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Advisories

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Backcountry camping

There is a user-maintained backcountry campsite located at Beatty Lake. This site provides five tent pads, a food storage cache, and a cooking area with benches and a table, and a pit toilet. 

Fires are not permitted at this location. Please camp only on the provided tent pads. 

Wilderness camping is only permitted outside a 2 km radius of this site.

Cabins and huts

There are two cabins in the park for public use.

  • At the north end of Connor Lake is a small cabin for public use on a first come, first served basis. The cabin will accommodate six people, has a wood stove and there is a pit toilet nearby.
  • At Queen Mary Lake, an eight person log cabin is available on a first come, first served basis. A wood stove is provided in the cabin. A pit toilet is nearby.

Firewood is not provided. Use only dead and downed trees for firewood. Cutting of live trees is not permitted.

Please leave the cabins neat and tidy and pack out all garbage, including leftover food.

Wilderness camping

There is a user-maintained backcountry campsite located at Beatty Lake. Wilderness camping is only permitted outside a 2 km radius of this site. There are other wilderness campsites, but no facilities are provided. 

  • When toilets are not available bury human waste at least six inches in soil and 30 metres from water. 
  • To ensure drinking water is safe it must be boiled for at least five minutes. 
  • Register a trip itinerary with friends, check in and check out. 
  • When practical use impacted campsites, otherwise practice “Leave No Trace” camping ethics. 
  • If you have a fire build it on rocks, or remove sod, have fire, then replace sod. 
  • Height of the Rockies is open all year and is a non-mechanized park.
Winter camping

Winter camping is permitted in the park.

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Campfires

Fires are allowed, however, visitors should check with the Forest Service or at park trailheads to see if fires bans are in effect. Bring a portable stove for cooking and only have open fires when necessary, keeping them small to conserve firewood.

Fires are prohibited in the Limestone Lakes area, to mitigate impacts concerning conservational values.

Pit or flush toilets

The park only has pit toilets, no flush toilets. There is a pit toilet at Connor Lakes cabin and Queen Mary cabin. Bury human waste in soil at least 15 cm deep and 30 m from water if no toilet is provided.

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Hiking

This park has trails for hiking or walking. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.

  • Most trails are user maintained. Expect difficult, muddy or bushy conditions.
  • There is no signage in the park, navigational skills are essential, including experience with topographical maps and compass.
  • This park also has several informal or unmarked trails that are not maintained and at best, include intermittent stretches where a beaten path is visible. 
  • Travel through dense undergrowth and occasionally through tangled slide areas is required. These routes offer excellent scenic opportunities but they are not recommended for small children or inexperienced hikers. Hikers travel these routes at their own risk. 
  • Route-finding skills and an aptitude for orienteering are essential, and hikers need to obtain the appropriate topographical maps prior to arrival. 
  • Off-trail travel increases your chances of encountering a bear, so travel cautiously.
  • The route leading to The Pass in the Clouds, Goat Lake and Deep Lake from the White Middle Fork, was severely burnt in 2003 and is indiscernible for most of its length.
  • Trail Report [PDF] (May 29, 2023)
Swimming

There are cold water swimming opportunities at this park. There are no lifeguards on duty.

Fishing

There is excellent cutthroat fishing in this park. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.

Pets on leash

Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Dogs in the backcountry must be under control at all times. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to the potential for problems with bears and other wildlife.

Horseback riding

Horseback riding is permitted. There are some trailhead corrals. As grazing is limited, feed should be packed into Sylvan Pass, Queen Mary Lake and Middle Fork White River meadows. Use pellets as they do not contain weed seeds.

Routes are also not maintained and at best, include intermittent stretches where a beaten path is available. Moderate scrambling and travel through fairly dense undergrowth and occasionally through tangled slide areas is required. These routes offer excellent scenic opportunities, however, they are not recommended for innexperienced riders. Route-finding skills and an aptitude for orienteering are essential, and visitors need to obtain the appropriate topographical maps prior to arrival. Off-trail travel increases your chances of encountering a bear, so travel cautiously.

Climbing

There are many climbing and mountaineering opportunities in the park.

Hunting

Attention Hunters: To avoid human-bear conflicts and out of respect for non hunters, please hang all game meat at least 75 metres away from all camps and cabins and hang game three to five metres above the ground.

Do not butcher your game animal or dispose of the carcass or entrails on or near any road or trail. This may endanger other hunters or recreationists.

The park is open to hunting. All hunters to the area should refer to the current BC Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis.

Winter recreation

There are cross-country, ski-touring and snowshoeing opportunities within Height of the Rockies Park as well as Connor Lakes and Abbot Ridge.