Park overview
Epper Passage Park lies on route to popular kayak camping areas within Clayoquot Sound, including Flores Island and Vargas Island. Located between Meares and Vargas Islands, the park encompasses Dunlap and Morfee Islands.
This park offers a variety of water-based wilderness recreation opportunities, including scuba diving, boating, kayaking, fishing and wildlife viewing. The rocky terrain makes access to the upland portion of the park difficult, making it unsuitable for wilderness camping. Ecological Reserve status is being considered for these small islands, whose surrounding waters are rich in marine life, including the rare massive purple ascidians (sea squirts).
Accessible by boat only, travel to the park offers excellent views of the pristine wilderness that is Clayoquot Sound. Paddlers should use caution when traveling in Epper Passage, as the area is often busy with commercial boat traffic and dense fog can enclose the area quite quickly during the summer months. On a clear day, exploring the waters surrounding these small unique islands provides plenty of rewarding opportunities for nature enthusiasts, photographers and adventurers.
Advisories
Camping
Facilities
While fires are allowed, we encourage visitors to conserve the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using stoves instead. If you must use a campfire, please practice “Leave No Trace” camping ethics.
Campfire bans may be in place. Before lighting a fire, check for bans or restrictions on BC Wildfire Service and on local or Indigenous government websites.
Activities
There is no designated swimming area at this park, however opportunities exist for ocean swimming.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Epper Passage lies on route to popular kayak and camping areas within Clayoquot Sound, including Flores Island and Vargas Island.
Paddlers can travel from Tofino through Maurus Channel to reach Epper Passage. Be aware of high speed commercial boat traffic in Epper Passage. Use caution, as dense fog is common during the summer months in this area. A kayak launch is located at First Street Dock in Tofino.
The waters of Clayoquot Sound may contain a variety of fish species, including salmon, rockfish, halibut and lingcod.
Rockfish Conservation Areas occur within this park. Fishing activities are limited in Rockfish Conservation Areas. Before you go fishing please refer to the Rockfish Conservation Area descriptions available from Fisheries and Oceans Canada DFO.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Portions of this park are open to hunting for specific species. Hunters must have valid licences and tags. Please refer to current printed Hunting and Trapping Regulations and Synopsis publication for closures and regulations.
Epper Passage is located in Clayoquot Sound, north of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver Island. This park includes Dunlap and Morfee Islands between Meares and Vargas Islands. The park is accessible by boat. Boaters can reference marine chart #3673 for more information about this area. Nearby communities include: Tofino, Ucluelet, Ahousat, Flores Island, Meares Island.
Park and activity maps
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: July 12, 1995
- Size: 328 hectares (54 ha upland and 274 ha foreshore)
Nature and culture
Conservation
The waters surrounding these small islands are rich in marine life, including scarce massive purple ascidians (sea squirts).
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.