Nechako Canyon Protected Area is about 80 kilometres southwest of Vanderhoof, with access by Holy Cross Forest Service Road on the west side or Kenney Dam Road to the east. BC Parks says the 1,246-hectare protected area was established in July 2000 and uses NTS map reference 93F/10.
The protected area includes the seven-kilometre Grand Canyon of the Nechako. Vanderhoof is the nearest named community nearby.
Nechako Canyon protects a dramatic dry riverbed gorge created when the Nechako River cut through volcanic rock before Kenney Dam diverted the water toward the Pacific Coast. BC Parks highlights sheer rock walls, towering pinnacles, overhanging cliffs, and rare opportunities to observe erosional features.
Carrier First Nations peoples have used the area for many years, and more than 130 archaeological sites are documented, including a village site near Cheslatta Falls with pit depressions from dwellings and food caches. There are no park facilities, but nearby Cheslatta River Recreation Site sits just outside the protected area.
Hike the 1.2-kilometre one-way Cheslatta Falls forest service trail from the recreation site, fish with the proper licence, hunt during open seasons, snowshoe or cross-country ski without set tracks, and view canyon features from safe locations.
Stay on marked trails around Cheslatta Falls; steep drop-offs, turbulent water, and slippery footing are hazards. Do not expect facilities inside the protected area. Bring navigation, water, emergency supplies, and road-condition awareness for FSR access, and respect archaeological sites.
