• Bring your own water as there is no potable water available.

History

The Stuart River corridor has been used as a travel route for centuries. The river was part of Simon Fraser’s exploration route and later the New Caledonia fur trade canoes regularly traveled these waters. Before the arrival of Simon Fraser the river had been used extensively by the Carrier people. Numerous archaeological sites have been documented including the ancient Chinlac village site. In 1961 the long-abandoned village was designated as a Provincial Heritage Site.

Conservation

The park lies on the Nechako Plateau and features flat to gently rolling terrain and rounded mountains with low ridges and high bluffs along the Stuart River. The corridor has riparian areas and upland forests associated with the major river systems of the plateau.

Wildlife

Stuart River provides critical habitat for chinook and sockeye salmon as well as the endangered white sturgeon. Stuart River Park also serves as a high-value wildlife corridor providing habitat for moose, bear, smaller fur-bearers, and riparian-dependent species such as swans, eagles, and bitterns. It also includes important winter range for deer and elk.

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.