Thompson. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Visitor guidelines
Get park information
Look in this ‘visitor guidelines’ section for general safety instructions and other important information about this park. For the latest information, see advisories.
South Chilcotin Mountains Park is largely a wilderness area, meaning it has very few maintained facilities. There are no BC Parks staff in the park.
Prepare for the trail conditions
If you are planning to hike in South Chilcotin Mountains Park, please read the hiking section of this page first.
Before heading out, check the forecast and make sure everybody in your party is prepared and equipped for the weather.
The trail summary below provides additional hiking resources, but it does not include up-to-date information on trail conditions.
View the South Chilcotin Mountains Park trail summary [PDF] (December 30, 2019).
Stick to designated trails and share the trail
For your own safety and to protect the park’s environment, only hike, bike, or ride on officially designated trails. Be especially careful in the park’s grassland and alpine areas. Hiking off-trail damages fragile ecosystems and causes erosion.
Cycling off trail is an offence, which can result in a fine and eviction from the park.
Hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers all share this park’s trails. Please use the proper trail etiquette: cyclists yield to all other trail users and hikers yield to horses. For more information, please watch our short video guide to responsible day-hiking.
For maps showing the locations of officially designated trails, please see the maps and location section.
View the South Chilcotin Mountains Park trail summary [PDF] (December 30, 2019).
Vehicle access limited
South Chilcotin Mountains Park is a remote area with limited vehicle access. ATVs and other off-road vehicles are not allowed in the park. This includes vehicles registered under the Off-Road Vehicles Act.
Additionally, from June 1 to November 30, annually, motor vehicles are not allowed in some areas next to the park. For detailed information, download the Spruce Lake Vehicle Closure Area [PDF] map.
Stay safe around wildlife
Potentially dangerous animals live in South Chilcotin Mountains Park. There is a good chance that you will encounter grizzly bears when visiting this park.
On trails, make noise, to prevent unexpected encounters. Be aware that food waste and other scents will attract wildlife. For more information, see the /plan-your-trip/visit-responsibly/wildlife-safety page.
Be aware of aircraft
Float planes use Spruce and Warner lakes as landing areas. Planes may land at any time. Take extra care when swimming or boating in these areas.
Prepare for winter conditions
During winter, you may run into dangerous conditions at South Chilcotin Mountains Park. Even during the summer, storms with snow are common at the higher elevations, and conditions can change quickly.
This is a remote area, with few maintained facilities and no on-site staff. You must be self-sufficient. Ensure you are properly equipped before visiting. For information, on staying safe in winter conditions, see the winter safety page.
Always boil water before use
We recommend bringing your own water as drinking water is not available in South Chilcotin Mountains Park.
Water is available from lakes, streams, and creeks, but it is not safe to use without treatment.
Boil, filter, or otherwise treat water before drinking it, cooking with it, or using it for anything else.
For more information, see HealthLink BC’s advice on purifying your drinking water.
Leave No Trace
Always follow Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. Minimize your impact on plant and animal life and be considerate of other visitors. Dispose of waste properly.
For detailed information on outdoor ethics, visit the Leave No Trace Canada website.
Private properties in the park
There are several cabins throughout South Chilcotin Mountains Park that are private property and not for public use. Please be considerate of the owners and their property.
No pets
Please do not bring dogs or other pets to South Chilcotin Mountains Park. There is a significant danger of conflict between domestic animals and wildlife, especially bears.
For more information, see the pet etiquette section of the responsible recreation page.
No drones
Operating drones without permission is illegal in BC Parks. In the rare cases when we grant permission, you must keep your drone away from wildlife and other visitors.
No harvesting
Harvesting mushrooms, plants, and other natural resources is not allowed in BC Parks, unless specifically authorized.
Indigenous Peoples may harvest in accordance with Aboriginal and Treaty rights.
Additionally, in some cases, we issue park use permits to authorize harvesting for research purposes.
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
- South Chilcotin Mountains Park map [PDF]
- South Chilcotin Mountains Park georeferenced trail map [PDF]
The georeferenced map can be downloaded and used in mapping applications on your mobile device. South Chilcotin Mountains Park is a remote area, with limited connectivity. Do not use an online map as your only reference for navigation. We recommend printing out our park map for use in areas with no connectivity.
Getting there
The park is approximately 150 km north of Whistler and 95km west of Lillooet. Access to the park is from Lillooet along Carpenter Lake on Highway 40. In the summer, access from Pemberton is available via the Hurley Forest Service Road to Gold Bridge. This road climbs steeply to 1,850 m and can be very rough.
To access the Jewel Bridge trailhead, take the Slim Creek Forest Service Road. This service road is about 7 km east of Gold Bridge on Highway 40. On the service road, head generally north for approximately 12 km. This will take you to the start of the Gun Creek-Spruce Lake Trail at Jewel Creek.
Alternatively, you can drive to Gun Lake and access the Slim Creek Forest Service Road at the east end of the lake. You can also access the park from the southeast and east sides via logging and mining roads. Many of these roads require a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Things to do
Over 200 km of interconnected trails travel through valleys, alpine meadows, and ridges in this park. These offer loops of varying difficulty and distance, for hiking, horseback riding, and cycling.
To get a georeferenced trail map for South Chilcotin Mountains Park, see the maps and location section. You can also download the South Chilcotin Mountains Park trail summary [PDF].
Several companies have permits to operate guided hiking trips in South Chilcotin Mountains Park. For more information on guided hikes in this park, please email BC Parks at parkinfo@gov.bc.ca.
For your own safety and to protect the environment, always stay on designated trails. Taking shortcuts destroys plant life, damages soil structure, and significantly increases the risk of dangerous animal encounters.
You may swim in Spruce, Trigger, Hummingbrid, and Warner lakes. However, the water can be cold even in mid-summer.
There is a dock at Spruce Lake North Campground that can be used for swimming. Be cautious of incoming floatplane traffic.
There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.
Spruce Lake is the most common fishing destination in South Chilcotin Mountains Park. Rainbow trout are found in Spruce, Trigger, Hummingbird, and Warner lakes, as well as Gun and Tyaughton creeks.
Several companies have permits to run guided fishing tours in South Chilcotin Mountains Park. For more information on guided fishing in this park, please email BC Parks at parkinfo@gov.bc.ca.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Wildlife viewing is popular in the South Chilcotin Mountains Park. Grizzly bears, mountain goats, and deer are commonly seen, as are grouse and birds of prey. There are many types of songbirds as well. You may also see moose, bighorn sheep, and, if you’re very lucky, wolverine. For detailed information, see wildlife.
South Chilcotin Mountains Park provides some of the best mountain biking experiences in B.C. There are great single-track trails throughout the park. There are steep, muddy, and rocky sections on all trails.
Mountain biking is only allowed on the designated trails shown on our official BC Parks map. To view or download this map, see the maps and location section of this page.
Bikers who ride off trail may be fined or evicted from the park. Please yield to hikers and horses. When meeting horses, dismount and wait on the downhill side of the trail.
Bikes with electric-assist motors (E-bikes) are not allowed in South Chilcotin Mountains Park. The only exception is for people doing trail-maintenance work for BC Parks.
Several companies have permits to run guided cycling tours in this park. For more information on guided cycling tours, please email BC Parks at parkinfo@gov.bc.ca.
Horseback riding in South Chilcotin Mountains Park can be spectacular. There is easy access to alpine areas, high mountain vistas, and wildflower meadows. Wildlife viewing opportunities are excellent throughout the park.
Several companies have permits to operate guided horse trips in South Chilcotin Mountains Park. For more information, email parkinfo@gov.bc.ca. Spruce Lake North camping area is set aside as a grazing area for these companies.
Public grazing is not allowed at Spruce Lake North camping area, so please do not camp there with horses. Cowboy Camp on the Grasslands Trail is a great location for horse groups. For information, see the backcountry camping section.
Check the current trail conditions report in the visitor guidelines before heading out.
Hunting is allowed in parts of South Chilcotin Mountains Park during open season. Please see the BC Government hunting and trapping regulations synopsis for details. Contact BC Parks at parkinfo@gov.bc.ca with any specific questions about hunting.
Anyone hunting in British Columbia must comply with BC hunting regulations. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
There are winter recreation opportunities throughout South Chilcotin Mountains Park. These include winter camping, cross-country skiing, ski-mountaineering, heliskiing, and snowshoeing.
About this park
The area known as South Chilcotin Mountains Park has been used by Indigenous People for thousands of years. It falls within the territory of three Nations: Tsilhqot’in, St’at’imc, and Secwepemc.
The area known as South Chilcotin Mountains Park was first proposed for protection in 1937. It was designated as a protected area in April 2001. The park’s present boundaries were established, and the area was designated as a Class A park, in June 2010.
Through various wilderness studies and special management processes, much of the area’s wilderness character has been maintained. Indigenous Peoples have lived in, travelled through, and used this area for thousands of years. They continue maintaining cultural connections to the area.
In more recent history, the area has also been used for mining, ranching, and recreation. Today, the park is used for a range of recreational activities. These activities include commercial recreation services authorized through park-use permits issued by BC Parks.
Topography
The gently sloping valleys and dome-shaped mountains that typify the Chilcotin Ranges form the core topographic features of the park. Some of the higher peaks such as Mount Warner (2834 m) are relatively rugged.
Extensive alpine areas supply abundant water to the park’s creeks. Lakes and tarns occur at the headwaters of Slim, Leckie, and Upper Gun creeks. Spruce Lake sits in the high pass between the Gun and Tyaughton valleys.
Wetlands and braided channels are typical of the upper reaches on all the southern creeks as well as upper Tyaughton Creek. Steep, fast-flowing creeks flow in all directions from the southeast part of the park.
Geology
South Chilcotin Mountains Park is in an area of complex geology that straddles the boundary between the southeast Coast Mountains and the Chilcotin Plateau. Landscape features in South Chilcotin Mountains Park reflect the many complex geological formations that underlie it.
Fossils demonstrate the marine origin of many of the park’s sedimentary rocks. Well-preserved late Triassic marine fossils (ammonites and bivalves) are found in the Tyaughton Creek area. Lower and middle Jurassic rocks in this same general area are also locally rich in fossils (mainly ammonites).
The Relay Mountain Group is in part extremely rich in upper Jurassic and lower cretaceous fossils. Fossil-rich parts of the Relay Mountain Group are found around upper Relay Creek, Elbow Mountain, and on the low bluffs, northwest of Spruce Lake.
It is illegal to remove fossils or any other natural or cultural artifacts from any BC Park.
Climate
South Chilcotin Mountains Park has less precipitation than surrounding areas. Summer temperatures are moderately cool. Frost is expected in most months at the lower elevations and year-round in the alpine area.
The lowest elevations of the park, in lower Gun and Tyaughton creek valleys, are the warmest and driest parts of the park. These areas are often windy, throughout the year.
Vegetation
South Chilcotin Mountains Park includes lush grasslands and meadows in alpine and subalpine areas. Large areas of aspen and conifer forests are in Tyaughton, Gun, and Relay creek valleys. Engelmann spruce, sub-alpine fir, Douglas fir forests, lodgepole pine, and white bark pine forests are also present.
Many species of large mammals are found in South Chilcotin Mountains Park. These include mountain goat, mule deer, grizzly bear, black bear, bighorn sheep, and moose. Cougars and wolves may also be present.
Smaller mammals include marmot, pika and Columbia ground squirrel. A wide variety of small fur-bearers also live here, including lynx, beaver, mink, muskrat, marten, and wolverine.
Birdlife includes species of larks, pipits, ptarmigans, grouse, jays, woodpeckers, nutcrackers, chickadees, nuthatches, siskins, kinglets, dippers, thrushes, robins, and warblers. Birds of prey include various eagles, falcons, hawks, and owls.
Creeks in this park are home to bull trout. The lakes contain rainbow trout, mountain whitefish, and kokanee. Few reptiles and amphibians can survive the harsh winters, and little is known about the park’s insect population.
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
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
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