'We drove all the way up here': Visitors confused by sudden closure of popular B.C. park

Handwritten signs and caution tape greeted visitors to Joffre Lakes Provincial Park on Friday after two First Nations announced they were "shutting down" access to the Instagram-famous hiking area.

The Líl̓wat and N’Quatqua First Nations – who call the park Pipi7iyekw and say they have occupied and used the land since time immemorial – said in a joint statement Thursday that they would be closing it until Sept. 30, which is National Truth and Reconciliation Day.

The closure announcement seemed to catch the provincial government off guard.

In a statement late Thursday night, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change said BC Parks was "recently made aware of unanticipated circumstances at Joffre Lakes Park."

The ministry said the public would not be able to access the park Friday or over the weekend, though it did not mention a Sept. 30 reopening date.

On Friday, Environment Minister George Heyman issued an updated statement.

"My ministry is actively working with the Líl̓wat and N’Quatqua First Nations to find a solution that will provide space and privacy for cultural activities while ensuring public access to the park in a responsible and sustainable manner," Heyman said.

"To support these important conversations, at this time Joffre Lakes Park will remain inaccessible to the public through to Friday, Sept. 1."

The booking system for day use passes will not be active while the park is closed, and those with existing reservations will be contacted, Heyman said, adding that full refunds would be issued automatically.

"We recognize the impact that this has on people’s plans on short notice," the minister said. "We sincerely apologize for the disruption and appreciate people’s understanding."

At the parking lot off of Highway 99 where the park's main entrance is located, a steady stream of confused visitors could be seen arriving and departing Friday.

A handwritten sign explaining the situation was visible in the parking lot, and a table was set up near the trailhead with copies of the nations' joint statement on display. Caution tape covered the entrance to the trail, and uniformed staff told visitors what was going on.

Caution tape covered the entrance to the trail at Joffre Lakes Provincial Park on Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. (CTV)

A couple from Toronto told CTV News they were disappointed to find the park closed.

"We are visiting Alberta and B.C. and we really wanted to see Joffre Lakes, but, unfortunately, it just closed last night without any notice," said Nadia, who did not share her last name.

"So, we drove all the way up here, but it's closed."

The nations said they were closing the park to harvest and gather resources within their traditional territories.

They cited a variety of legal grounds they said supported their authority to close the park, including the goals of the provincial park's Visitor Use Management Strategy and its Management Action Plan, as well as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Supreme Court of Canada's Tsilhqot'in decision affirming Indigenous land rights.