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Northern Rocky Mountains Provincial Park and Protected Area
About This Park
Northern Rocky Mountains Park, established in June 1999, encompasses 665,709 hectares of wilderness in northeastern BC. It is the largest of all the parks in the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area and the third largest provincial park in BC. Northern Rocky Mountains Park includes Wokkpash (click here to view information about the Wokkpash hiking trail), a former recreation area that was recently upgraded to Class A park status. The area borders Stone Mountain Park to the northwest and Kwadacha Wilderness Park and Recreation Area to the southwest. In combination, these areas protect a vast portion of the northeastern mountain landscape, creating an unparalleled contiguous wilderness.
Northern Rocky Mountains Park offers an exciting array of visual and recreation features and opportunities for the backcountry adventurer. Recreation activities include scenery and wildlife viewing, angling, boating, hunting, adventure tourism, camping, hiking, horseback riding and nature photography.
Access to the area is mainly by boat, aircraft, hiking or horseback. Recreational use is primarily during the summer and autumn months. For the rest of the year, the area is virtually uninhabited. There are many primitive campsites along the major river courses. Most of the main rivers and creeks have trails that were established by guide outfitters, but few are well maintained.
Size: Park – 665,709 hectares; Protected Area – 763 hectares
Know Before You Go
Special Notes
- Special care must be taken in alpine and sub-alpine areas. These are among the most fragile because of the severe conditions and short growing season. Please walk carefully and tread lightly.
Location and Maps
Maps and Brochures
Nature and Culture
- Conservation: The Northern Rocky Mountains Park provides representation of the Eastern Muskwa Ranges, Muskwa Foothills and Muskwa Plateau ecosections. The park landscape consists of a series of northwest-southeast trending valley and ridges. Glaciation has resulted in broad U-shaped river valley bottoms, mountain cirques and morainal ridges. The mountains in the Muskwa Range have steep eastern faces with gentler grades on western aspects. Peak summit elevations range from Mount Mary Henry at 2641 m to Mount Sylvia at 2942 m. In comparison to the southern Rocky Mountains, the Muskwa Ranges are older and generally show evidence of more complex tectonic deformation that results in spectacular geological features.
One of the notable features of the Northern Rocky Mountains Park is the diversity of water features. The area is accentuated by major rivers, clear, cold streams, waterfalls, rapids, small glaciers and lakes. The rivers include the Tetsa, Chischa, Tuchodi and Muskwa and the main creeks are the Gathto, Kluachesi, Dead Dog and Chlotapecta. All creeks and rivers in the Northern Rocky Mountains flow into the Muskwa. Kluachesi and Tetsa are examples of the larger lakes in the area, but the largest and most important water recreation feature in the Northern Rocky Mountains Park is the upper and lower Tuchodi Lakes.
The Boreal White and Black Spruce, Spruce Willow Birch and the Alpine Tundra biogeoclimatic zones are found in the Northern Rocky Mountains Park. Forests in the valley bottoms are dominated by white spruce and aspen, and are replaced by sub-alpine fir and white spruce at higher elevations. Alpine plant communities consist of dwarf willows, grasses, sedges, forbs and lichens. The park also has numerous wetlands and native grasslands. Old growth white spruce forests can be found along the major river valley bottoms.
- Wildlife: A diverse variety of wildlife inhabits this northeastern mountain landscape. The area provides high quality habitat for moose, elk, stone sheep and mountain goat. The abundance of prey supports predator species such as wolves and grizzly and black bears. Other important wildlife includes furbearers such as marten, fisher, weasels and wolverines. Information on small mammals, amphibians, birds, invertebrates and reptiles is relatively unknown. Lake trout, rainbow trout, bull trout, arctic grayling and lake whitefish are some of the important sport fish species in the Northern Rocky Mountains Park.
Management Planning
Activities Available at this Park
Canoeing
The park offers opportunities for wilderness paddling experiences. These trips are only recommended for experienced paddlers; pre-trip research and planning is required. Potential trips include:
Tuchodi River – Multi-day trip starting from Tuchodi Lakes (air access only) down the Tuchodi River to the Muskwa River and on to Kledo Creek boat launch which is accessible from the Alaska Highway.
Muskwa River – Multi-day trip starting just below the upper canyon on the Muskwa River (air access only via helicopter) to the Kledo Creek boat launch, which is accessible from the Alaska Highway.
Climbing
Fishing
Hiking
Horseback Riding
Northern Rocky Mountains Park offers excellent opportunities for backcountry horseback riding. Riders should be experienced and prepared for wilderness travel, as there are no designated trails.
Information on horseback hunting excursions offered by private companies (non-government website):
Hunting
The park is open to hunting. All hunters to the area should refer to the current BC Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis.
Information on hunting excursions offered by private companies (non-government website):
Pets on Leash
Wildlife Viewing
Winter Recreation
Facilities Available at this Park
Campfires
