Kokanee Glacier Park
About this Park
Located north of Nelson, beautiful Kokanee Glacier Park offers an excellent backcountry adventure. The park has two glaciers named Kokanee and Woodbury, reaching above 1,800 metres high. The glaciers feed over 30 lakes and are the headwaters of many creeks.
Kokanee Lake is 1,200 metres long and 400 metres wide, surrounded by precipitous cliffs and rock slides. Other lakes in the park include Sapphire, Joker, Gibson, Kaslo and Tanal Lakes. They offer good fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout.
With 85 km of well marked trails, this park is appropriate for campers, hikers and climbers with all levels of outdoor experience. Its boundaries encompass 32,035 hectares of some of the most scenic mountain country of southern British Columbia.
Safety information
- Trail conditions report [PDF]
- This is a high elevation park and that severe weather events can happen throughout all seasons. This is particularly the case in late spring and autumn. Snow and sleet are not uncommon in summer. Rainy weather, occasionally thunderstorms, can be expected in the spring through autumn. Count upon heavy snowfall accumulations to ensure excellent ski conditions from late autumn to early spring. Snow can occur in October at all levels in the park and the higher elevations are not likely to be snow free until July. Avalanches are prevalent on the open alpine slope, limiting ski touring possibilities to certain routes.
- Kokanee Glacier Park is a wilderness area without supplies or equipment of any kind. Visitors should equip themselves with suitable clothing, hiking boots, a warm sleeping bag, a tent with a waterproof fly, and an outdoor stove for cooking, as campfires are not permitted.
- Hikers planning to venture off established trails should have skills in map and compass reading. Only experienced mountaineers with ropes, ice axes, and crampons should attempt traverse routes or venture onto glaciers and snowfields.
- In the event of an emergency, contact the RCMP. Everyone entering wilderness areas should inform a responsible person of their intentions, including an estimated time of return.
Special notes
- Dogs are not permitted in Kokanee Glacier Park.
- Campfires are not permitted in the park at any time
Location notes
Kokanee Glacier Park is located in the Selkirk Mountains, between Slocan and Kootenay Lakes. For an update on the access roads into the park check the most recent trail conditions report [PDF] . These roads may not be suitable for vehicles with low clearance:
- From Hwy 3A, 19 km northeast of Nelson, drive up Kokanee Creek for 16 km to Gibson Lake.
- From Hwy 31, 10 km north of Ainsworth, drive up Woodbury Creek for 13 km to the trailhead.
- From Hwy 6, 8 km south of Slocan, drive up Lemon Creek for 16 km to the trailhead.
National Topographic Series Maps 82F/11 and 82F/14, at a scale of 1:50,000, cover the Kokanee Glacier Park area. These maps are available from most map retailers in British Columbia.
Activities
- 4:Hunting The discharge and carrying of firearms is permitted in this park for the purposes of hunting during open season. Please consult the BC Government Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis for more information. Contact BC Parks at parkinfo@gov.bc.ca with any specific questions.
- 4:Hiking Access to the park was developed from old mining and forestry roads. The trails leading off of these roads offer a variety of hiking opportunities ranging from short day trips to challenging cross-country routes.For a list of hiking routes, visit the Kokanee Glacier hiking page.For trail conditions and status of access routes, check the trail conditions report before visiting.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. During the winter season, all trails are under snow.
- 4:Winter recreation Ski mountaineering is available. Snowmobiling is prohibited in Kokanee Glacier Park. Users are responsible for their snow stability evaluation (avalanche hazard) route finding, self rescue and first-aid. Visit the page on Staying safe in winter weather for more information. There is Avalanche Terrain Exposure Scale (ATES) mapping available for a portion of Kokanee Glacier Park on the Avalanche Canada webpage. Please refer to Avalanche.ca to assist in winter trip planning.
- 4:Fishing Fishing and angling are popular at Gibson, Kokanee, Kaslo and Tanal Lakes.
Facilities
- 4:Picnic areas This park has a day-use and picnic area.
- 4:Pit or flush toilets This park only has pit toilets, no flush toilets.
- 4:Boat launch There is a boat launch at Gibson Lake. Please be aware that only non-motorized boats are allowed on Gibson Lake.
Location
49.78173, -117.13616 · Kootenay Lake
