!
BC Spaces Page Link
Parks
History
Tourism
Environmental Education
Take Action
Take articles
menu spacer menu btn menu btn menu btn menu btn menu btn menu btn menu btn menu btn

Swan Lake/Kispiox River Provincial Park is geologically distinct area of British Columbia. It features a cluster of parallel and linearly aligned lakes carved out by Ice Age glaciation. This glacial origin is evidenced by the orientation and shape of the lakes. This type of geology is more frequently associated with the landscape found in the Canadian Shield of Central Canada than in British Columbia. Swan Lake/Kispiox River supports a large population of grizzly bears and an outstanding steelhead fishery. Canoeists, kayakers, fishers, and wilderness enthusiasts have much to enjoy in this wild and remote 62,319 hectare (153,996 acre) park.

location

Much of this backcountry park is inaccessible, but it is possible to hike in some portions of it and to paddle its extensive lake system. To reach Swan Lake/Kispiox River Park, drive along Highway 16 past the towns of Smithers and New Hazelton. Turn north onto Highway 37 at its junction with Highway 16 and continue until the Brown Bear Forest Service Road turns off on the east side of the highway. Follow this Forest Service Road for about 14 km (8.6 mi). From there turn onto another road, following the signs to Brown Bear Lake, and drive 3 more kilometres (1.9 mi) to the Swan Lake/Kispiox River Provincial Park parking area and information shelter.

Click on the map to view an enlargement


"Swan Lake/Kispiox River is home to a large number of grizzly bears and an outstanding steelhead fishery."



recreation

One of the most notable recreational activities in the park are canoeing and kayaking its interesting chain of undeveloped lakes. The largest lakes are Swan and Brown Bear Lakes, but there are a variety of smaller lakes in the park as well. The lakes are also lovely for swimming. Swan Lake is large and can experience high winds and large waves, so paddlers should be experienced before venturing onto its waters. There are dangerous rocks at the entrance to Club Lake, and underwater reefs that surround many of the islands in Swan Lake that should be avoided. A 1.4 km (0.87 mi) trail, used primarily as a portage, links the south east end of Brown Bear Lake with Swan Lake.

The waters of Swan Lake/Kispiox Park are also very popular for fishing as well as paddling. During the summer Coho, Chinook, Sockeye, Chum and Pink travel up the Kispiox River. Rainbow trout, Cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden char and Whitefish are found in the park's lakes year round. The Kispiox River is also recognised as one of the most outstanding trophy Steelhead rivers in the world. A valid fishing license is required in order to fish in British Columbia.

The area is suitable for wilderness and backcountry camping, but other than a few pit toilets there are no developed camping facilities in the park.


"The waters of Swan Lake/Kispiox Park are popular for fishing as well as paddling."



wildlife

The scenic Kispiox River is home to one of the world's best steelhead runs, as well as a large variety of other fish species. These fish help to support the park's unusually high concentrations of grizzly bears. The park is also in an ecologically unique location. It represents the transition from the wet Coastal Rainforest to the Interior of the province, and is the only region of northern BC to feature Interior wet belt forests. As a consequence Swan Lake/Kispiox River Park contains a diversity of ecosystems and supports a large variety of plants and animals.


"The pristine Kispiox River is home to one of the world's best steelhead runs, in addition to supporting a large variety of other fish species."


history

When proposals to log the headwaters of the Kispiox River surfaced in the early 1970s, a group of conservationists living in the Kispiox Valley organised to oppose the logging. They set up the Kispiox Community Association and proposed that the area be protected instead. The Kispiox River is recognised as one of the world's outstanding trophy steelhead fishing rivers and there was concern that logging of its headwaters would destroy the water quality the steelhead fishery would be lost. In particular, Margaret Clay, owner of a local steelhead lodge, and other steelhead fishers joined conservationist to advocate its protection. The local Gitxsan and Gitanyow First Nations also thought that retaining the area was very important and they too joined in the campaign. As a result of these combined efforts logging was halted in the late 1970s.

Then in the late 1980s, as a result of the Height of the Rockies wilderness campaign in south- eastern BC, the Forest Act was amended to allow for Forest Wilderness Areas. This legislation was modelled after the US and New Zealand examples, where Forest Wilderness Areas were managed by the Forest Service so as to supplement these countries' National Parks Systems.

Both the BC Forest Service and local conservationists proposed Kispiox as a Forest Wilderness Area, and it in 1991 the area was protected as the 19,273 hectare (47,621 acre) Swan Lake Forest Wilderness Area. Due to the nature of the Forest Wilderness Legislation this did not afford complete protected status, as mining was still an option. As well, the Forest Service administered the area rather than the Parks Branch. There was concern that this status did not give a sufficient level of protection, so when the Kispiox Land and Resource Management Plan of the mid-1990s was undertaken, the local public rallied and successfully elevated Swan Lake/Kispiox River's status to Class A Park in 1996. In 1999, following the recommendations of the Upper Kispiox Planning Group, an additional 43,046 hectares (106,371 acres) were added to the park bringing Swan Lake/Kispiox River Provincial Park to its current size.


"The Kispiox River is recognised as one of the world's outstanding trophy steelhead fishing rivers and there was concern that logging of the headwaters would destroy the water quality for the steelhead and the fishery would be lost."



Return to the Rainforest Coast Region

Become Involved!

Please
Report Problems
with this site
or any links.



   Home | About | Explore BC's Parks | BC's Wildlife | History of Conservation | BC's History of Conservation | Wilderness Tourism: Zonation System, Special Management Zones, Jobs and the Environment | Environmental Education: Learning About Nature, Education Resources | Take Action: What You Can Do, Contribute | Articles: Archive, News Links, Documents | Contact | Links