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Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Park

Advisories

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Cabins and huts

There are six cabins located at Cold Fish Lake camp within Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park. All cabins are on a first-come, first-served basis. Fees for utilizing the cabins are: $20/night/person, and $35/family/night (family rate applies to parents accompanied by their children under the age of 16). Users are also responsible to clean cabins upon departure in this user-maintained camp.

There is a fee of $10/night/person for those who camp at Cold Fish Lake in their own tent, but would like to use the facilities (cookhouse and shower).

There is a cookhouse available for public use at Cold Fish Lake Camp. All food at camp must be stored in the cookhouse in rodent-proof boxes. The cookhouse has running water and a propane stove available for public use. Users are responsible to clean the cookhouse after they use it. Absolutely no food is permitted in cabins.

A secure meat cache with electric fencing is available to hang legally harvested game meat/antlers/skins/other animal parts. Please do not store meat/animal parts anywhere else in camp! Use the meat cache in order to avoid attracting large carnivores and creating wildlife conflicts within camp. The meat cache is located near the historic Tommy Walker cabin at the southernmost end of camp; the easiest way to access it is along the lakeshore trail that runs from the float plane dock to the cabin.

Due to public safety concerns, there is a no shooting area within 1km of the Cold Fish Lake Camp.

Please note: visitors must pack out what they pack in. There are no garbage receptacles located at Cold Fish Lake Camp.

Wilderness camping

Wilderness camping is allowed, but no facilities are provided. There are several rustic campsites scattered throughout the park. These sites may or may not contain: a fire ring, a pit toilet, tenting areas, food cache.

Stikine/Spatsizi Rivers Canoe Route: Tuaton Lake, Fountain Rapids, Chapea Rapids, Beggerlay Canyon, Spatsizi River Access Trail (two sites available: one located at trailhead, other located at the end of the trail by river).

Eaglenest Creek Route: Ram Creek, MacDonald Camp.

Pit or flush toilets
This park only has pit toilets – no flush toilets.
Showers
There is a shower with “on-demand” hot water at Cold Fish Lake camp. The shower is located at the southern end of camp, approximately 50m behind the cookhouse and 25m to the west of the outhouse.
Drinking water
Lakes and streams are sources of drinking water. Water should be boiled before using.
Campfires

Please check for campfire bans and the fire danger rating for the area you are visiting before igniting a fire in the backcountry. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented within the park. To maintain a healthy ecosystem community, please don’t gather firewood from the park (a ticketable offence under Section 9 of the Park Act ). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and contributes to healthy and fertile soils. For more information on campfires in the backcountry.

Firewood is typically provided at Cold Fish Lake Camp for a fee of $20 per wheelbarrow load. Always carry a cooking stove, use fire rings, only build a fire when necessary and where it will not cause environmental damage. While campfires are allowed and campfire rings may be provided, we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by keeping their campfire small.

Hiking

There are several hiking trails leading into the park from the BC Railgrade along the Klappan River, and in the vicinity of Cold Fish Lake Camp. Note that as of 2021 the BC Rail grade is inaccessible due to washout at the 30 kilometre point.

For your own safety and preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Please be advised that these are wilderness trails that are not frequently travelled or maintained by BC Parks staff. Trail conditions can be extremely challenging depending on weather and other factors. The Stikine Area BC Parks office may have updated trail condition information available seasonally.

Hiking in the backcountry areas of this park requires hikers to be well equipped, experienced in backcountry travel and in good physical condition.

Canoeing

There are opportunities for canoeing or kayaking in this park.

There are two popular river trips. The first follows the Upper Stikine River from Tuaton or Laslui Lake (both accessible by float plane) to the pullout at the Highway #37 bridge. The second route is the Spatsizi River from its confluence with Didene and Kluayetz Creeks (accessed by portage from the BC Rail grade) to the Stikine River and then down the Stikine to the pullout at the Highway #37 bridge.

Fishing

Anglers must abide by the applicable regulations, found in the Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. Rainbow trout, lake trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic grayling, mountain whitefish, burbot and longnose sucker are the most common gamefish species in the region. Although fish can be abundant, please conserve your catch and only keep what you intend to eat.

Wildlife viewing
Sprawling wilderness, unique geological features, spectacular mountains, as well as diverse and abundant wildlife and plant communities make this park unique. There is opportunity to see a variety of birds and furbearers in addition to big game animals.
Pets on leash

Pets/domestic animals in the front country must always be on a leash and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. Pet owners are responsible for controlling pet behaviour and must dispose of excrement in a responsible manner. In backcountry areas larger than 2,000ha, pets are permitted off leash and under control ( i.e. , it is an offence for a domestic animal to chase or molest wildlife). Please refer to the Park, Conservancy and Recreation Area Regulations (Section 19) for more information.

Horseback riding
A Letter of Authorization (LOA) is required for visitors who wish to use horses within Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park. There is a mandatory weed-free feed requirement for any horses entering the northern parks, meaning that horses must be fed certified weed-free pellets for 72 hours prior to entering the park and throughout the duration of their stay within the park. The primary reason for the weed-free feed requirement is the growing concern of introducing invasive plant species (either through non-permitted feed or horse droppings) into the natural and pristine ecosystem of the park. To request an LOA, please contact the BC Parks Stikine Area Supervisor at 250 771-4591 ext.1. If there is no answer, please leave a detailed message stating your request for an LOA, your name, contact information, and the dates you wish to visit the park.
Hunting

Hunting is permitted within Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Park. Please note that the hunting of moose, caribou, mountain sheep, mountain goat (with the exception of the Dawson area, see BC Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis) in the park is by Limited Entry Hunting Authorization only.

No Hunting is permitted within Gladys Lake Ecological Reserve

No shooting area within 1 km of Cold Fish Lake camp.

A secure meat cache with electric fencing is available at Cold Fish Lake Camp to hang legally harvested game meat/antlers/skins/other animal parts. Please do not store meat/animal parts anywhere else in camp and use the meat cache in order to avoid attracting large carnivores and creating wildlife conflicts within camp.

Links to the BC Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis and Limited Entry Hunting Regulations Synopsis are available on the BC Parks Fishing and Hunting page.