Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park
Little Huson Cave Regional Park
Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park is a fantastic unspoiled recreation zone with a rugged wilderness setting.
This spectacular park is home to Douglas-fir, Amabilis fir, Yellow cedar, red cedar trees and old-growth coastal western hemlock forests, highly valuable for the environment.
This scenic area comprises Tlakwa Creek drainage and the slopes of the Karmutzen mountain range.
Black bears, black-tailed deer and a variety of wildlife and small birds are among the inhabitants of this area.
Nimpkish Lake, the deepest lake on Vancouver Island, offers opportunities for watersports like swimming, fishing, windsurfing, and canoeing.
Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park has about 3,950 hectares (9760.6 acres) area. It is located on the southwestern side of Nimpkish Lake, south of Port McNeill on northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Nimpkish Lake is the deepest lake on Vancouver Island, reaching a depth of nearly 304 m (1,000 ft) below sea level. It has formed a vast, deep point along the 22.5 km (14 miles) of the Nimpkish River. Besides Nimpkish Lake, Anutz Lake and Bonanza Lake are among the closest lakes to Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park.
You have access to several ranges in the Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park area, including Karmutzen Range, Hankin Range, and the Bonanza Range.
The Maynard Lake Recreation Site is placed northwest of the park. From the south, two parks of Tahsish - Kwois Provincial Park and Artlish Caves Provincial Park can be your next choices to explore more recreational sites.
Going south of the park, at the top of Huson Lake, you have a chance to discover Little Huson Caves in Little Huson Cave Regional Park.
The easiest way to access the park is by boat from Nimpkish Lake. Getting the boat launch is at the Western Forest Products recreation site at Kim Creek, near the Nimpkish Service Station. It is located halfway between Wossand Port McNeill on Highway 19.
From Nanaimo:
The Fastest route from Nanaimo to Nimpkish Lake is via BC-19 N. It is 320 km (198.8 miles) and takes about 3 hours and 20 minutes.
Head west on Fitzwilliam St towards Wesley St for 800 m (2624.6 ft). Continue onto Third St for 1.9 km (1.18 miles) and drive on Jingle Pot Rd for 650 m (2132.5 ft). Turn right onto BC-19 N (signs for Campbell R) and go on for 317 km (197 miles).
From Victoria:
The Fastest route from Victoria to Nimpkish Lake is via BC-19 N. It is 430 km (267 miles) and takes about 4 hours and 40 minutes.
Head west on Pandora Ave towards Government St and go on for 99 m (324 ft). Turn right onto Government St and drive 1 km (0.6 miles). Slight right towards Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N and go for 72 m (236 ft). Use any lane to turn left onto Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N and drive 104 km (64.6 miles). Use the right 2 lanes to merge onto BC-19 N via the slip road to Parksville/Campbell River. Drive 325 km (201 miles) to reach the lake.
There is no designated hiking trail to reach the Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park. You can find several hiking trails in the park which offer spectacular views, but no facilities are provided.
Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park was established on July 12, 1995.
Some domains of Nimpkish River and Nimpkish Lake used to be "Namgis" First Nation territory.
Namgis's main village on the north side of the Nimpkish River's mouth was called Xwalkw, which in the Kwak'wala language is called Gwani.
This nation is the first one on northern Vancouver Island. It is located in the vicinity of islands in the southern Queen Charlotte Strait region. This region also includes the town of Alert Bay and the community of Sointula. Both communities are offshore across the Broughton Strait from the city of Port McNeil.
Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park features a great forest that is glorious with lots of plants and animals.
Nimpkish Lake, outside of Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park, offers water activities like swimming, fishing, windsurfing, and kayaking. For paddling enthusiasts, there is access to the place by boat from the lake via the boat launch at the Canadian Forest Products recreation site at Kim Creek. Based on the BC Act, Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park is one of the protected areas on Vancouver Island, where you are not allowed to hunt.
