Bishop Bay-Monkey Beach Conservancy is a BC Parks conservancy on the east side of Ursula Channel, about 25 kilometres east of Hartley Bay and 75 kilometres south of Kitimat. BC Parks says it is accessible only by boat or floatplane.
The conservancy protects a popular marine hot spring and anchorage along the Inside Passage.
Bishop Bay-Monkey Beach is a remote marine stop for boaters, paddlers, campers, anglers, and hot-spring visitors. BC Parks says local boaters and travellers to or from Alaska commonly stop at Bishop Bay for hot springs soaking, safe anchorage, picnics, and camping.
The bath house lets visitors soak in warm, odourless hot spring water. BC Parks says the water emerges from granodiorite bedrock at about 32.4 litres per minute, around 41.3 degrees Celsius at the source and 38.8 degrees Celsius in the bath house.
Monkey Beach protects small beaches, camping spots, intertidal habitats, and traditional shellfish harvesting areas. Activities include cold ocean swimming, experienced kayaking, fishing in streams near shore, scuba diving or snorkelling with best clarity in winter and spring, and hunting in season, though grizzly bear hunting is closed.
Plan around hot-spring soaking, safe anchorage, picnics, camping, experienced kayaking, cold-water swimming, fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling, shoreline wildlife viewing, and intertidal awareness.
There are no roads or trails. Hot spring water is not drinkable, and boats over 11 metres are asked to anchor offshore. Use soap only in the outer tub and pool, and check marine weather and BC Parks updates.
