Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve

Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve/Haida Heritage Site

Parks Directory of the United States / Canadian National Parks

Address: PO Box 37
Queen Charlotte, BC V0T1S0
Phone: 250-559-8818;
Fax: 250-559-8366;
Web: www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/bc/gwaiihaanas
Size: 1,474 sq. km. of land on 138 islands.
Established: 1988.
Location: In the southern part of Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands), a remote archipelago off the British Columbia coast, 640 km north of Vancouver. It is accessible only by boat or float plane.
Facilities: Limited (no trails or designated campsites). Haida Gwaii Watchmen basecamps have been established at major sites of cultural and natural significance. Watchmen provide site security and protection of the cultural features, and also provide visitors with the opportunity to hear firsthand of the living Haida culture.
Activities: Sea kayaking, boating, fishing (license required), hiking, camping, wildlife viewing. More than 50 commercial operators offer services in the Archipelago from May-September. Independent travellers to Gwaii Haanas must make an advance reservation or obtain a stand-by space.
Special Features: The rugged San Christoval Mountains, rocky coastline, and the remnants of native village sites offer a unique experience combining wilderness, solitude, spirituality and Haida culture. One of the finest old-growth temperate rainforests left on the Pacific coast remains relatively intact. Diversity of wildlife includes gray whales (migrating north during the spring), killer whales, humpback, sei, finback and minke whales, dolphins, porpoises, and harbor seals. Gwaii Haanas also includes an estimated 750,000 nesting seabirds and a large breeding colony of Steller's sea lions, located near Cape St. James.

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See other parks in British Columbia.