Chasing Waterfalls.

The 'dangerous' climbing scene was probably filmed at the Foundation Wall climbing spot at Cheakamus Canyon, although we can't confirm this 100%.

The scenic beauty of this region is very popular among filmmakers. Many productions including Riverdale, Lost in Space, Resident Alien, and Big Sky were filmed here.
Image courtesy of Hallmark Channel - Map


Hidden Canyon
Also, the film contains a lot of superb stock footage of eagles recorded who knows where and random landscapes, including an establishing shot of the massive Half Dome rock at Yosemite National Park in California.

By the way, playing harmonica in the habitat of wild animals that are not accustomed to human contact is probably not a good idea: please don't do this at home in the woods.

Meet the Journey of My Heart cast

Rhiannon Fish
Canadian-Australian actress Rhiannon Fish is best known for her roles in the popular television soap operas Neighbours and Home and Away.

After starring in the Disney Channel show As the Bell Rings, she also played a recurring role in The CW post-apocalyptic science fiction drama The 100.

You may have seen Fish recently playing a supporting role in Hallmark's The 27-Hour Day, a movie also filmed in British Columbia released this August.


Darien Martin
Darien Martin is a Canadian actor who was also featured in The 100 TV series.

Martin has been involved in many top shows and movies recorded in Vancouver including Flora and Ulysses, DC's Legends of Tomorrow, iZombie, Arrow, The Magicians, Salvation, and The Arrangement.

This is one of his first starring roles along with Love in Yellowstone, currently in post-production.


Journey of My Heart Cast
The main cast is completed by indigenous actress based in Vancouver Grace Dove as Ellen Rivers (The Revenant, How it Ends), Native American actor Paul Colin Grenier as Niko Rivers (Indian Road Trip, Blackstone), Ray G. Thunderchild as Jaco Thomas (Northern Exposure, The Good Doctor), Bethany Brown as Meaghan Walker (Operation Christmas Drop, The Flash), Marion Eisman as Alice Winters (The L Word, Riverdale), and the super-tall actor Dan Payne as Davis Bell (Alice, I Think).


Can you help to improve this article about the filming locations of Journey of My Heart? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info, or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you!

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10 comments:

1- Marilyn Potenza - Sep 5, 2021, 6:27 PM
Disappointed that Hallmark films did not photograph this movie “Journey of my Heart” in Alaska.

2- Anonymous - Sep 5, 2021, 8:56 PM
Utterly unexpected to have a morning shot appear of Half Dome, though!

   Reply
   3- Ra Moon - Sep 6, 2021, 10:32 AM
   Thanks a lot, I was looking for this one!

4- Mike McDonald - Jan 5, 2022, 8:27 PM
I don’t know where you could find a more beautiful location to film this film. Absolutely beautiful.

5- Leda J Bell - Feb 17, 2022, 12:02 PM
I loved these places, I want to visit them someday. The location allowed the free spirit of the love story to be magical. Hallmark fan Leda J Bell 78.

6- Anonymous - Jun 27, 2022, 10:37 PM
Why not actually film in Alaska if you're going to make a film IN Alaska? It'd be a refreshing change... and the truth.

7- Anonymous - Sep 14, 2022, 5:14 PM
They used footage of turkey vultures saying they were eagles and changed a black bear into a grizzly from one scene to the next. Terrible job.

8- Christine Sutton - Mar 21, 2023, 9:52 PM
Yes, it’s a Hallmark film. Yes, it’s a little sappy, soapy, and predictable. BUT the wonderfully appealing actors, storyline, and gorgeous scenery make this movie very worthwhile. I shed a tear or two. Very heartwarming.

9- Christine Sutton - Sep 13, 2023, 5:35 PM
I absolutely loved this movie, all of the cast and the scenery. I would love to see more of them and this location in more Hallmark movies!

10- LynAyre - May 28, 2024, 10:20 PM
Thank you so much for mentioning the actual places where this movie was made, i.e. Squamish and Maple Ridge. So often I read stuff like "This movie was filmed in Vancouver, in British Columbia, and Canada". What does that even mean? Vancouver, BC, Canada is one place not three.

Anyway, I also wanted to mention this is my fifth time watching this movie. As well, two other series that I’ve watched— Virgin River and Sullivan’s Crossing were both filmed in the Squamish area. There are so many movies that are filmed there, it’s incredible. The scenery is perfect for this type of filming.

As to why so much filming goes on in this area of British Columbia, I’ve read on other sites that it’s because movie makers get a tax cut in Canada where they don’t in the US. Money is tight everywhere, I guess. Thanks again for being so accurate with your information. I applaud you.


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