Naikoon Park

Stay Safe

• Be aware of undertows along beaches and at river mouths.
• Please be extremely careful with fire, matches, and cigarettes. Cookstoves should be utilized for cooking when possible.
• On beaches and headlands, always be aware of tides and weather, as it is possible to become isolated on disappearing sand bars as tides rise or heavy weather increases wave height. Never turn your back on the sea.
• Warning: Persons contemplating a visit to Naikoon Provincial Park are reminded that it is a wilderness area with no supplies of any kind. Accommodation in nearby communities is limited. Suitable clothing should be worn and proper equipment carried for outdoor living. Visitors should be in possession of suitable maps. Hikers planning to travel the beaches should inform a responsible person or agency of their intentions. This information should include estimated departure and return times. See more information about trails or hiking in this park.
   

Special Notes

• The climate here is mild, moderated by moist Pacific air throughout the year. Cool, rainy, or foggy weather and high winds can occur at any time; campers and hikers should always be equipped with warm clothing and wet-weather gear.
• There is no internet access at Misty Meadows Campground or Agate Beach Campground.
• Only cash payments are accepted at the campgrounds.
• Off Road Vehicle Use: 
  • Naikoon Park is bordered by a hundred kilometres of expansive beach, attracting thousands of park visitors each summer – hikers, beach walkers, fishers, cyclists and motorized vehicle users. In recent years, motorized traffic has been on the rise, increasing the potential for damage to Naikoon Park’s sensitive ecosystems and cultural sites. To respect the environment and other visitors, keep the following guidelines in mind as you travel the park.
  • Motorized vehicles on Rose Spit Ecological Reserve are prohibited off designated routes. Rose Spit supports an endangered plant community and is critical habitat for many local and migratory bird species.
  • Vehicles are PROHIBITED from driving on sand dunes, from leaving designated roads, or traveling above or below the tide zone. Damage to these delicate ecosystems can lead to loss of plant life, increased erosion, exposure and damage to cultural sites. Tire tracks and repeated foot traffic through the sand dunes cause extensive environmental damage. The root systems of plants are broken and wind causes erosion. Once the stabilizing grasses are damaged, the wind continues to shift the dunes, burying the forest, trails, and camping spots.
  • Be prepared for emergency situations. Carry what you will need to rescue yourself and your vehicle should it become stuck on the beach.
  • ATV use within Naikoon is limited to North and East Beaches. Trail use, travel to the interior of Naikoon and ATV use on the Dune areas is prohibited. ATVs are prohitbited from being used in the campsites and must be moved by trailer to the beach access points. It is illegal to run ATVs on Tow Hill road or any other highway unless they are registered and displaying licence plates. The fine for running non licenced ATVs on roadways is $600.00.
  • Responsible All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Use in Naikoon Park
    • ATV and 4x4 vehicles are permitted on North Beach and East Beach only!
    • To minimize your impact, travel high upon the beach but below the driftwood line – Avoid the sensitive lower beach and upper sand dunes.
    • ATV use is not permitted anywhere else in Naikoon Park; do not use ATVs on Naikoon’s environmentally-sensitive hiking trails. You are responsible for your vehicle and any damage caused by use of your vehicle.
    • Responsible All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Use in Naikoon Park poster [PDF 1.9MB] 
• If you see any environmental or cultural damage, please record and report to the Naikoon Park office in Tlell at 250 557-4390 to the Report All Poachers and Polluters line 24/7 at 1-877-952-7277 or #7277 on you cell. 
• Wet weather gear is necessary year-round.
• Firearms are prohibited except during a valid hunting season. Please consult BC Hunting Regulations for dates.
• The park’s lakes and streams are the source of drinking water. Help protect the delicate balance of the water system by washing yourself, your clothes, and dishes at least 30 metres from lakes or streams and please don’t clean fish in them. Use responsible backcountry toilet practices. Potable water is available at Agate Beach and Misty Meadows (seasonally) and year-round at BC Parks Headquarters in Tlell.

Secretariat of the Haida Nation 
250-557-2047 
parks.coordinator@haidanation.com 
 

History

Juan Perez, exploring under the orders of the Spanish Viceroy of California, is credited with being the first European to see Haida Gwaii in 1774.

In the early 1900s, the provincial government encouraged settlers to farm at Haida Gwaii. There were many who chose to homestead in the area that is now Naikoon Park, growing vegetables, raising cattle and taking gold from the sand beaches. However, difficult drainage, poor access, World War I and the lack of markets caused most people to abandon their efforts before the Great Depression. Many of the place names in the area are reminders of their presence. 

Naikoon park is the traditional territory of the Haida Nation and figures prominently in their present lifestyles and history. There are many places of cultural and spiritual importance as well as historic village sites and important food gathering sites throughout the park.

Naikoon is a corruption of “Nai-kun” meaning “house point” – the Haida name for Rose Spit. This five kilometre point of land juts northward from the park separating the riotous waters of Dixon Entrance and Hecate Strait. The park was created to help preserve the natural diversity of this unique coastline.

Cultural heritage

Haida Gwaii has been called “The Misty Islands”, referring not only to the moist, mild climate, but to the mystique of its inhabitants, the Haida Nation. Visitors to Naikoon can easily find the solitude to reflect on the highly developed culture of these legendary seafarers, with their reputation for adventure, 20-metre dugout canoes, fascinating ceremonies and ferocious exploits. The art of the Haida Nation is famous throughout the world. Majestic and intriguing cedar totem poles and carvings, argillite statuary and intricately designed woven baskets and hats of spruce root were once representations of a clan’s wealth and prestige. These and many items were frequently given away at potlatches to help cement the socially complex kinship system.

Conservation

The park occupies part of the Hecate Depression, a trough between the Outer Mountains to the west and the Coast Mountains on the mainland to the east. The park is largely low and flat. Most of its topographic features are formed by underlying glacial deposits. In the northeast corner, Argonaut Hill, the highest point in the park, rises only 150 metres above sea level. Tow Hill, an outcrop of basalt columns, is a prominent landmark about 100 metres high on the north beach.

Wildlife

Wildlife is a curious mixture of introduced and native species. Sitka Blacktail deer were brought in about 80 years ago and, with abundant forage and no wild predators, they have prospered. Other species such as raccoons, red squirrels, beaver, and muskrat have been introduced. Small herds of wild cattle, remnants of domestic stock from the days of early settlement, have been seen along the east coast. 

Species native to the park area include black bear, marten, river otter, and several other mammals that made the salt water crossing from the mainland. Sea mammals include dolphins and harbour porpoises. Hair seals can be seen regularly at Rose Spit and all along the north and east beaches. Northern fur seals and California grey whales migrate northward during May and June.

The bird population of Haida Gwaii is similar to the nearby mainland although many species have not crossed Hecate Strait. Others, such as the hairy woodpecker, the saw-whet owl and Steller’s Jay, have developed into unique sub-species. A sub-species of pine grosbeak is found only on Haida Gwaii and Vancouver Island. A sub-species of song sparrow is found here and on the Alaskan Islands. 

Rose Spit is an excellent spot for observing migrating birds travelling south on the Pacific Flyway. Upwelling currents produce much food along the spit, attracting pelagic species rarely seen from the shore. Sandhill cranes gather here after nesting in the park bogs and shorebirds abound.

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.