Skeena West. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Safety information
- There are no developed trails at this park. Please obey posted signs.
- Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
- Exercise caution and good judgement when considering boating through the tidal narrows at entrance to Foch Lagoon. The best time to make this passage is during slack tide.
- Jet boat access up Foch River is very limited due to rocks.
- Jet boat access up Gilttoyees Creek is possible to about 2.5 km west of Peechugh Creek.
Review the detailed guides under visit responsibly for more information on staying safe and preserving our natural spaces.
Visit responsibly
Follow these guides to ensure your activities are safe, respectful, and ecologically friendly:
Maps and location
Getting there
Foch-Gilttoyees Park and Protected Area is located roughly 33 km southwest of Kitimat on the west side of Douglas Channel. Access is by boat only. Use Marine Chart #3743 (Douglas Channel) and NTS Map Sheets #103 H/14,15 & 103 I/2,3. The closest communities to this park are Kitimat, and Kitamaat Village.
Visitor Information Centre:
Kitimat Visitor Information Centre
PO Box 214
2109 Forest Avenue
Kitimat, BC, Canada V8C 2G7
tourismkitimat.ca/
info@tourismkitimat.ca
Phone: 250-632-6294 or 1-800-664-6554
Camping
Cabins and huts
There are two cabins in the park for public use. They are trapper’s cabins built by the Haisla First Nation and are available for public use. Each cabin is 15 ft by 12 ft with double bunk beds and a small wood stove. There is sheltered boat anchorage near both cabins. The cabins are available on a first come, first served basis. Be prepared to sleep outside if the cabins are full.
- The first cabin is located at the north end of Gilttoyees Inlet and the UTM coordinates are: Zone 09U; 5971320 m North; 0500850 m East.
- The second cabin is located on the west side of Drumlummon Bay and the UTM coordinates are: Zone 09U; 5957089 m North; 0497947 m East.
Both Haisla cabin sites have a fire ring and adjacent small fresh water stream. The Gilttoyees cabin burned down in August 2010 and was rebuilt by the Haisla in the summer of 2012. Please exercise caution with fires at these cabin sites and completely extinguish all fires before leaving.
Prior approval is needed for the use of the Haisla First Nation cabins. Please contact the Haisla Nation at 250-639-9361 (ext. 207 or 213).
Wilderness camping
Wilderness camping is permitted, but no facilities are provided.
When visiting the backcountry, always follow Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. To learn more about staying safe in the backcountry, read our backcountry guide.
Winter camping
Winter camping is permitted in the park. The park is accessible year-round.
Things to do
Hunting is permitted in this park.
Anyone hunting in British Columbia must comply with BC hunting regulations. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Facilities
Please conserve firewood. There is no firewood available.
While campfires are allowed in this backcountry area, we encourage visitors to use campstoves for cooking purposes.
To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather wood for fires from the area unless required for emergency situations. Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.
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.
About this park
Foch-Gilttoyees contains part of a historical First Nations travel route between the Douglas Channel and the Skeena River (the remainder of the route is in Gitnadoiks River Park).
Foch-Gilttoyees was designated as a class A provincial park on May 20, 2004 following recommendations from the Kalum Land and Resource Management Plan. The protected area portion was designated a year later on March 22, 2005. Drum Lummon Mines and Paisley Point Mines established mineral claims north of Drumlummon Bay in the early 1920’s for extraction of copper, gold and silver. Some mineral claims still exist in this area (adjacent to the north side of the protected area) but are excluded from the park.
Foch Lagoon is one of the largest and most remote lagoons on the B.C. coast. It includes a highly productive and unique tidal narrows at its entranceway. Because of the heavy tide influence in the narrows the oceanic productivity in this area is very high compared to the rest of the Douglas Channel. The kelp beds that are found in this area support nurseries for a wide array of sea life.
Foch-Gilttoyees protects a regionally significant estuary complex at the north end of the Gilttoyees Inlet. The Gilttoyees Creek and Peechugh Creek estuary is notable for its well developed inter-tidal flats and relatively under developed mud flats. Saltwater marsh and meadow communities dominate the inter-tidal flats. The estuary has very high wildlife values, particularly over-wintering habitat for the blue-listed trumpeter swan, Barrow’s goldeneye, harlequin duck, surf scoter, long-tailed duck and western grebe.
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.
Contact
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
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