Skeena East. 
Know before you go
Advisories
Safety information
Tatshenshini-Alsek Park is a wild, rugged area. Always bring appropriate clothing and gear as well as sufficient supplies.
Hiking
If you are planning a hiking trip, remember that weather conditions in the summer are highly variable. Although a day may start with clear skies and sunshine, it can quickly change. Snow is possible any day of the year. High winds are frequent and there are often long spells of cold, wet weather.
For more information on hazards you may encounter, see the hiking section, below.
Kayaking and river-rafting
If you are planning a kayaking or river-rafting trip, remember that this park is very remote. There are several rapids to navigate. Turnback Canyon on the Alsek River is an extremely hazardous rapid. It is not recommended even for the most skilled kayaker or rafter.
For more information, visit the Tatshenshini-Alsek Park: River-rafting and kayaking page.
Special notes
Please take special care to minimize your impact on the landscape of Tatshenshini-Alsek Park. Always practice Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. For details, see our backcountry guide.
Indigenous cultural sites
Archaeological studies of the Alsek and Tatshenshini river corridors are in progress. If you discover a possible cultural site or natural or cultural artifact, do not disturb it. Take pictures and note the location (with GPS, if possible).
Please report your findings to the BC Parks office in Atlin at 1-250-651-7634. Remember that it is an offence to damage or remove any natural or cultural resource from a BC Park.
Motor vehicle use
No roads run through Tatshenshini-Alsek Park. The park cannot be accessed by road vehicles. The Haines Highway parallels the park. All hiking trails are accessed from this highway.
Despite this park’s biodiversity, existence can be fragile for its inhabitants. Winters are long, the growing season is short, and damaged vegetation rehabilitates slowly. Therefore, off-road motor vehicles are not allowed, with two exceptions:
- In winter, snowmobiling is allowed within a specified area (see winter recreation, below, for details)
- Citizens of Champagne and Aishihk First Nations have the right to use motor vehicles for harvesting
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
- Location map
- Tatshenshini-Alsek park map and brochure [PDF]
- Google Earth file for Tatshenshini-Alsek river campsites [KMZ]
- Shäwshe (Dalton Post) put-in directions [PDF]
- Google Earth file of the snowmobile zone boundary [KMZ]
- Snowmobile zone [PDF]
- Snowmobiling brochure [PDF]
Any maps listed are for information only. They may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.
Getting there
Tatshenshini-Alsek Park is in the extreme northwestern corner of British Columbia. The park is next to parks in the Yukon and Alaska, forming a large continuous protected area.
Camping
Wilderness camping
Wilderness camping is allowed in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park. The term ‘wilderness’ refers to an area with no amenities, which is more than 1 km from any road. Therefore, there are no formal campgrounds or other services provided. We do not charge any fees for wilderness camping in this park.
For information on suggested wilderness camping locations, see maps and location.
When visiting the backcountry, always follow Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. To learn more about staying safe in the backcountry, read our backcountry guide.
Things to do
There are nearly endless hiking opportunities in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park. However, the Chuck Creek Trail is the only properly maintained hiking trail anywhere in this park.
All other routes listed below follow old mining roads that predate the establishment of the park. These are hiking routes rather than maintained trails. Therefore, you may encounter difficult conditions.
Summer weather is highly variable in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park. Although a day may start with clear skies and sunshine, it can quickly change. Snow is possible any day of the year.
High winds are frequent and there are often long spells of cold, wet weather. Fog can be a particular challenge for hikers. It may roll in at any time, making route finding difficult.
See below for information on these routes:
Chuck Creek Trail
The trailhead for Chuck Creek Trail is 140 km south of Haines Junction, on the Haines Highway. There is a pull-out at the trailhead with an outhouse, information kiosk, and bear-proof garbage bin.
This is the only maintained hiking trail in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park. The trail is 12 km one-way, for a 24 km return trip. It has recently been upgraded to improve sightlines and prevent further braiding and widening.
This is a moderate difficulty trail. However, it has multiple creek crossings. Be prepared to get your feet wet. Consider bringing hiking sandals or an old pair of runners for the crossings.
Conditions are frequently wet along this trail.
We recommend bringing the relevant 1:50,000-scale map for this trip (# 114 P/10 – Nadahini Creek). Also, take a GPS and mark a waypoint at 9.5 km, as foggy conditions can make route finding very difficult.
The trail starts in a sub-alpine valley. After roughly 3 km, Mineral Lakes comes into view to your left. If you decide to continue further along this trail, you will come across Chuck Creek.
Around the 7 km point, the trail drops to Clear Creek, where the spectacular Samuel Glacier comes into view. From here, the views keep improving as you walk closer to the glacier.
Parton River route
The Parton River hiking route is an abandoned access road and horse trail. The trail is unmaintained and there is no signage at the start of the route or anywhere along it.
We recommend bringing the relevant 1:50,000-scale maps for this trip (# 114 P/10 - Nadahini Creek, # 114 P/11 - Carmine Mountain and # 114 P/15 - Parton River).
Park your vehicle at the Tatshenshini River to begin your journey. The trailhead is roughly 112 km south of Haines Junction on the Haines Highway, just past Stanley Creek.
Take the gravel road that turns off the highway. After this, you cross the Tatshenshini and Parton rivers. The hiking is good until you reach a rockslide area with three obstacles.
The first obstacle begins at UTM coordinates 397020 E / 6639350 N to 396906 E / 6639287 N. It continues to 396822 E / 6639150 N. The second is at 396635 E / 6638929 N. The third, at 396549 E / 6638102 N, completely covers the road.
After the third obstacle, you cross a prominent gully. Here, the hiking becomes easier as it follows an old mining road. At the next creek, it is very easy to lose the trail and end up bushwhacking through a muskeg.
Pay attention after passing the ‘old wagon’. Keep to the right fork, away from the Parton River. The hiking is good up to the old cabin by the junction in the road. The junction is at 393884 E / 6631715 N.
Going northwest from the junction puts you on the Shinny Lakes Trail, which has spectacular scenery throughout. The trail has good hiking, following the old mining road and horse trail.
This lake is suitable for swimming because it has little vegetation and a gravel beach at the east end.
Going east from the junction, across the creek, puts you on the O’Conner Trail. This is a roughly 16 km hike to an old airstrip. There is a steep climb for about 3 km. Then it slopes off to a serious rockslide.
This obstacle is at UTM coordinates 394849 E / 6630935 N to 394855 E / 6630880 N. It covers the road completely, with treacherous detours going above and below. Use extreme caution when negotiating these detours.
After the rockslide, there is another steep climb and then the trail levels off. The trail follows along the valley below, which provides spectacular scenery. Then, it leads down into the valley and through to the old airstrip, where it ends.
Copper Butte route
The Copper Butte hiking route is an abandoned access road roughly 160 km south of Haines Junction on the Haines Highway. It is approximately 3 km past the end of Three Guardsmen Lake on the east side of the highway.
Park your vehicle in the pull-off at 59ﹾ 584022N and -136ﹾ467244W. Begin by walking down the old Haines Road. This abandoned access road is unmaintained and there is no signage at the start of the route or anywhere along it.
Walk roughly 2.5 km down the old Haines Road until you come to Schulz Creek. This will be the second creek you encounter. From here, head north (right) and begin a moderately strenuous hike through the Alder.
This goes on for about 100 m until it opens to the old Copper Butte mining road. Follow this to the old mines. It is a very scenic abandoned road with many visible remains from past mining activities.
The mineshaft on the east-facing slope is unstable and should not be entered. Do not enter any mine shafts.
Once you reach the first plateau, the terrain opens. You are greeted by mountainous vistas and get a bird’s-eye view of Inspector Creek. From the Copper Butte Plateau, you can continue north-northwest to Mineral Lakes.
There are beautiful camping opportunities on the shores of these alpine lakes. From Mineral Lakes, you can head towards the Chuck Creek Trail, which makes for an easy walk back to the highway.
Tatshenshini-Alsek Park offers world-class canoeing, river-rafting, and kayaking opportunities. The BC Parks River Fee is in effect in this park. For full details of the opportunities available and fees charged, see the Tatshenshini-Alsek Park: River-rafting and kayaking page.
Tatshenshini-Alsek Park offers world-class canoeing, river-rafting, and kayaking opportunities. The BC Parks River Fee is in effect in this park. For full details of the opportunities available and fees charged, see the Tatshenshini-Alsek Park: River-rafting and kayaking page.
Fishing is allowed in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park.
Anyone fishing in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Dogs and other domestic animals must be kept under control in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park.
Authorized horseback riding is allowed in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park. You must obtain a letter of permission before bringing horses into the park. Submit your request for a letter of permission online.
Hunting is allowed in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park. Please consult the current BC Hunting & Trapping Regulations Synopsis for detailed hunting information.
Anyone hunting in British Columbia must comply with BC hunting regulations. To learn more, see the fishing and hunting guide.
Tatshenshini-Alsek Park is a popular destination for a range of winter activities. The park attracts backcountry skiers, snowboarders, and kite skiers. However, it is best known for its snowmobiling opportunities.
Extra planning is essential for winter recreation, especially if you are visiting the backcountry. For information, visit the winter safety page.
Snowmobiling
A snowmobile zone was established during Tatshenshini-Alsek Park's creation in the mid-1990s. Tatshenshini-Alsek is one of very few BC Parks where any snowmobiling is allowed.
Studies have shown that snowmobile activity negatively impacts a wide variety of wildlife. Most snowmobiling activity occurs at a time when wild animals are at their most vulnerable (the end of winter and the beginning of spring).
Snowmobiling is not allowed in most BC Parks. The Park Act specifies a $575 fine for illegal snowmobile use. This is strictly enforced in Tatshenshini-Alsek Park. To avoid a fine, do not use your snowmobile outside the snowmobile zone.
For details of the area where snowmobiling is allowed, see the snowmobile zone, below.
When snowmobiling within the zone, give animals the space they need and deserve. Any snowmobilers who are disturbing or endangering wildlife may be evicted from the park.
We ask all visitors to help us protect local wildlife and keep this rare and exciting snowmobiling opportunity alive. Together, we can ensure everyone is able to enjoy this extraordinary park, safely and responsibly, for generations to come.
For more details of how you can enjoy the snowmobile zone without harming wildlife, see responsible snowmobiling, below.
The snowmobile zone
Tatshenshini-Alsek Park has two management areas:
- The Natural Environment Zone (also known as the snowmobile zone)
- The Wilderness Recreation Zone
Snowmobiling is allowed only within the Natural Environment Zone. Snowmobile use is not allowed in the Wilderness Recreation Zone. Anyone found snowmobiling in the Wilderness Recreation Zone is fined under the Park Act.
For information on the boundaries of these zone, see the following resources:
- Google Earth file of the snowmobile zone boundary [KMZ]
- Snowmobile zone [PDF]
- Snowmobiling brochure [PDF]
Responsible snowmobiling
We work with Champagne and Aishihik First Nations and Klondike Snowmobile Association to promote safe, responsible snowmobiling in this park. Here’s how you can help:
- Ride straight
Do not operate a snowmobile while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Safe snowmobile operation requires a clear head. - Be respectful of wildlife
Stick to the designated snowmobile zone. Take extra care to give wild animals and birds the space they need and deserve. - Be respectful of others
Snowmobiles can present a danger to other park visitors, especially backcountry skiers, snowboarders, and kite skiers. - Be prepared for the conditions
Check the forecast for adverse weather conditions, which are common in this area. - Be aware of avalanche risk
Be capable and equipped for self-rescue. Know how to identify risky areas. Avoid glaciers, cornices, gullies, and creek beds.
Before heading out, check with Avalanche Canada for information on avalanche conditions.
- Slow it down
Maintain responsible speeds. Use a lower speed in adverse weather conditions or in the evening when visibility is lower. - Leave No Trace
Pack out any litter or other waste. For information on Leave No Trace outdoor ethics, see our backcountry guide. - Spread the word
Make sure your fellow snowmobile enthusiasts are aware of appropriate and responsible snowmobiling practices.
Facilities
To minimize wildfire risk, campfires are not allowed in most parts of Tatshenshini-Alsek Park. Campfires are allowed only along the Tatshenshini and Alsek river corridors. You must use a fire pan for any campfires you light.
If you are wilderness camping away from the river corridors, use a camping stove for cooking. For information on campfire safety, see the responsible recreation page.
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.
There are two toilet facilities along the eastern edge of the park, on the west side of the Haines Highway. One is at the small roadside hut just south of West Nadahini Creek. The second is at the pullout for the Chuck Creek trailhead.
About this park
The park is on the traditional lands of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. Numerous First Nation fishing villages were located along the Tatshenshini and Alsek Rivers, although today only Klukshu, Yukon is still occupied. Visitors are encouraged to visit Klukshu to learn something of the area's rich First Nations cultural heritage. Visitors stopping at Shäwshe (Dalton Post) are reminded that they are on lands legally owned by the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. Please respect their land use regulations and requirements.
More information on the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations.
Comprehensive archaeological studies of the Alsek and Tatshenshini River corridors are not yet complete. If you come across a site or artifact of cultural significance you are encouraged to report its location and what you saw to the BC Parks office in Atlin at (250) 651-7634. Please remember that it is an offence to damage or remove any natural or cultural resource from a Provincial Park.
One of the earliest European travelers in the area was Edward James Glave from Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper. He wanted “to be the first white man to erase from the map the hypothetical and fill up the blank area with the mountains, lakes and rivers which belong to it”. In 1890 a party set out that included Glave, an Alaskan scout named Jack Dalton, and a Tlingit man called Shank The men traveled over the Chilkat Trail and then paddled the Tatshenshini in a 20-foot dugout canoe. At the end of the trip Glave said that the Tatshenshini had “such an incessant display of scenic wild grandeur that it became tiresome.”
At the turn of the century there was a brief gold rush on Porcupine Creek, near Rainy Hollow. The strike attracted over 1,000 miners and was very active until 1906. In 1927 another small gold discovery was made at Dollis (Ts’ach’än Chù) Creek by Paddy Duncan, a Neskatahin native. In the early 1900s there were several scientific surveys, a boundary survey and a few mountaineering expeditions, one of which included the first climbing of Mt. Fairweather in 1931.
The Haines Highway was built during the Second World War by the United States Army to provide tidewater access to the Alcan Highway. It closely followed the Dalton Trail, which had been established as a toll route to the Klondike gold fields in 1897 by Jack Dalton. This route, in turn, followed an early Tutchone/Tlingit trade route between the coast and interior tribes. In the late 1970s the highway was upgraded to its present standard through a joint Canadian/American project.
Shortly after, a major mineral exploration project began in the headwaters of Tats Creek on Windy Craggy Mountain. A huge, high-quality deposit of copper was found and environmental hearings began as part of the process of obtaining a mining permit. It quickly became apparent that the project would destroy the wilderness qualities of the Tatshenshini and pose some serious environmental hazards as well. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, river uses and environmentalists rallied in an unprecedented fashion. Tatshenshini Wild, an umbrella organization representing over 50 major environmental groups in the US and Canada, spearheaded a high-profile international campaign aimed at securing protection for the area. The BC government officially declared this area a Class "A" provincial park in October 1993.
The valley of the upper Tatshenshini is characterized by open sub-alpine forests, often with extensive poplar stands and alpine tundra. The poplar stands are unusual because of their dense alder thickets and carpets of northern ground cone, a parasitic plant, rarely found in the province, which is an important grizzly bear food. The broad middle reaches of the Tatshenshini flow past extensive gravel bars, large alluvial fans and the jagged ridges of the Alsek Ranges. The sloping fans and gravel bars are carpeted in meadows of flowers at a scale uncommon in the province.
Below the mouth of the O’Connor River, the Tatshenshini is dramatically different. The river pours through a braided channel that is over a kilometre wide; expansive views of the glacier-covered St. Elias Ranges dominate the west. Here the coastal influence begins to be felt, while high winds and heavy snowpacks are common. Scientists studying the area say the mixed spruce-willow-birch forest found along this stretch of the river is unique in BC.
The Alsek River flows south out of the Yukon’s Kluane National Park and Reserve and the largest non-polar icecap in the world. In BC, the Alsek Valley is very different from the Tatshenshini. It has been described as stepping back in time to the end of the last Ice Age. The broad, braided, silt-grey flows past dense groves of paper birch, willow and aspen. Higher slopes are covered with shrubby willows and slide alder. Moist meadows are common, often coloured with wide swathes of fireweed. The backdrop to every scene is filled with snowy peaks, blue glaciers and bare rock.
As the confluence of the Tatshenshini and Alsek nears, Mt. Fairweather dominates the view, the highest peak in BC at 4,633 metres. The now mighty Alsek rolls past wide plains of river gravel backed by lush coastal vegetation. Nearby, hanging glaciers cover the flanks of the Noisy and Icefield Ranges.
Below the confluence, the river slices through the coastal ranges and enters Alaska. This section of the Alsek is spectacular. At Gateway Knob, the Alsek glacier flows into the river creating an iceberg-filled lake. One hundred and sixty miles from its source, the mighty Alsek finally reaches the Pacific Ocean at Dry Bay, Alaska. Flowers, trees and shrubs are part of the park’s natural heritage, please do not damage or remove them.
The exceptional landscape, climate and vegetation of the Tatshenshini have produced an unusual diversity of wildlife species. As with the plants, many of the area’s wildlife species are at either the northern or southern limits of their geographic range. These edge-of-the-range populations are important for the long-term survival of the species. Because environmental conditions at the edge of a species’ range are different from the conditions at the center, adaptive evolution is encouraged. This results in a slightly different genetic pool that can help a species survive long-term environmental change.
About 200 Dall sheep - roughly half the provincial population - are found in Dollis Range (Ts’ach’än Dhäl) and Datlaska Range just west of the Haines Highway. Between three and four hundred mountain goats are found on south-facing slopes between the highway and the Alsek Ranges to the west.
Grizzly bears are found throughout the region but are especially plentiful along the rivers when the salmon are running. Most river users see bears or bear tracks nearly every day. The Alsek Ranges between the Alsek and Tatshenshini Rivers are known to provide exceptionally productive grizzly habitat, probably the best in Canada. The Tatshenshini-Alsek area, along with the surrounding parks, may be the only area in North America large enough to ensure the long-term survival of grizzly bears. Black bears are also numerous along the rivers in the fall, and in the sub-alpine/alpine during the summer. A rare colour phase of black bear, the bluish-coloured glacier bear, occurs here; almost nothing is known about its range except that it is found nowhere else in Canada and rarely in Alaska.
Waterfowl, sandhill cranes and other bird species use the Alsek River as a migration route from the coast to the interior in the spring and fall. Eagles follow salmon up the Alsek in the fall. Rafters report seeing 50 or more at one time. Other bird species of note include gyrfalcon, peregrine falcon, northern goshawk, golden eagle, northern harrier, trumpeter swan, willow ptarmigan, great grey owl, short-eared owl, king eider, arctic tern, gray-cheeked thrush, lesser golden plover, Pacific loon and the wandering tattler.
The Haines Highway provides an opportunity to see much of the same unusual plant and animal diversity that river users experience. The highway passes through coastal, sub-alpine and alpine tundra environments. Over 82 species of birds have been recorded in the Chilkat Pass area. Unusual sightings include Smith’s longspur, snow buntings, three different species of ptarmigan, red-throated loons, gyrfalcons and the wandering tattler.
A number of small mammals found here are rare in British Columbia; these include the collared pika, the tundra vole, the arctic ground squirrel, and the meadow jumping mouse. Dall sheep are often seen on grassy, southwest-facing slopes and at a mineral lick in the Mt. Mansfield area. Mountain goats are also found at the same lick and can be spotted near the Three Guardsmen. Moose can be seen in wet areas near the road. Grizzly and black bears, although not as common as on the lower Tatshenshini, can be seen on the Blanchard River when salmon are spawning from July to September.
Park users should always be aware of bears and other wildlife in our park environment. Never feed or approach bears or other wildlife.
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.
Contact
| BC Parks regional office (Atlin) | |
|---|---|
| Champagne and Aishihik First Nations | |
| General questions and feedback for BC Parks | We answer emails weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm Pacific Time. |
