Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park

Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park is a provincial park in the Chilcotin Country of British Columbia, Canada. The park is 111,977 hectares in size and contains Far Mountain and Mount Downton, its two most prominent peaks.

Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park
IUCN category Ib (wilderness area)[1]
A small lake backdropped by a pair of buttes of the Itcha Range
Location of Itcha Ilgachuz in British Columbia
LocationBritish Columbia, Canada
Nearest cityQuesnel, British Columbia
Coordinates52°42′30″N 124°59′00″W
Area111,977 hectares
Established1995
Governing bodyBC Parks
WebsiteItcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park

History and conservation

Established in 1995 the park was recommended for protection under the Cariboo-Chilcotin Land-Use Plan, and designated a Class A Park.

Itcha Ilgachuz protects alpine grasslands, wetlands, and wildlife habitat. The Itcha Range and Ilgachuz Range are shield volcanoes that formed 5 and 2.5 million years ago as the North American Plate drifted over the Anahim hotspot. These ranges are situated in the rain shadow of the Coast Mountains, and support a high diversity of plant and animal species including woodland caribou.

Recreation

The park has a network of unmaintained trails for hikers or equestrian users. One trail is open to mountain biking. Wilderness backcountry camping and fishing or hunting (with a license) are permitted. Fish habitat is limited by steep terrain, with Itcha Lake supporting populations of rainbow trout and bull trout.[2]

In winter, a network of snowmobile trails and play areas is available that avoids the preferred winter range of the woodland caribou.

Location

The park is north of BC Highway 20 near the community of Anahim Lake. There are no roads in the park.

References
  1. "Protected Planet | Itcha Ilgachuz Park". Protected Planet. Retrieved 2020-10-16.
  2. "Itcha Ilgachuz Provincial Park". BC Parks. Retrieved 2020-10-28.

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