Park overview
Sir Alexander Mackenzie Park is a small coastal park near Elcho Harbour on Dean Channel. The park is located at the westernmost point in the journey of Alexander Mackenzie where, in reddish paint made of vermilion and bear grease, he wrote on a rock: “Alex Mackenzie from Canada by land 22nd July 1793.”
The rock near the water’s edge still bears his words, which were permanently inscribed in the rock later by surveyors.
Recreational use of the park is limited to one-day excursions by air or boat. The park may also mark the end of an extensive backcountry hiking or horseback riding journey along the Alexander Mackenzie Heritage (Grease) Trail, which travels through Kluskoil Lake and Tweedsmuir (South) Parks.
In order to reach the park, hikers must still travel the last segment of the journey by boat, as did Sir Alexander Mackenzie. Anchorage at the historical rock is poor and exposed to high winds. Temporary anchorage is possible in the cove immediately to the west of the point; again, it is shallow and exposed, and suitable only in settled weather. Better protection is found at the head of Elcho Harbour, 3.2 km farther west. There are campsites a short distance northeast of the point (not in the park).
Advisories
Activities
There are kayaking opportunities at this park. However, access is lengthy and requires experience.
There are fishing opportunities at this park.
The entire north coast area is closed to bivalve harvest due to red tide and the possibility of paralytic shellfish poisoning.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
This park is open to hunting. Please refer to the British Columbia Hunting Regulations for more information.
The park is located near Elcho Harbour, approximately 65 km northwest of Bella Coola, on Dean Channel. Use is limited to day-excursions by air, or boat charter from Bella Coola or Bella Bella. Please refer to the BC Marine Parks Guide for more information. The Canadian Hydrographic Chart is number 3729. The closest communities to the park are Bella Coola and Ocean Falls.
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: February 10, 1926
- Size: 5.2 hectares
Nature and culture
History
Alexander Mackenzie was the first white man to view the western seas from the shores of northwestern North America, preceding the more widely known Lewis and Clark expedition by more than 12 years. Mackenzie and his party trekked overland from the Fraser River, across the Interior Plateau, through the Rainbow Mountains and down Burnt Bridge Creek. Where the creek enters the Bella Coola River, they rested at a community which was dubbed “Friendly Village” because of the hospitality of its Nuxalk inhabitants. These people guided Mackenzie and his men down the river into Dean Channel. A dispute between the Nuxalk and the coastal Heiltsuk people prevented them from reaching the open sea, but Mackenzie was satisfied that his mission was complete.
In his journals he wrote: “I now mixed up some vermilion in melted grease, and inscribed in large characters on the face of the rock on which we slept last night, this brief memorial; ‘Alexander Mackenzie from Canada, by land, the twenty-second of July, one thousand, seven hundred and ninety-three’”.
A prominent 40 foot cairn stands above the rock, and a plaque, erected in 1926 by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, is also located in the park. The cairn also marks the location of a historical fortified First Nations village, and petroglyphs can be found at the cobble beach.
Cultural Heritage
Sir Alexander Mackenzie Provincial Park is recognized as a cultural heritage site. Long before Europeans discovered North America, First Nations peoples used a network of trails between the west coast and the interior of British Columbia for trade and travel. Because these trails were commonly used to transport eulachon (a small, smelt-like fish) grease, they are now referred to as “grease trails”. Hikers attempting the Alexander Mackenzie Heritage (Grease) Trail will complete their journey by travelling by boat to the park. The trail’s major appeal is the opportunity for long-distance wilderness travel along an historic route that follows the footsteps of First Nations peoples, Alexander Mackenzie, and other explorers.
It is an offence to damage historical sites or remove artifacts.
Conservation
Marine resources have been under a lot of pressure over the last few years. Please observe fishing regulations closely, and consider taking less than your limit to ease your impact.
Wildlife
As you cruise through the waters near the park, watch for orcas, Pacific white-sided dolphins, harbour seals and other marine mammals. It is important you keep your distance from these creatures – never approach closer than 100 metres. Steer a steady, slow course and avoid cutting in front of them.
On shore, watch for Columbia black-tailed deer, mink, black bear and wolves.
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.