The popular Joffre Lakes Park area will be temporarily closed from April 25 to May 16 as part of an ongoing partnership agreement between BC Parks, Lil’wat Nation and N’Quatqua Nation. The closures are intended to balance the increasing number of tourists flocking to the area with the Nations’ traditional and environmental priorities.
“The temporary closures are intended to respect the Nations’ need for space and privacy to practice cultural activities, while ensuring opportunities for people to use the park,” according to a release from BC Parks.
When the Joffre re-opens on Saturday, May 17, adults and youth older than 12 will need a free day-use pass to visit the park. The Province will post future closure dates for 2025 “as soon as possible.”
The park, known as ‘Pipi7íyekw,’ is one of the busiest in the province, with increasing numbers of visitors coming to the area to hike, camp, mountain bike and hunt.
Since 2018, BC Parks, N’Quatqua and Lil’wat Nation have collaborated through a technical working group to implement a
A key issue for the partnership is addressing the environmental degradation caused by an influx of tourists. Tourism can cause soil erosion, disturb wildlife and strain water supplies. As Pique has previously reported,, where minerals can be gathered, plants harvested, and animals can be hunted or trapped.
Lil’wat political chief Dean Nelson explained at the time the Nation had requested meetings with the B.C. government to discuss closures but was never granted a meeting, leading to the surprise assertion of Lil’wat and N’Quatqua’s rights to steward their unceded lands and territories,
In 2024,, through a partnership approach between BC Parks, Lil’wat and N’Quatqua.
Day-use passes have been used at Joffre Lakes since 2021 to ensure parking access and reduce crowding.
Reservable dates for backcountry camping at Upper Joffre Lake will also be posted shortly.
The province noted there may still be snow at Joffre Park and in the parking lot. Users regularly post trail conditions on the AllTrails app.
For more information about day-use passes this summer, visit: .
