A wilderness campground with a metal bear-proof food cache and a pit toilet is located at the Swan Lake end of the portage trail from Brown Bear Lake. There is a a rustic campground with a pit toilet on the island directly across from the Swan Lake campground. Other spots throughout Swan Lake and Brown Bear Lake are suitable for camping but they are not mapped and there are no facilities at any of these sites.

While campfires are allowed in this backcountry area, we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using camp stoves instead. When having fires please use dead, downed wood. Do not cut live vegetation. If camping on an island, please consider bringing dead, downed wood from the mainland to avoid stripping islands of all woody debris.

This park only has pit toilets, no flush toilets.

Swan Lake Kispiox River Park offers a spectacular chain of lakes ideal for a canoe portage trip. 

Access is from the north end of Brown Bear Lake. Put in here and paddle 8.5 km down the lake to find a 1.4 km portage trail leading to Swan Lake. The portage trail has several canoe rests to allow for breaks. A short rapid connects Swan Lake to Club Lake. Continuing further to Stephens Lake and the upper Kispiox River is a challenging affair. 

Expect many log jams and challenging bushwacking. Suitable camping spots exist along the lakes which have no facilities and are not mapped.

Brown Bear and Swan Lakes permit electric motors only. No boat launch available.

Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.

Lake fishing:

This lake complex provides spawning and rearing habitat for coho, chinook, Sockeye, chum, pink and steelhead that migrate up the Kispiox River each summer. As well, the lakes support a healthy population of resident rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden char and whitefish. 

River fishing:

The Kispiox River offers world class steelhead fishing. Please view additional information from the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC. 

Excellent wildlife viewing opportunities exist throughout the Swan Lake Kispiox River Park. The lake chain in the southwest portion of the park contains a large diversity of wildlife and fish habitats.

This lake complex provides spawning and rearing habitat for coho, chinook, sockeye, c, pink and steelhead that migrate up the Kispiox River each summer. As well, the lakes support a healthy population of resident rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden char and whitefish. 

The abundant population of salmon helps attract and support a significant population of grizzly bears. This area is also excellent for black bears, mountain goats, wolves, moose, beaver, river otter and mink. 

Many forest bird species are present. Sightings of bald eagles and osprey are common. Gulls, terns and loons are abundant as well as waterfowl such as swans, buffleheads, goldeneyes, and common mergansers. Trumpeter swans are known to winter on Club Creek, given its open water conditions in most years.

You are responsible for your pet’s behaviour and must dispose of their excrement.

Hunting is permitted within Swan Lake Kispiox River Park. Please refer to the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis as well as the Limited Entry Hunting Synopsis for bag limits, season dates and area maps.