Nalbeelah Creek Wetlands Park is about 10 kilometres north of Kitimat, east of Highway 37 and south of Nalbeelah Creek. BC Parks says old, narrow, overgrown logging roads lead into the park, and access can be difficult.
The park protects a provincially significant wetland complex formed in an earth-flow crater, now evolved into raised acidic bogs.
Nalbeelah Creek Wetlands is a rare wetland and geology park. BC Parks describes depressions left by earthflows where wetlands developed below the permanent water table, eventually building sphagnum peat between 2.3 and 4 metres thick. Organic bog material has been carbon dated, with earthflows thought to have occurred between 1,500 and 2,650 years ago.
The wetlands protect grizzly bear habitat, high-value coho salmon and cutthroat trout rearing habitat, a blue-listed plant species called bog adder's-mouth orchid, and a blue-listed black cottonwood and red-osier dogwood plant community. Nalbeelah Creek also has a chum salmon run identified as high risk for extinction.
Hike old roads where appropriate, canoe or kayak if access and water conditions allow, fish with the proper licence, hunt during open seasons, study wetland geology, and photograph bog and creek habitats without disturbing vegetation.
Use NTS Map Sheet 103 I/2 and official park maps. Expect difficult access, overgrown roads, wet terrain, and no developed facility information. Keep to old roads or designated routes, avoid shortcutting through sensitive bogs, carry navigation and emergency supplies, and pack out all waste.
