Park overview
This is a remote wilderness area situated in north central British Columbia on the easterly fringe of the Skeena Mountains and on the southerly end of the Spatsizi Plateau, a division of the Stikine Plateau. The park boundary completely encloses the headwaters of the Firesteel River, whose waters eventually reach the Arctic Ocean about 3800 km away.
Advisories
Safety info
- Satellite communication devices are recommended when recreating in the backcountry. A communication device will allow you to alert others to an emergency situation or if you are overdue at your destination. This equipment is an essential part of your survival kit, and should be compatible with your activities and location.
Special notes
- A Letter of Permission is required for individuals or groups who wish to use horses within Tatlatui Park. To obtain a Letter of Permission, please contact the BC Parks Stikine Area Office at 250-771-4591. If there is no answer, please leave a detailed message stating your request for a letter of Permission, your name, contact information and the date you wish to visit the park. BC Parks will return the call as soon as possible.
- Hunting is permitted within Tatlatui Park. Please note that this park is in Region 7a. All hunting for big game is authorized through Limited Entry Hunting. Please refer to current BC Hunting Regulations.
- Only permitted air charter companies are authorized to fly into Tatlatui Park.
- Permitted Air Charter Companies for Tatlatui Park:
- Alpine Lakes Air Ltd. Float plane base located on Tyhee Lake near Telkwa, BC 250-846-9488
Alpine Lakes Air has added Tatogga Lake (near Iskut) as a base of operation. - Canadian Helicopters Ltd. Smithers, BC 250-847-9444
- Highland Helicopters Ltd. Smithers, BC 250-847-3859
- Tsayta Aviation Ltd. Float plane base located in Fort St. James, BC
- Alpine Lakes Air Ltd. Float plane base located on Tyhee Lake near Telkwa, BC 250-846-9488
Camping
There is a cabin available for public use located at Kitchener Lake within Tatlatui Park. Users are responsible to clean cabin upon departure.
Wilderness camping is allowed, but no facilities are provided.
Facilities
Fires should be used sparingly, as they are among the most serious visual impacts in the backcountry. Always carry a stove. Use it for most if not all of your cooking needs and only build a fire when it is safe and will not cause further damage or deplete wood supplies.
While campfires are allowed and campfire rings are provided at each campsite, we encourage visitors to conserve wood and protect the environment by minimizing the use of fire and using campstoves instead.
To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don’t gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park (this is a ticketable offence under the Park Act). Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil. For more information on campfires in the backcountry, click here.
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.
Activities
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash at all times and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their excrement. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
A Letter of Permission is required for individuals or groups who wish to use horses within Tatlatui Park. To obtain a Letter of Permission, please contact the BC Parks Stikine Area Office at 250-771-4591. If there is no answer, please leave a detailed message stating your request for a letter of Permission, your name, contact information and the date you wish to visit the park. BC Parks will return the call as soon as possible.
Hunting is permitted within Tatlatui Park. All hunting for big game is authorized through Limited Entry Hunting. Please refer to current BC Hunting Regulations for seasons and bag limits. (Note: Tatlatui Park is located in Region 7a).
Located 240 km north of Smithers and approximately 180 km southeast of Highway 37 at Eddontenajon Lake. There is no road access. All major lakes accessible by float plane. Other access alternatives would be horseback or helicopter.
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: May 18, 1973
- Size: 105,829 hectares
Nature and culture
History
In June of 1824, Samuel Black and his crew arrived at Thutade Lake (pronounced Tootaddy) after a hard and dangerous journey up the Finlay River. Thutade means “long, slender lake.”
The first official surveys into the area were carried out by Frank Swannell and R.G. McConnell in 1913. Many of the park place names were taken from the names of early surveyors and explorers. Lord Kitchener, a well-known British military man, was honoured after his death in 1916 by having a lake named after him. Another name was derived from Athapaskan Indian dialect.
Conservation
Boreal white and black spruce is found at the lowest elevations in the Firesteel Valley, also, Englemann spruce and subalpine fir. The alpine tundra is comprised of frost shattered rock, scree slopes, fine soils and large expanses of dwarfed plants.
Wildlife
Mountain Caribou, moose, stone sheep, mountain goat, beaver, Arctic ground squirrels, grizzly bears and wolves can all be found here. There are angling opportunities for rainbow trout as well.
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.