The Phillips River watershed is a small but complex drainage at the head of Phillips Arm on British Columbia’s Southern Central Coast. The Phillips Estuary/ᕈNacinuxᵂ Conservancy protects a significant and unique combination of marine, estuary, lake and river environments. Visitors to the region currently take part in recreational activities such as salmon and trout fishing and wildlife viewing, among others.
The conservancy was identified for consideration as a protected area during the Central Coast Land and Resource Management Plan planning process. Following Government-to-Government discussions between the Province and First Nations, the central coast land use decisions (February 7, 2006) confirmed that the Phillips Estuary would become a conservancy.
The Phillips Estuary was legally designated as Phillips Estuary/ᕈNacinuxᵂ Conservancy in Spring 2007.
All five species of salmon are present in this Conservancy. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate license.
Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.
Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Phillips Estuary/ᕈNacinuxᵂ Conservancy. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception to this policy will be for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks.
The park is open to hunting. Please check the BC Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis for more information.
The Phillips Estuary/ᕈNacinuxᵂ Conservancy is comprised of 1,382 ha of upland and 79 ha of foreshore (1,461 ha in total). The conservancy, located at the head of Phillips Arm, is 53 km north of Campbell River, 122 km east of Port Hardy and 216 km northwest of Vancouver.
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.