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Part of the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area, Redfern-Keily Provincial Park features a stunning variety of scenery. Sparkling blue lakes are surrounded by lush forested valleys that extend upwards towards broad alpine meadows. These meadows climb until they reach the jagged snow-capped peaks of the spectacular Northern Rocky Mountains. Water melted from the snow and glaciers on these peaks descends into the valley bottom in the form of countless cascading waterfalls.

Redfern, Fairy and Trimble Lakes are the parks most distinctive feature. Each of these large valley lakes is a vivid blue colour. Several beautiful waterways, such as the Sikanni Chief River, Besa River and Keily Creek, flow both into and out of these lakes, carving deep valleys between the surrounding peaks. Hikers, snowmobilers, and horseback riders alike will enjoy the range of recreational activities possible in the park, as well as the abundance of scenic views 80,771 hectare (approximately 200,000 acre) Redfern-Keily Provincial Park has to offer.


"Several sparkling blue lakes are surrounded by lush forested valleys that extend upwards towards broad alpine meadows."


location

Redfern-Keily Park is located in the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area, a remote part of British Columbia 250 km (150 mi) northwest of the town of Fort St. John. Access is somewhat difficult, since it is approximately 80 km (50 mi) from the park to the nearest road, Highway 97. Motorized access up the Sikanni Chief River extends only partway into the park. The Redfern Lake Trail is open to all-terrain vehicles, but a 500 kg (1100 lbs.) weight limit is in effect for this route. ATVs must stick to that one trail, but foot, horse and snowmobile access is permitted on all of the park's trails. Alternatively, it is possible to access the park by helicopter or float plane.

Click on the map to view an enlargement

recreation

One of Redfern-Keily Provincial Park's most notable features is its well developed system of horse and backpacking trails. Trails lead to both Trimble and Redfern Lake from the Besa River, and yet another trail completes a loop by linking together the two lakes. The trail to Redfern Lake follows the Besa River and Nevis Creek, and the trail to Trimble Lake follows the Sikanni Chief River. There are no established campsites in Redfern-Keily, but backcountry camping is permitted throughout the park, and there are a large number of primitive campsites located along the main trails.

Winter camping is another excellent recreational option in Redfern-Keily Park. During the winter months access is primarily by snowmobile along any of the established trails, but cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are also popular. A cabin on the northeast side of Redfern Lake, maintained by the local snowmobile club, offers accommodation for 6-8 people on a first come first serve basis. Winter visitors should be prepared to camp, in case the cabin is full when they arrive. Temperatures can easily drop to as low as - 40 degrees in this area of BC, so winter visitors must be well equipped to handle cold.

Redfern-Keily Provincial Park also offers abundant wildlife viewing, hunting and fishing opportunities. Anglers and hunters are reminded that they are required to have a valid licence in order to fish or hunt in British Columbia. Redfern Lake, the largest lake in the park, and its adjoining waterways are home to Lake Trout, Lake Whitefish, Pygmy Whitefish, and Rainbow Trout. In contrast, only Rainbow Trout are found in high-altitude Fairy Lake. Arctic grayling, bull trout, mountain whitefish and Rainbow Trout are found in Trimble Lake. Ice fishing is possible in the winter as well, but visitors should be aware that the ice on these northern lakes is extremely thick and can be challenging to cut through.

The waterways of the park also offer visitors the chance to river kayak, canoe or raft all the way to the Alaska Highway, some 80 km (50 mi) away. The Besa/Prophet Rivers are excellent for exploration by boat, as is the Sikanni Chief River. Those choosing to raft, kayak or canoe the Sikanni Chief should be aware that there are waterfalls that must be portaged.


"One of Redfern-Keily Provincial Park's most outstanding features is its well developed system of horse and backpacking trails."



wildlife

The diverse habitats of Redfern-Keily Provincial Park make it an excellent location for a diversity of wildlife. The habitat in the park is especially good for large mammals such as moose, caribou, Stone sheep, elk, mountain goat, and white-tailed and mule deer. The abundance of such prey species in the park means that significant populations of large predators such as grizzly and black bears, wolves, lynx and wolverine are able to thrive. A unique wildlife occurrence in this park is roaming groups of Plains bison, which originated from introduced herds.

The waterways and lakes of Redfern-Keily Provincial Park are home to fish species including Bull Trout, rainbow trout and Arctic grayling.


"The abundance of such prey species in the park means that significant populations of large predators such as grizzly and black bears, wolves, lynx and wolverine are able to thrive."


history

Redfern-Keily Provincial Park has a diverse cultural history, beginning with its long use by the Kaska Dena, Slavey, Beaver and Sekani people of the Lower Post, Fort Nelson, Prophet River and Halfway River First Nations. To these peoples, Redfern-Keily was the homeland where they had lived since time immemorial. With the arrival of European settlers around the beginning of the 19th century the area became of interest to fur traders working for the Hudson's Bay Company. Later still, locations in the area were visited throughout the early 20th century by explorers and surveyors. Of particular note is the 1934 Bedeaux Expedition, which visited the area while searching for an east-west passage through the Rocky Mountains. Remains of trails built by this Expedition are still visible today.

The Redfern-Keily area has long been of conservation interest due to its spectacular scenery. A Recreation Reserve was established around Redfern and Fairy Lakes in 1969, and the area soon became known as the "Lake Louise of the north". The area was then proposed for further protection in the mid-1980s, when the Wilderness Advisory Committee (WAC) was asked to identified new areas to be added to BC Parks system. Unfortunately, Redfern was one of the only areas identified by the WAC that was not protected at the time by government, allegedly because there was potential mineralization there.

In 1993 though, the area was designated by the local Protected Areas Strategy as an Area of Interest, although actual legal protection was still not achieved. Finally however, when the Fort St. John Land and Resource Management Plan was completed in 1997, Redfern-Keily Provincial Park received full Class-A park status.

The final step in the conservation history of Redfern-Keily came in 1998, with the creation of the Muskwa-Kechika Management Area. The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area linked 11 parks and protected areas, including Redfern-Keily, together with Special Management Zones (SMZs), creating an area that's size and extraordinary numbers of wildlife are of global significance. SMZs are vitally important for the enhanced protection of parks. Without them parks become islands, surrounded by resource development such as logging and petroleum extraction, and unable to protect the wildlife and biodiversity within them. SMZs are used to provide buffers between human society and wilderness. Because of its unique combination of so many protected areas along with SMZs, the Muskwa-Kechika, including Redfern-Keily Provincial Park, is a conservation example for the world to follow.

Particularly involved in the protection of Redfern-Keily, and indeed the whole Muskwa-Kechika, were Wayne Sawchuck of the Chetwynd Environmental Society and George Smith of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS).


"The Muskwa-Kechika Management Area linked 11 parks and protected areas, including Redfern-Keily, together with Special Management Zones (SMZs), creating an area that's size and extraordinary numbers of wildlife made it of global significance."


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