Seven Sisters Protected Area

Wilderness camping is allowed but limited facilities are provided. There are picnic tables, a food cache bin, a pit toilet, and fire rings available along the Watson Lakes Trail. There is a subalpine site on the Upper Oliver Creek Trail at 17 km that has a pit toilet, a food cache bin and tent pads.

Seven Sisters Protected Area offers a pleasant and quiet picnicking opportunity. Families with small children and novice hikers can easily reach the scenic lakeside picnic/camping site 1km along the 3km Watson Lakes Trail.

This park only has pit toilets; no flush toilets.

Please use fire rings where they are provided which is currently at the Watson Lakes picnic/camping sites. While campfires are allowed in this backcountry area, we encourage visitors to use campstoves for cooking purposes. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather wood for fires from the area unless required for emergency situations. Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil.

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.

Swimming is available. There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks.

There are canoeing and kayaking opportunities in this protected area. Visitors must be prepared to portage their boat.

Watson Lake has been stocked with rainbow trout in the past and the three small lakes along the Watson Lakes Trail are used for fishing. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.

Seven Sisters Protected Area offers many excellent wildlife viewing opportunities. Resident mountain goat herds use the Seven Sisters peaks and ridges during the summer and winter in the forests near Oliver Creek and Hell’s Bells Creek. Grizzly (blue-listed) and black bears, raptors and other birds use the entire protected area. Wolverines are little known and rarely seen predators living in and suspected to be breeding in this area. In the low elevation forested area, marten and fisher (blue-listed) use the older forests, while moose, mule deer, coyotes and wolves tend to use the area around natural openings, burned areas and old cut blocks. The low elevation forest between Hell’s Bells Creek and Oliver Creek provides mule deer winter range. High elevation wetlands in the Upper Price Creek drainage are likely important for migratory waterfowl in spring and fall. Tailed frogs (blue-listed) have been found across the Skeena River from Oliver Creek, and may live in small tributaries within the protected area. High breeding populations of rough-skinned newts live in small ponds near Coyote Creek at the northern extent of their range. Salmon pass through the lower reaches of all creeks; trout live within most lakes and creeks.

Pets/domestic animals must be under control 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. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.

Mountain biking is allowed on the Oliver Creek Trail as far as the junction with Hell’s Bells Trail. Beyond that point bicycles are not permitted as the trail is too soft and muddy. Bicycles must keep to roadways. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.

For details on e-biking within Seven Sisters Protected Area, see the e-biking section.

Please note that bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are permitted on signed or designated trails within Seven Sisters Protected Area, provided they meet the definitions and criteria for e-bike use as outlined in the BC Parks cycling guidelines. E-biking is allowed on the Oliver Creek Trail as far as the junction with Hell’s Bells Trail. Beyond that point all bicycles are strictly prohibited as the trail is too soft and muddy

Horseback riding is allowed on the Oliver Creek Trail as far as the junction with Hell’s Bells Trail. Beyond that point horses are not permitted as the trail is too soft and muddy.

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

Visitors can enjoy cross-country skiing on existing hiking trails, there are no set tracks. Visitors can enjoy snowshoeing on existing hiking trails.

Snowmobiling is permitted in an alpine bowl located in the upper reaches above the Oliver Creek Trail. Access to this area is provided via the connection of the Flint Creek Road, Hells Bells and Oliver Creek Trails which is gated but left open in the winter. Avalanche training is strongly recommended if you plan to snowmobile in Seven Sisters Park and you need to be prepared with the appropriate rescue and emergency equipment.