B.C.’s popular Joffre Lakes Park, also known as Pipi7íyekw, will be closed to visitors for three weeks starting Friday to give local First Nations exclusive access to their land.
Officials say the closure is meant to “provide time and space for members of the Líl̓wat Nation and N͛Quatqua to reconnect with the land and carry out cultural and spiritual practices.”
The park near Pemberton - famous for its turquoise waters and stunning mountain views - has become increasingly busy over the years, prompting the need to manage visitor volume to protect the environment, BC Parks explained.
The area will remain closed to recreational visitors through May 16.
When the park reopens in time for the Victoria Day long weekend, all visitors over the age of 12 need a pre-booked day pass in order to enter. The passes are free and can be reserved online starting at 7 a.m. two days in advance.
“Since 2021, day-use passes have been used at Pipi7íyekw/Joffre Lakes to ensure adequate and safe parking, and provide a more enjoyable, less crowded experience,” a notice from the province reads.
Officials say the park will close again this season, but the dates have not been announced. Last year, Joffre Lakes was closed from April 30 to May 15, June 14 to 23, and Sept. 3 to Oct. 6.
The Líl̓wat, N͛Quatqua and the province came to an agreement to close Joffre Lakes on those planned dates after the First Nations abruptly shut off access to the park in the summer of 2023, catching the government and visitors off guard.
BC Parks says it has been collaborating with the nations since 2018 to implement a joint “visitor use management strategy.”
