The scenic Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park is situated on the southwestern side of Nimpkish Lake, south of Port McNeill on Vancouver Island. The park protects old-growth coastal western hemlock forests in the Tlakwa Creek watershed, which features high ecological and wildlife values.
Highway 19 runs above Nimpkish Lake’s eastern shore, providing awesome views of the steep forested slopes of the Karmutzen Range that frame Nimpkish Lake.
Windsurfing on the 22-km long Nimpkish Lake is very popular. Strong and reliable winds rise here on summer afternoons. If they don’t, you can still lie back and enjoy the views of the rugged mountainscape that surrounds the lake. The Nimpkish Speed Slalom Windsurfing Weekend, held in early August, is the highlight of the windsurfing season at Nimpkish Lake.
The strong and dependable thermal winds that power this popular sport on slender Nimpkish Lake can also make the lake’s waters quite rough for canoeists and kayakers. There are some hiking trails, which offer scenic views of the surrounding area, but no facilities are provided in the park.
Wilderness camping is permitted in the park. Nimpkish Lake Recreation Site and Kinman Camp are well maintained recreation sites with picnic tables and walk-in campsites.
Nimpkish Lake also offers excellent freshwater fishing and a boat launch. This park offers opportunities for backcountry skiing, ski mountaineering and snowshoeing in areas near Tlakwa Mtn. and Karmutzen Mtn. These areas must be accessed via Canadian Forest Products logging roads.
Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park is located 19 miles (30 km) south of Port McNeill on Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Access to the 3,950-hectare park is primarily by boat from Nimpkish Lake, but gravel roads do connect Highway 19 to the lower areas of the Tlakwa Creek drainage region.
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