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Attention
Visitors - Important Notice!
- No park
alerts at this time
Park
Info:
Fiordland Conservancy is a large marine park, encompassing
Kynoch and Mussel Inlets, their estuaries and the surrounding
mountainous landscape.
Fiordland's scenery is very impressive. The area includes
one of the finest examples of glacially gouged fiords on the
British Columbia coast, where sheer granite cliffs rise more
than 1000 metres. From the water, view the soaring peaks of
the Coast Mountains, dense coastal forests, imposing waterfalls
and lush river estuaries.
The deep fiords and steep valleys unfortunately allow little
shore space for travel or camping. The vegetation is lush
and grows high, obscuring visibility. This area is home to
both grizzly and black bears, so travelling on shore can be
dangerous.
The conservancy can be accessed by boat or floatplane
only; there are several fair anchorages.
Fiordland Conservancy is located within the Kitasoo/XaiXais First Nation traditional territory and is co-managed under an agreement between the Kitasoo Nation and the Province of British Columbia. This co-operative management agreement will allow the Kitasoo Nation to access land and resources for their use within the Conservancy while achieving conservation and recreation objectives for the area.
Features within the two main inlets, Kynoch and Mussel, are
listed below:
Kynoch Inlet:
- moderate anchorage in Culpepper Lagoon and Desbrisay
Bay, less secure at the head of the inlet.
- scenic waterfall at the entrance to the inlet, draining
Lessum Creek.
- significant estuaries at Kainet and Lard Creeks, smaller
estuaries at Desbrisay Bay and Riot Creek.
- outstanding upland features with sheer granite cliff and
walls.
Mussel Inlet:
- moderate anchorage in David Bay, less secure at the head
of the Inlet, Oatswish Bay and Poison Cove.
- scenic waterfalls: McAlpin and Lisette Falls.
- significant estuary at the Mussel River.
- outstanding rock formations, granite walls.
Park
Size: 76,825 hectares of upland and 7,592 hectares of foreshore
Management
Planning:
Management Planning Information
- Online
Management planning information for this park is not available
at this time.
Location:
Fiordland
is accessed by water and air only. It encompasses
Kynoch and
Mussel Inlets, located about 100 km northwest of Bella
Coola. It is a popular side trip destination for
those cruising the
Inside Passage to Alaska. The closest community for purchase
of supplies is Klemtu and then Bella
Bella.
Please
consult Canadian Hydrographic chart #3962 - Matheison Channel,
Northern Portion.
Map/Brochure:
Any maps listed are for
information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be
used for navigation.
Nature
& Culture:
- History - The area was originally protected as a recreation area in 1987 but was converted to a conservancy in 2006 pursuant to government land use decisions in the Central Coast Land and Resource Management Plan area.
- Cultural
Heritage - Fiordland is
the traditional territory of the Xai Xais and Kitisoo First Nations.
It is illegal to disturb cultural heritage sites or remove artifacts
from them. Please respect this important and sensitive area.
- Conservation - Fiordland Conservancy was created to protect a spectacular representative of the Northern Fiordlands Landscape. Protecting such landscapes is key to BC Parks' mandate of representing BC's ecosystems in the protected area system. The biogeoclimatic zones in the area are coastal western hemlock, mountain hemlock and alpine tundra.
- Wildlife - The conservancy's magnificent grizzly bears enjoy excellent coastal habitat, with two major river estuaries providing them with fresh salmon during the spawning season. Lush vegetation and plentiful small mammals and insects form their diet during the spring and early summer.
Besides the grizzly bears, the conservancy provides habitat for mountain goats, black bears, wolves, cougars, Columbia black tailed deer and small mammals, as well as the marine mammals, waterfowl and shorebirds typical of coastal inlets.
- General Wildlife, Marine & Outdoor Ethics Information
Visitor
Safety:
- Strong
winds can pick up quickly, channelled by the deep fiords.
This can result in potentially hazardous conditions for small
vessels. Vessels are advised to have plenty of anchor rope
due to the considerable water depth in the few anchorages.
- The harvest
of bivalves is closed due to red tide and the potential for
paralytic shellfish poisoning.
- Due to
the high number of grizzly and black bears on shore, travel
on land is not recommended.
Visitor
Safety Information (park
safety, hazards, wildlife safety information, health risks)
Reservations:For
parks that accept reservations,
all vehicle accessible campsites (with the exception of
group sites) must be reserved through Discover
Camping.There are no reservations accepted at this conservancy. All campsites are on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Explore
Parks: Fees, park listings, what
you should know before you go and other useful links.
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No
vehicle accessible camping facilities at this conservancy.
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Wilderness,
backcountry or walk-in camping
is allowed, but no facilities are provided. Camping
is permitted but not recommended for three reasons:
-
there are very few camping sites due to the steep
topography
-
the density of bears; and - this an area of cultural
sensitivity
-
sleeping on board your boat has far less impact.
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No
group campsites.
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No
day-use or picnic facilities.
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There
are no wheelchair accessible facilities at this conservancy.
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Bring
your own drinking water as potable water is not available
in the conservancy.
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No
toilets. |
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No
showers.
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No
sani-station/dump facilities.
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If you must have a fire, please
burn only dead and down wood, and be sure to extinguish
the fire fully. Dead wood is an important habitat element
for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter
to the soil so please use it conservatively, if at all.
You can conserve firewood and air quality by keeping
your campfire small. Be prepared to bring a portable
stove for cooking.
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There are no electrical hook-ups in this park |
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There
are no regularly scheduled interpretive programs at
this conservancy.
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There
are no developed trails at this conservancy. Be extremely cautious
if you venture ashore. The bush is dense and can conceal
nearby grizzly bears.
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This
conservancy does not have a playground. |
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Swimming
is not recommended due to the cold water. There are
no lifeguards on duty at this conservancy.
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There
are opportunities for sea kayaking in this conservancy. Sea
kayakers find Fiordland well worth visiting;
however, there are very few camping sites due to the
steep topography of the area. Outflow winds are a major
hazard, exacerbated by the scarcity of safe landing
spots. Be prepared to spend days on shore waiting for
safe conditions.
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This
conservancy does not have a boat launch.
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Fishing
for groundfish or salmon is possible. Anyone fishing
or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate
licence.
Note,
the entire coast is closed to bivalve (i.e. clams and
mussels) harvest due to the risk of red tide, which
causes paralytic shellfish poisoning.
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Cycling
is not permitted.
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No
horseback riding.
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Pets/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. |
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No
wildlife viewing opportunities.
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No
winter recreation opportunities. |
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No
SCUBA diving or snorkelling opportunities. |
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No
windsurfing opportunities. |
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No
waterskiing opportunities. |
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This
park is open to hunting. Please refer to the BC
Hunting and Trapping Regulations for more information.
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No
climbing or rock climbing opportunities. |
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No
spelunking or caving opportunities. |
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No
cabins, yurts or lodges for public use. |
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