A campfire ban is currently in effect for this park. For more information about campfire bans and about provincial parks with park closures and campfire bans in effect, visit the BC Parks campfire ban webpage.
The Klastline bridge along the Klastline River Trail, is impassable. Please use an alternate route.
Park Info
Mount Edziza Provincial Park encompasses over 230,000 hectares of the Tahltan Highlands in northwestern British Columbia. This remote park showcases a spectacular volcanic landscape that includes lava flows, basalt plateaus, cinder fields and cinder cones. At an elevation of 2,787 metres, Mount Edziza is an outstanding feature of this rugged and arresting domain.
Mount Edziza, whose peak reaches 2,787 metres, is a composite volcano consisting of thin basalt flows and a central dome of andesite, dacite and rhyolite with a glaciated crater nearly 2,500 metres in diameter. The eruption that built the mountain and its central cone began four million years ago. Successive lava flows raised the dome above the encircling plateau and spread lava over an area 65 kilometres by 25 kilometres. The last basalt flow occurred only 10,000 years ago, at which time it solidified in place and plugged the central vent.
In the years since Mount Edziza became dormant, numerous small eruptions have taken place around it, creating more than 30 cinder cones. Perfectly symmetrical Eve Cone rises 150 metres above the plateau, as do aptly named Coffee and Cocoa craters. It is estimated that these cones were formed no more than 1,300 years ago and are basically unaltered by erosion and devoid of vegetation.
There are also five significant lakes within the park. Mowdade, Mowchilla, Kakiddi and Nuttlude form a chain along the eastern boundary, while Buckley Lake is on the northern border. All the lakes except Mowdade drain north into the Klastine River, a tributary of the Stikine.
To the south, Raspberry Pass separates the Edziza area from the Spectrum Range. Formed from lava flows, these mountains are named for their brilliant red, yellow, white and purple rock. This altered rhyolite resulted from staining by sulphurous mineral waters. Subsequent erosion has resulted in the combination of many hues, giving the landscape the appearance of a vast water colour. There is no vehicle access to Mount Edziza Provincial Park, and there are only a very few basic facilities. This isolated wilderness area, which can only be accessed via trails or a float plane, offers wilderness camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, nature study, and wildlife viewing.
Park Size: 270,095 hectares
Special Notes:
Mount Edziza Provincial Park is a magnificent, unspoiled wilderness that needs your help to protect it. Enjoy your visit but be sure to take special care to preserve the park's unique environment so that future visitors may enjoy it as you have.
The volcanic cinder cones on Edziza Plateau are delicate and subject to surface scarring from foot traffic. If you must climb Eve’s Cone or other cinder cones, please stay on established routes. A designated route has been established on the north-east ridge of Eve’s Cone.
Private aircraft (other than floatplanes) are not permitted to land within Mount Edziza Provincial Park as there are no landing strips within the park.
Only permitted air charter companies are authorized to fly into Mount Edziza Provincial Park.
North Pacific Seaplanes (formerly known as Harbour Air) Float plane base located on Tatogga Lake near Iskut, BC 250 234-3525 or call Tatogga Lake Resort at 250 234-3526
Pacific Western Helicopters Ltd. Dease Lake, BC 250 771-5911
Canadian Helicopters Ltd. Smithers, BC 250 847-9444
Vancouver Island Helicopters Ltd. Head Office, Sidney, BC 250 656-3987
TSAYTA Aviation Ltd, Floatplane base located in Telegraph Creek 250-235-3701,
A Letter of Permission is required for individuals or groups who wish to use horses within Mount Edziza Provincial 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.
National Topographic Series Map Sheets 104G/7/8W/9W/1014E/15E/15W and 16W, all at a scale of 1:50,000, cover the Mount Edziza area. These maps are available from Government Agents and most map retailers in British Columbia.
General Visitor Information
Summer is short at Mount Edziza Provincial Park, where snow
lingers year-round on Mount Edziza itself. Although temperatures may hit
the 30°C range in mid-summer during the day, it can drop below
freezing that same night. Snow and freezing rain are possible any day
of the year. Generally, weather suitable for backpacking occurs between
July 1 and September 15. Be prepared for adverse weather conditions that
can include white-outs and high winds. Be sure to build a weather factor
into your trip plans.
This is an isolated wilderness area with no supplies of any kind and visitors are very much on their own. Suitable clothing offering protection from wind, cold and rain are essential, as well as equipment for outdoor living. Travellers should be equipped with a compass and topographic maps (see above) for the routes they plan to travel. It should be noted, however, that on the plateau, magnetic properties in the rocks may affect the accuracy of your compass.
Snow packs can obscure the trail on the plateau and cause the creeks to rise on warm days. Always use extreme caution when crossing creeks. Hiking or taking shortcuts through the lava fields is not recommended because it is very difficult and potentially unsafe.
Bear-proof containers are recommended for the safe storage of food above the tree line on the plateau area. There are bear-proof metal caches available for public use located at Mowdade and Buckley Lakes.
Mount Edziza Provincial Park is a remote wilderness area with no supplies of any kind. There is no vehicle access. Telegraph Creek to the northwest is the nearest community, and the only road connection to there is via secondary road to Dease Lake, 113 kilometres northeast on Highway 37. The park is about 500 kilometres north of Kitwanga, on Highway 16. Dease Lake, via Highways 16 and 37, is approximately 600 kilometres north of Terrace. From Dease Lake to Watson Lake is about 245 kilometres. A 50-unit campground is located in Kinaskan Lake Provincial Park, at the south end of the lake and adjacent to Highway 37.
Access to Mount Edziza Provincial Park comes via several overland hiking routes or through one of the float plane or helicopter companies that service the area.
Nature & Culture
History - On the east bank of Mess Creek and through Raspberry Pass are the remnants of the Yukon Telegraph line which was constructed to provide a communications link as far north as Dawson City during the Klondike Gold Rush. The telegraph line was in use until 1936 when it was replaced by radio.All that remains are a few poles and collapsed line cabins which once stood every 32 kilometres along the route. The trail is overgrown and no longer passable.
Cultural Heritage - Prehistorically the area was heavily used by aboriginal peoples, who manufactured obsidian cutting blades and projectile points and traded them throughout northwest America.
Conservation - Along the park's western boundary, Mess Creek flows north to enter the Stikine River three kilometres below the community of Telegraph Creek. Eleven kilometres upstream from this confluence, Mess Creek plunges into a gorge nearly 800 metres deep. To the north of the park boundary, the Stikine River, which means "Great River" in the language of the Tlingit Indians, has carved a tremendous, Grand Canyon-style passage through eons of volcanic and sedimentary rock deposits. Tree types and vegetation will change with elevations. Telegraph Creek to Buckley Lake area is characterized by a mosaic of shrub fields, wet grasslands and peat meadows. This zone has long, severe winters with deeply frozen soils and short growing seasons. The forests in the lower elevation valleys, Mess Creek and the Kakiddi/Klastline drainage are composed of white spruce as the dominant conifer with an intermixing of lodgepole pine and trembling aspen on the drier sites. On the wetter sites, balsam poplar is also found, in particular, adjacent to creeks, lakes and on delta soils. Between elevations of 900 and 1800 metres, the winters are cold and snowy, the summers are short and warm. The soils in this area are commonly frozen before snowfall.
Wildlife - Moose are probably the most common large animals in the area. Small herds of Osborn caribou may be seen in the alpine and sub-alpine vegetation zones on the west side of the plateau between Mount Edziza and the western escarpment. Mountain goats and Stone sheep can often be viewed on the south, east and west slopes of Mount Edziza, particularly on the western escarpment and in the Spectrum Range. Visitors may encounter black and grizzly bears. Grizzlies are occasionally seen above timberline where arctic ground squirrels are abundant. Wolves are sometimes seen or heard. Buckley Lake supports a large waterfowl and shorebird population, which are but a portion of the wide variety of bird species that can be seen in the park. The more conspicuous birds in Mount Edziza include the raven, owl, gyrfalcon, ptarmigan (willow and rock), grouse and migratory songbirds. Typical waterfowl species include goldeneye, grebe, white winged scooter and scaup.
Fishing is good at the park's many lakes. Both Buckley Lake and the Kakiddi Lakes chain are well populated with rainbow trout. Special restrictions apply to fishing in Buckley Lake; check the Freshwater Fishing Synopsis for details, and for other restrictions in the area. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence.
Hiking
There is a hiking trail from Mowdade Lake to Buckley Lake. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure. Trail Information
Horseback Riding
A Letter of Permission is required for individuals or groups who wish to use horses within Mount Edziza Provincial 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
Hunting is permitted within Mount Edziza Park. Please note that the hunting of Caribou, Mountain Sheep, Mountain Goat and Grizzly Bear in the park is by Limited Entry Hunting Authorization only. Please refer to the current British Columbia Hunting Regulations synopsis and Limited Entry Hunting synopsis for LEH area boundary maps. Please refer to the hunting synopsis for additional information on seasons and bag limits.
Links to the BC
Hunting Regulation synopsis and Limited Entry Hunting synopsis are available on the BC Parks Fishing and Hunting page.
Pets on Leash
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.
Wildlife Viewing
Mount Edziza Provincial Park protects Canada's most spectacular volcanic landscape. The park is also noted for its exceptional wildlife and archaeological features. Mount Edziza's true wilderness atmosphere, outstanding scenery and varied terrain make this park an excellent place for quality hiking, photography, and nature study. Lands within the park have an excellent capability for supporting large populations of wildlife.
Facilities Available At This Park
Campfires
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. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented. Please check for campfire bans and the Fire Danger Rating for the area you are visiting before igniting a fire in the backcountry. 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.
Walk-In/Wilderness Camping
Wilderness, backcountry or walk-in camping is allowed. There are a few basic facilities such as fire rings and "open-air", backcountry style toilets located at the Buckley Lake and Mowdade Lake campsites. There are bear-proof metal food caches for public use, located at the Buckley Lake and Mowdade Lake campsites.
