Know before you go
Advisories
Visitor guidelines
Avoid visiting during high tides and high swells
During winter high tides, the hot spring pools fill with cold sea water. Rough water and floating wood debris may cause injury. Check tide tables and check with your tour operator, air carrier or water taxi before visiting.
Tsunami warning
Tsunamis are dangerously large waves caused by earthquakes.
If you are on the beach and feel strong shaking from an earthquake, or if the water very suddenly recedes, move immediately to higher ground. Move more than 15 m, or 49 ft, above the tide line.
There is no way to know how high a tsunami is going to rise. The first wave to arrive at the coast is often smaller, and each wave may be separated by an hour or more. Waves may continue for up to 12 hours. You must stay on high ground until told otherwise. Do not go to the beach to watch.
Alcoholic beverages are not allowed in the park
Glass containers are not permitted in and around the pools.
Pets are not allowed in the hot springs area
Pets are not permitted at the hot springs beyond the start of the boardwalk. Dogs and other pets must be leashed. Pets are not allowed in most park buildings and beach areas. Please dispose of their waste responsibly.
Local dogs sometimes enter the park in search of food. Please do not feed or pet them as it encourages them to stay.
For more information, see the pet etiquette section of the responsible recreation page.
No camping or campfires in the hot springs area
Camping and fires are prohibited in the mux̣ʷšiƛa hot springs area at the southern part of Openit Peninsula in the park. Use the private campground located to the north of the park.
Guides require a park-use permit
In provincial parks, any person acting as a guide or offering guiding services, including vessel drop-offs, must hold a valid park-use permit. Please ensure the company you hire is legally operating in the park.
Visitor use management
BC Parks and ʕaḥuusʔatḥ (Ahousaht) Nation, represented by the Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society (MHSS), have developed a visitor use management strategy for the Mux̣ʷšiƛa hot springs in Nism̓aakqin Park.
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
- Park map [PDF]
- mux̣ʷšiƛa Hot Springs map [PDF] (with Indigenous place names)
- Park zoning map [PDF] (included as part of Purpose Statement and Zoning Plan)
- Clayquot Area Parks brochure [PDF]
- Clayquot Area Parks map [PDF]
- Marine Hot Springs of Coastal BC brochure [PDF] (for viewing online)
- Marine Hot Springs of Coastal BC brochure [PDF] (for printing)
Getting there
Nism̓aakqin Park is located in the northwestern part of Clayoquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The park is between Hesquiat Peninsula and Flores Island. It is accessible by boat and float plane from Tofino, Ucluelet, Hot Springs Cove, Tahsis and Gold River.
The companies have a park-use permit to provide water and air access:
- Adventure Tofino Bed & Breakfast and Wildlife Tours
1-250-725-2895 - Ahous Adventure
1-250-725-0650 - Air Nootka
1-877-795-2255 - Atleo River Air Service
1-866-662-8536 - Charter Tofino
1-778-866-0826 - Jamie’s Whaling Station
1-250-725-3919 - Long Beach Nature Tours
1-250-725-3320 - Obee Fishing Charters
1-250-888-9556 - Paddle West Kayaking
1-250-725-3232 - Remote Passages Marine Excursions
1-800-666-9833 - SKILS Sea Kayaking Instruction and Leadership Skills
1-250-726-5119 - Tofino Air
1 866 486-3247 - Tofino Water Taxi
1-866-794-2537 - Tofino Resort + Marina
1-844-680-4184 - West Coast Aquatic Safaris
1-877-594-2537 - West Coast Wild Adventures
1-250-726-8668 - Whale Buoys Tours Ltd.
1-888-474-2288
Things to do
A 2 km boardwalk trail leads from the head of the dock to the hot springs. A viewing platform is located along the trail, offering views of Hot Springs Cove and the hot spring itself.
The boardwalk may be slippery due to frost or rotting leaves in the fall and winter. 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.
For a trail map, see maps and location.
Visitors from around the world travel to Nism̓aakqin Park to soak in the natural hot spring pools. See the hot spring section for details.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
There are kayaking opportunities throughout this park. Canoeing is not recommended.
The waters of Clayoquot Sound contain a variety of fish species including salmon, rockfish, halibut and lingcod. Anyone fishing must follow current fishing regulations set by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
A viewing platform is located along the boardwalk trail offering wildlife viewing opportunities and views of Hot Springs Cove and the mux̣ʷšiƛa hot spring itself.
For information on how to stay safe, visit our wildlife safety page.
About this park
There are many places of important cultural, historic and spiritual significance to nuučaańuł (Nuu-chah-nulth) First Nations within Nism̓aakqin Park. Muxʷ̣ šiƛ̓a, which means “steaming from rock”, is the ʕaḥuusʔatḥ name for the hot springs.
Well known for its natural hot springs, Nism̓aakqin Park also includes an extensive coastal area with a variety of coastal ecosystems. It includes off-shore reefs, boulder, cobble and sand beaches, sea caves, sheltered bays, kelp beds, and mudflats.
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
Park operator | This park is operated by Ahous Business Corporation. |
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General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |