Mitlenatch Island Nature Provincial Park is home to the largest seabird colony in the Strait of Georgia. All sedentary marine life, including abalones, scallops and sea cucumbers, are fully protected within the park’s boundaries, which extend 300 metres out from the shore. This nature reserve is an important nesting colony for thousands of Glaucous-winged Gulls, as well as Pelagic Cormorants, Pigeon Guillemots, Black Oystercatchers and many other species of birds. Marine life around the island includes river otters and harbour seals throughout the year, and Steller’s and California sea lions from late fall through to summer.

Mitlenatch, which means “calm waters all around” in the Coast Salish language, is a small rocky island that features semi-arid conditions caused by the island’s location in the “rain shadow” of Vancouver Island. The park receives less than 75 cm (30 inches) of rain each year – about half the Campbell River average. Rain-bearing clouds pass eastward from the Pacific Ocean and drop much of their moisture on Vancouver Island. As they descend across the Strait of Georgia, they warm and pick up new moisture, which will be dropped on the Coast Mountains of mainland British Columbia.

Accessible only by boat, Mitlenatch Island Nature Provincial Park offers excellent opportunities to observe and photograph wildflowers and birds. Visit in May when the island’s meadows of spring wildflowers are in bloom, or in late May to July when the harvest brodia blooms and in the last half of June when the coastal cactus bloom. Birders should approach the observation blind as a group, slowly and quietly, this may help to reduce the birds’ anxiety and allow you to observe their behaviour and “family life” more easily.

The island is a very sensitive ecosystem that is extremely prone to damage by visitors who venture off the designated trails. Pets are not permitted on the island.

Collecting of any kind is not permitted at Mitlenatch Island, including all shellfish.

Date Established: July 14, 1961
Provincial Park Size: 155 hectares (36 ha upland and 119 ha foreshore)