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Attention
Visitors - Important Notice!
- Wolves
have been known to frequent camping areas in the park.
Please ensure that all food and items smelling of food,
as well as any loose objects, are stored out of reach
of wildlife. At no time should food be offered or made
available to wildlife -to do so is in violation of the
Park Act.
- No
fees are currently collected for either hiking or camping
in Flores Island or Gibson Marine Provincial Parks.To
make sure of the location of the Provincial Parks, please
consult the information shelter maps or the Clayoquot
Area brochure (737 kb pdf format).
Park
Info:
Located adjacent to Flores Island Provincial Park on Flores
Island, Gibson Provincial Marine Park offers sheltered anchorage
in Matilda Inlet. The park is home to a natural warm spring,
contained in an open concrete tank, located on the shores
of Matilda Inlet. A non-maintained historic route connects
the warm springs, which are considered to be of therapeutic
value, to the broad sandy beaches at Whitesand Cove. This
route once provided access to a life-saving telegraph line
and an old homestead.
Gibson Marine, immediately south of the Nuu-chah-nulth
community of Ahousat, also provides access to the “Walk
the Wild Side” route, a rustic route that extends 10
km from Ahousat to Cow Bay. Most of the route follows sandy
beaches and trails cut across headlands to join with the
next beach. Muddy and slippery sections are present on this
route. The trail can be accessed from any of the beaches
in Gibson Marine Park.
Visitors come from around the world to explore Clayoquot
Sound, and Flores Island is one of the most popular destinations
for kayakers, who can find ample opportunities for camping
and wildlife viewing from the Island’s beautiful sandy
shores.
Park
Size: 140
hectares
Special
Notes:
Management
Planning:
Management
Planning Information
Location:
Gibson
Marine Park is located in the central portion of Clayoquot
Sound, north of Tofino on the west coast of Vancouver
Island. The park is located on the south side of Flores
Island and is accessible only by boat from Tofino. Boaters
can reference marine chart #3674 and #3673 for more information
on this area. Water taxis from Tofino and Ahousat offer
services to the park. Contact the local Chamber
of Commerce for details. Nearby communities
include: Tofino, Ahousat, Flores Island, Hot
Springs Village.
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:
This
park lies in the traditional territory of the Ahoushat First
Nations. Gibson Provincial Marine Park contains many Nuu-chah-nulth
First Nations heritage sites, including middens and Culturally
Modified Trees (CMTs). Much of the park was a gift from
the W.F. Gibson family.
Visitor
Safety:
- Habituated
Wolves on Vargas and Flores Islands - Wolves
have been known to frequent camping areas in the park.
Please ensure that all food and items smelling of food,
as well as any loose objects, are stored out of reach
of wildlife. At no time should food be offered or made
available to wildlife - to do so is in violation of
the Park Act. Click
here for more information on wolves.
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 designated campsites at this park. For parks that accept reservations or
information on the reservation service, click
here.
Explore
Parks: Fees, park listings, what
you should know before you go and other useful links.
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There are no vehicle accessible camping facilities
at this park.
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There
are no designated campsites at this park, however
random wilderness camping is allowed. No facilities
are provided other than a pit toilet at Whitesand
Beach. Please practice Leave
No Trace camping ethics. Gibson Provincial Marine
Park is accessible year round.
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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 park.
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Bring your own drinking water as potable water is not
available in the park.
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A
pit toilet is located at Whitesand Beach. |
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No
showers.
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No
sani-station/dump facilities.
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While small fires are allowed, we encourage visitors
to conserve the environment by minimizing the use of
fire and using stoves instead. If you do have a fire
use small pieces of wood that will burn completely.
Build your fires below the high tide mark. Never build
fires next to or near beach logs. Never leave your
fire unattended and practice Leave
No Trace camping
ethics.
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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 park.
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Gibson
Marine, immediately south of the Nuu-chah-nulth community
of Ahousat, also provides access to the “Walk
the Wild Side” route, a rustic route that extends
10 km from Ahousat to Cow Bay. Most of the route
follows sandy beaches and trails cut across headlands
to join with the next beach. Muddy and slippery sections
are present on this route. The trail can be accessed
from any of the beaches in Gibson Marine Park.
A
non-maintained historic route leads from the warm
springs on Matilda Inlet to Whitesand Cove. This
route once provided access to a life-saving telegraph
line
and an old homestead.
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This
park does not have a playground. |
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There is no designated swimming area, however there
are opportunities for ocean swimming in this park.
There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks.
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People come from around the world to kayak and camp
in remote Clayoquot Sound, and enjoy the sandy beaches,
scenery and wildlife. The beaches of Gibson Marine
Park and adjacent Flores Island Provincial Park are
very popular kayak/camping spots. International and
local tour companies offer trips into this area, and
kayak rentals are available in Tofino. Kayakers can
launch from the First Street Dock in Tofino.
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This park does not have a boat launch. The nearest
boat launch is the Fourth Street Dock in Tofino. Boaters
can find sheltered anchorage in Matilda Inlet, adjacent
to Gibson Provincial Marine Park.
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The waters of Clayoquot Sound may contain a variety
of fish species, including salmon, rockfish, halibut
and lingcod. Fishing is permitted as per provincial
and federal fishing regulations. All anglers should
check the current regulations issued by Fisheries
and Oceans Canada prior to fishing. Anyone fishing
or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate
licence.
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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
wolves, bears and cougars. |
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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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Portions
of this park are open to hunting for specific species. Hunters must
have valid licences and tags. Please refer to current printed Hunting
and Trapping Regulations and Synopsis publication for closures
and regulations. |
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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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