Tahsish-Kwois Park

Highlights in this park

Tahsish-Kwois Park is located in Kyuquot Sound on northwestern Vancouver Island. The closest settlement to the park is the village of Kyuquot, which lies about 20km to the west.

This rugged, isolated park is one of the largest parks on Vancouver Island and features old growth forest, two lakes, a scenic river canyon and river valleys. The south end of the park encircles the Tahsish River Ecological Reserve, with the river portion of the ecological reserve providing the primary access into the park.

Accessible primarily by boat, this park offers outstanding wilderness recreation opportunities, including wildlife viewing, old-growth forest exploration, backcountry hiking and camping, nature study and fresh water fishing. Tahsish-Kwois also contains one of the most important Roosevelt elk winter ranges on Vancouver Island. Bald eagles are common year-round, particularly during salmon runs.

Know before you go

Advisories

Safety information

Logging road access to Kyuquot Sound can be potentially hazardous due to encounters with heavy industrial traffic. The chance of encountering loaded logging trucks while traveling these roads is highly likely. Logging trucks have the right of way at all times. Drives should use caution and yield to logging trucks; use pullouts whenever possible.

Special notes

Campfires: This park is closed to campfires except for within 2km of the coastline.

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

Protected Areas of Kyuquot Sound and Checleset Bay Map [PDF]

Getting there

Tahsish-Kwois Park is located approximately 40km south of Port McNeill and 20km east of the village of Kyuquot on northern Vancouver Island. Access to the park is primarily by boat up the mouth of Tahsish Inlet. Boaters can reference marine chart # 3682 (Kyuquot Sound) for more information on this area.

Vehicles can reach the shore of Kyuquot Sound at either Fair Harbour or Artlish River by way of roads to Zeballos. The park can also be entered on foot at its eastern boundary via a logging road that branches from the road to Zeballos. Travel in the park is restricted to boating or walking.

Camping

Wilderness camping

There are no designated campsites at this park, however random wilderness camping is allowed. No facilities are provided. Please practice “Leave No Trace” camping ethics.

When visiting the backcountry, always follow Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. To learn more about staying safe in the backcountry, read our backcountry guide.

Winter camping

Tahsish-Kwois Park is open year-round. There is no fee for winter camping.

Things to do

Swimming

There is no designated swimming area at this park.

There are no lifeguards on duty in BC Parks.

Canoeing

There are opportunities for canoers and kayakers to access this park via Tahsish Inlet, however visitors must first paddle through Tahsish River Ecological Reserve. Recreational use of the Ecological Reserve is prohibited however paddlers are allowed to travel through the river portion of the Ecological Reserve to reach the park. Camping, campfires and hunting are prohibited in all British Columbia Ecological Reserves.

Fishing

Fishing is permitted (as per provincial and federal fishing regulations) up the Tahsish and Kwois rivers however these areas are difficult to access. Both rivers are home to Coho, Chinook, chum and pink salmon as well as three species of trout and Char. Fly fishing is the most popular method of angling in this area.

All anglers should check the current regulations issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada prior to fishing.

Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.

Hunting

Portions of this park are open to hunting for specific species. Hunters must have valid licences and tags. Please refer to the current Hunting and Trapping Regulations and Synopsis publication for closures and regulations.

NOTE: Hunting is prohibited in all British Columbia Ecological Reserves.

Anyone hunting in British Columbia must comply with BC hunting regulations. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.

Facilities

Campfires

While fires are allowed, we encourage visitors to conserve the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using stoves instead. If you must use a campfire, please practice “ Leave No Trace” camping ethics.

Campfire bans may be in place. Before lighting a fire, check for bans or restrictions on BC Wildfire Service and on local or Indigenous government websites.

About this park

Cultural heritage

Tahsish-Kwois Park lies within the traditional territory of the Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations. The Tahsish River estuary contains a heritage site situated in Kyuquot Indian Reserve No. 11. This site was a historic First Nations village inhabited during the salmon season. There are no standing structures, but archaeological deposits are expected to be present.

Historic documents and native legend refer to a major trade route known as the Grease Trail between Tahsish Inlet and the mouth of Nimpkish River via the Tahsish River valley, Atluck Lake and Nimpkish Lake. It is also apparent from the establishment of Kyuquot Indian Reserve No. 11 that the Tahsish River area was a traditional hunting and fishing area.

History

Tahsish-Kwois Park was established in 1995 as part of the Vancouver Island Land Use plan. An additional 193 hectares was added to the park in 2001. This acquisition protects valuable estuary habitat at the mouth of the Tahsish River and some old growth forest.

Conservation

Tahsish-Kwois Park and the adjacent Ecological Reserve area are situated at the head of Kyuquot Sound where the Tahsish River flows into Tahsish Inlet. This park is one of the largest parks on Vancouver Island, covering approximately 11,022 hectares. The park’s natural features include old growth clad 1,200 metre high mountains, a high-elevation lake (850 metres), a significant low-elevation lake (100 metres), a scenic river canyon and U-shaped river valleys.

The adjacent Ecological Reserve encompasses 70 hectares of an island tidal estuary containing tidal meadows, a rare plant species, Roosevelt elk and black bear habitat.

Tahsish-Kwois Park has three rivers which provide fish rearing habitat for provincially significant populations of salmonid species. Only one river, the Tahsish, is not wholly contained within the park, but has its source and half its length beyond the park’s eastern boundary.

The Tahsish-Kwois system supports all anadromous and resident salmonid species native to Vancouver Island. In the estuary of the Tahsish River, the network of channels with various depths, flow characteristics and substrates present provides migrating, spawning and particularly rearing habitat for salmonid fish. The Tahsish watershed supports populations of at least 10 species of fish.

Wildlife

The watersheds that comprise Tahsish-Kwois Park are a natural ecosystem supporting viable populations of most wildlife species occurring on Vancouver Island. All the major predator and fur-bearing species inhabit the area, including grey wolves, cougar, black bears, Roosevelt elk, black-tailed deer, mink, raccoon and river otter. The park also supports a variety of birds associated with the aquatic and old growth forest habitat. Estimates indicate that the lower Tahsish ranks as one of the best elk ranges on Vancouver Island.

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.

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