Park overview
Kitwanga Mountain was established as a provincial park in 1997. After a steep climb to the top, visitors are rewarded with a breathtaking view of the Seven Sisters mountain range.
Advisories
Safety info
- Bring your own drinking water as potable water is not available in the park.
- The road into the park is rough and can only be driven by a 4X4 vehicle or ATV.
Camping
In Kitwanga Mountain Park wilderness camping is allowed, but no facilities are provided.
Facilities
While campfires are allowed in this backcountry area, we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using camp stoves instead. When having fires please use dead, downed wood. Do not cut live vegetation.
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
The Kitwanga Mountain Trail has recently been rebuilt through a joint project by BC Parks and volunteers from Round Square International Schools at Soaring Spirits Camp. The trail is still steep, but is clear and in good condition all the way to a viewpoint at timberline. From the parking and turn around location the old road and trail are roughly 3 km long and gains 800 metres in elevation. From the top of the trail there is an excellent view of the Seven Sisters Peaks as well as up and down the Skeena Valley. The trail is also known as the Bernadine Trail and was cut and blazed by the Forest Service in the late 1970s.
Kitwanga Mountain Park offers wildlife viewing opportunities through various habitats. There are high value grizzly bear habitats in the subalpine as well as good moose habitat. Lower elevation provides excellent migratory bird viewing opportunities.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
Horseback riding is permitted except on the Kitwanga Mountain Trail, as the trail is quite steep.
Kitwanga Mountain Park is located in the Nass Range near Kitwanga. To access the park from Highway 16 turn north onto Highway 37 at Kitwanga and cross the bridge spanning the Skeena River. Turn left off the highway after 1 km and drive west along the back road to Cedarville. In 1 km there is a bridge and in another 2.5 km the road crosses Mill Creek. Once across, it makes a sharp left turn before bearing right to climb up a hill. Near the top, less than 1 km from Mill Creek, take the side road to the right. This road is rough and can only be driven by a 4x4 vehicle or ATV. Follow this road for 2 km to a parking and turn around spot on the right.
Do not drive beyond this point as the road narrows and there are no further turn around points. If you drive further you will have to back down a steep and twisting road. From the parking area, walk up the old road, ignoring an overgrown side road to the left. After a marshy patch the road ends and the trail begins.
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: July 28, 1997
- Size: 720 hectares
Nature and culture
History
Kitwanga Mountain became a provincial park in 1997.
Cultural Heritage
The park is within the asserted Gitxsan Traditional Territory and it is likely that a grease trail traversed the lower portion of the park.
Conservation
The park protects a portion of the Nass Ranges Ecosection with an elevational gradient of biogeoclimatic zones – ICH, CWH, ESSF, and AT.
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.