Crab Lake Conservancy is a remote BC Parks conservancy about 50 kilometres south of Kitimat and 25 kilometres northeast of Hartley Bay. BC Parks says it protects a scenic upland lake and the headwaters of the Crab River.
Access is by floatplane or helicopter only.
Crab Lake is for highly self-reliant wilderness travellers, paddlers, anglers, hunters, and naturalists. The conservancy represents higher-elevation characteristics of the Kitimat Ranges Ecosection, including rounded granite mountains, old-growth western hemlock, western red cedar, amabilis fir, Mountain Hemlock forests, Alpine Tundra, krummholz, heath, and herb meadow communities.
The setting is dramatic: a pristine lake, watershed, old-growth forests, wetlands, high peaks, glaciers, waterfalls, smaller lakes, and tarns near Gardner Canal. Wildlife viewing may include waterfowl, bears, wolves, deer, mountain goats, and furbearers.
BC Parks notes that there are no roads, no trails, and no facilities in the conservancy. The area is in the asserted traditional territory of the Haisla First Nation and includes an important Crab River area with village-site history.
Plan around floatplane or helicopter access, cold lake swimming, wilderness canoeing or kayaking if boats can be transported to the lake, trout and char fishing, wildlife viewing, old-growth forest, wetland, and alpine tundra study, mountain scenery, route planning, and seasonal hunting.
Expect difficult access and no services. Carry navigation, communication, weather, food-storage, and emergency equipment, consult non-tidal fishing regulations, check hunting rules, and use Marine Chart 3745 and topographic map 103 H/10 for trip planning.
