Tweedsmuir Provincial Park

Tweedsmuir Provincial Park is in Cariboo-Central Coast region of British Columbia. It is British Columbia's largest provincial park is officially divided into Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park and Tweedsmuir North Provincial Park.

Understand
Tweedsmuir Provincial Park is a provincial park covering parts of the eastern Kitimat Ranges and northern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains, as well as the Rainbow Range of the Chilcotin Plateau. Tweedsmuir North Provincial Park is a wilderness area and is wilderness area, accessable only by boat, and visitors should be prepared to be completely self-sufficient. The focus on this article will be on Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park.

History
In August 1937, Governor General of Canada John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir travelled extensively by float aircraft and horseback in the area of the park. He and his party were greatly impressed by the magnificence of its pristine wilderness, so much so that he encouraged the provincial government to preserve it. On May 21, 1938, the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia established Tweedsmuir Provincial Park by order-in-council under the Park Act. The park covered an area of 981000 ha at creation, making it by far the largest provincial park in British Columbia at the time.

In 1956, the park boundaries were revised so that the region around the Entiako River could be opened for resource extraction. The region would again be protected under the newly established Entiako Provincial Park in 1999 and Entiako Protected Area in 2001. Due to the difficulty of operating Tweedsmuir Provincial Park as a single park unit, it was broken up into two operating units: Tweedsmuir North Provincial Park and Tweedsmuir South Provincial Park.

Landscape
Tweedsmuir Park is located east of the Kitimat Ranges in the western interior of British Columbia. It protects the entirety of the Rainbow Range, a collection of volcanic peaks where heavy mineralization has given the soil an array of colours. The park also protects Hunlen Falls, a tall waterfall with one of highest unbroken drops in Canada.

Climate
With such a vast area the climate varies throughout the park. However in the lower regions closer to the Bella Coola Valley the temperature is warmer with a higher annual level of rainfall. Around one fifth of their annual precipitation falls as snow. Further west as the altitude climbs the weather is generally more severe and the temperature changes throughout the summer and winter are drastic.

Get in
The southern portion of the park is along Highway 20, approximately east of Bella Coola and  west of Williams Lake. Access is also possible along the Discovery Coast Passage ferry and Inside Passage from Port Hardy (on Vancouver Island) to Bella Coola via BC Ferries, or by float plane from Nimpo Lake, Anahim Lake or Bella Coola.

Fees and permits
As of 2022:
 * Vehicle accessible camping fee: $20 per party/night
 * Backcountry camping fee: $5 per person/night

Do
The park hosts opportunities for angling, hiking, horseback riding, camping (both front-country and backcountry), and canoeing. There are two vehicle-accessible campgrounds in the park. There are also four designated picnic areas within the park.

Backcountry
There are many primitive campsites dotted throughout the park, some provide facilities such as pit toilets and bear caches while others are more basic. The wilderness sites are open year-round when accessible. In the Rainbow Range and the Ptarmigan Lake areas, the campsites marked on the map have at least minimal facilities – pit toilets and some have bear caches. Backcountry camping fee is $5.00 per person per night for all persons 6 years of age or older.

Stay safe
The backcountry of Tweedsmuir Provincial Park is an isolated wilderness with infrequent patrols by park staff. You should be experienced in wilderness travel, fit and well equipped. Snow is possible any month of the year in the mountains. If you plan to hike overnight or longer you should inform a responsible person or agency of your intentions, including estimated return time and destination. As in any wilderness setting, persons should be prepared to be self-sufficient. For those new to the wilderness adventure tour, guides are available in the area.

Weather
Weather conditions in the park are as variable as the topography. Moderate temperatures and extensive rainfall characterize the lower reaches of the Bella Coola Valley. At Stuie near the junction of the Atnarko and Bella Coola Rivers, there is an average annual precipitation of 720 mm with about 20% of this being in the form of snow. The interior plateau receives a greater proportion of snow and its winters are more severe. Temperatures in the southern section of the park can drop to -40°C in January and reach 30°C in July. Summers are usually fairly dry with June, September and October being the wettest months.

Bear safety
Grizzly and black bears range throughout the park, and grizzlies congregate on the Dean and Atnarko, and Bella Coola Rivers between May and October when salmon are in the river. People should be particularly cautious when fishing, hiking, and camping.