Mitlenatch Island Nature Park is a boat-access island east of Black Creek in the Strait of Georgia. BC Parks says it is home to the largest seabird colony in the Strait of Georgia, and the park boundary extends 300 metres offshore to protect sedentary marine life.
Access is only by boat, canoe, or kayak, with landings limited to Camp Bay or Northwest Bay. Visitors need to arrive self-sufficient because the island is protected primarily for wildlife.
Mitlenatch is a remarkable birding and wildflower destination. BC Parks highlights nesting glaucous-winged gulls, pelagic cormorants, pigeon guillemots, black oystercatchers, and many other birds. A short trail from Camp Bay to Northwest Bay leads to a bird blind at the north tip of the island.
The island also has semi-arid conditions in Vancouver Island's rain shadow, with spring wildflowers in May, harvest brodiaea from late May into July, and coastal cactus blooms in late June. Marine life includes river otters, harbour seals, sea lions, and protected tide-pool life.
Boat or paddle to the island, walk only the designated trail, use the bird blind quietly, photograph wildflowers and seabirds, swim cautiously in the ocean, and observe tide pools without collecting or disturbing marine life.
Bring drinking water. Pets are not permitted, shellfish harvesting and collecting are prohibited within 300 metres of shore, nearby waters are a Rockfish Conservation Area, and boaters must avoid rocky shoreline landings to protect nesting birds. Time landings carefully around wildlife.
