Gibson Marine Park is a boat-access park on the south side of Flores Island in Clayoquot Sound, north of Tofino. BC Parks says it offers sheltered anchorage in Matilda Inlet and is adjacent to Flores Island Park.
The park has a natural warm spring contained in an open concrete tank on the shores of Matilda Inlet.
Gibson Marine is a coastal wilderness stop for boaters, kayakers, beach campers, hikers, anglers, and wildlife watchers. A non-maintained historic route links the warm spring to the broad sandy beaches at Whitesand Cove, once providing access to a life-saving telegraph line and an old homestead.
The park also provides access to the Walk the Wild Side route, a rustic 10 kilometre route from Ahousat to Cow Bay. Most of the route follows sandy beaches, with headland trails between beaches, and BC Parks notes muddy and slippery sections.
Ocean swimming, canoeing, kayaking, fishing for Clayoquot Sound species, and hunting in portions of the park are listed by BC Parks. The park contains Nuu-chah-nulth First Nations heritage sites, including middens and culturally modified trees.
Plan around Matilda Inlet anchorage, warm spring visits, Walk the Wild Side permits, sandy beach hiking, kayaking, canoeing, ocean swimming, fishing regulation checks, beach camping, cultural-site respect, and seasonal hunting where permitted.
Use marine charts 3674 and 3673, arrange legal water taxi or guiding services, bring water treatment, prepare for tsunami response, store food securely, and follow BC Parks advice not to bring dogs because of wolf risk.
