April 3, 2008:

• Winching services at the Chikamin Bay Rail Portage will resume operation on June 15, 2008.
• Park visitors wanting to cross the Chikamin Bay Rail Portage may do so by using their personal chainsaw winch or the available hand winch. To ensure your personal safety, and the safety of your property, please read and apply the winching instructions posted on signage at Chikamin Bay.

Special Notes:

• Tweedsmuir North Provincial Park is a wilderness area. Visitors must be prepared to be completely self-sufficient. There are no supplies of any kind.
• Parts of the park are open to hunting in the fall. Hunters must be in possession of a valid BC hunting licence and appropriate game tags and observe the current BC Hunting Regulations. Non-residents must be accompanied by a licensed BC guide. Firearms are prohibited in the park except during a valid hunting season.

Park Fees - Please note: Personal cheques and credit cards cannot be accepted.

• There is a backcountry fee for visitors to the Eutsuk Lake area of Tweedsmuir (North) Park:
  Marine Access Camping Fee: $50.00 per vessel/aircraft per trip
• Chikamin Bay Rail Portage:
  • At Chikamin Bay, boaters are required to winch their boats over a 600-metre rail portage that connects Chikamin Bay on Whitesail Lake with St. Thomas Bay on Eutsuk Lake.
• Boats to about 7 metres in length can be portaged. The process takes about two hours. Instructions are posted at Chikamin Bay. Boaters may wish to carry a personal chainsaw winch to make portaging their boat easier and faster.
• There is an additional, optional fee for winching boats across the rail portage between Chikamin Bay on Whitesail Lake and St. Thomas Bay on Eutsuk Lake.
  Winching Service: $50.00 per vessel each way.
  Visitors wishing to use either the hand winch or their personal chainsaw winch are not required to pay the winching service fee.
• The funds are payable directly to the on-site park facility operator (cash or money order only please).
• The mechanical winching service at Chikamin Bay rail portage will begin operating June 15, 2008 from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. daily.
• The fees are used to assist in the management of Tweedsmuir (North) Provincial Park.
• Fees example: (1 boat with 4 persons winched in and out of Eutsuk Lake via Chikamin Bay rail portage)
  • Backcountry fee $50.00
  • Mechanical winching fee (into park) $ 50.00
  • Mechanical winching fee (out of park) $ 50.00
    • Total Payable =$150.00

The Tweedsmuir Park Fishery Study

• On arrival at Chikamin Bay, park visitors will receive a booklet that provides information about the recent studies on rainbow trout conducted in the park, including the results of the angler survey completed in 2003 and 2004. Included within the booklet is a form to complete for those visitors who catch tagged rainbow trout. Park visitors who complete and return the form will receive a Tweedsmuir Park Fishery Study ball cap.
  
• The study is being funded through a partnership between the Ministry and the following commercial operators in the park:
  • West Coast Resorts Management Ltd.
  • Van Tine Guiding and Outfitting Ltd.
  • Lakes District Air Services

Management Planning:

• Approved Master Plan

• Location Map

Tweedsmuir North Provincial Park is approximately 480 kilometres by air northwest of Vancouver. The park is bounded on the north and southwest by the Coast Mountains and on the east by the Nechako Plateau. The park is south of Highway #16, approximately 90 to 100 kilometres, between Burns Lake and Houston.

The Nechako Reservoir (Ootsa and Whitesail Lakes) is the main access route to the northern region of the park but boaters must use caution when travelling on these lakes as the shoreline is a forest of drowned trees and floating debris that create hazardous boating conditions. A number of channels have been cut through the dead trees to give access to emergency landing areas. These are indicated by large yellow diamonds and they provide shelter from the sudden and strong winds that funnel down the lakes from the Coast Mountains. See Visitor Safety.

Any maps listed are for information only - they may not represent legal boundaries and should not be used for navigation.

• Location Map
• Park Map (230 kb pdf)

• Caution should be exercised when travelling on waters in the Nechako Reservoir and those in the park. Windstorms may arise very quickly and become quite severe for multiple days. May is usually the windiest month. Strong winds can be expected for about one-third of the time during the boating season. No attempt should be made to travel long distances or venture far from the shoreline of the reservoir in canoes, kayaks or car-top boats.
• Suitable clothing must be worn and proper equipment for outdoor living carried. Visitors should have appropriate maps. All arrangements for supplies, including gasoline for boats, must be made before entering the park.
• At all times, be alert for deadheads, submerged trees and unmarked reefs.

Visitor Safety Information (park safety, hazards, wildlife safety information, health risks)

Reservations are not accepted at this park, all campsites are on a first-come, first-served basis. 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.

	No vehicle accessible camping facilities at this park.
	Wilderness camping areas are located at various sites along the shores of Eutsuk and Pondosy Lakes. These areas provide sheltered anchorages, tent sites, pit toilets and fire rings, and are identified by orange markers. Please use these designated sites. No reservations are taken. Marine Access Camping Fee: $50.00 per vessel/aircraft per trip
	No group campsites.
	No day-use or picnic facilities.
	There are no wheelchair accessible facilities at this park.
	The park's lakes and streams are sources of drinking water. Be aware of the damage caused by spilled fuel, waste water and sewage disposal. Bring your own drinking water as potable water is not available in the park. Lake water is available, however, please boil before using.
	This park only has pit toilets - no flush toilets.
	No showers.
	No sani-station/dump facilities.
	Visitors supply their own firewood. To preserve vegetation and ground cover, please don't gather firewood from the area around your campsite or elsewhere in the park. Dead wood is an important habitat element for many plants and animals and it adds organic matter to the soil. You can conserve firewood and air quality by keeping your campfire small. Limited burning hours or campfire bans may be implemented and some parks may use communal fire rings. Be prepared to bring a portable stove for cooking.
	There are no electrical hook-ups in this park.
	There are no regularly scheduled interpretive programs at this park.
	Hiking trails lead to smaller lakes and the high country. 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. Routes in the northeast section of the park lead to guide camps. They are not maintained by BC Parks. Anyone planning to travel these routes or in the backcountry should carry a compass and topographic maps at a scale of 1:50,000. Please note that All Terrain Vehicles are not allowed in the park. National Topographic Series Maps (scale 1:50,000) Sheets 93E/1/2/3/6/7/8/9 and 10 cover Tweedsmuir North. These maps should be available at Government Agents in Burns Lake, Houston and Vanderhoof and at most map retailers in BC.
	This park does not have a playground.
	There are no lifeguards on duty at provincial parks.
	Eutsuk and Pondosy Lakes are great for boating and sightseeing. Boaters should be wary of unmarked shoals and reefs. Canoeing and kayaking are permitted in the park but are not recommended. Canoeists should remain near shore at all times as westerly winds can arise quite suddenly, especially in the afternoon. Pondosy Lake is entered by a short, narrow channel at high water. At low water in August and September, it may be necessary to line or pole boats through this waterway. At Chikamin Bay, boaters are required to handwinch their boats over a 600-metre rail portage that connects Chikamin Bay with Eutsuk Lake. Winching Service: $50.00 per vessel each way The mechanical winching service at Chikamin Bay rail portage will be operating from June 2nd, 2008 till September 7th, 2008 , 7 am till 7 pm daily.
	This park does not have a boat launch. Boat launches on the north shore of Ootsa Lake are accessible by secondary roads from Vanderhoof, Burns Lake and Houston. Quality power boating opportunities exist within the park at Eutsuk Lake and Podosy Lake. A boat launch is also available at Little Andrews Bay Provincial Park as well as Wistaria Provincial Park.
	Quality fishing with good populations of mountain whitefish, rainbow trout, kokanee, and bubot is available in the park. Anyone fishing or angling in British Columbia must have an appropriate licence. The following private organizations also provide access to activites in this park: Van Tine Guiding & Outfitting provides guided fishing excursions West Coast Resorts provides accommodations Lakes District Air Services provides air service, accommodations on Tesla Lake. Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.
	Cycling is not permitted.
	No horseback riding.
	Pets are not allowed at this park. Backcountry areas are not suitable for dogs or other pets due to wildlife issues and the potential for problems with bears.
	There are many wildlife viewing opportunities throughout the park.
	No winter recreation opportunities.
	No SCUBA diving or snorkelling opportunities.
	No windsurfing opportunities.
	No waterskiing opportunities.
	Hunting is permitted only during lawful game hunting season. Check with Hunting and Trapping Synopsis for regulations.
	No climbing or rock climbing opportunities.
	No spelunking or caving opportunities.
	There is a backcountry cabin available to the public. It is located on Fenton Lake and is used on a first come first serve basis. The following private organizations also provide accommodation within this park: West Coast Resorts provides accommodations Lakes District Air Services provides air service, accommodations on Tesla Lake. Click here to view a non-government web link, for additional information.