The Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park wilderness park near Lytton, British Columbia. It is 1,072 km² in area. Nearly the complete Stein River watershed from the mountains to the Fraser River is protected in this park, though there are some areas of the watershed that were left out.
The name "Stein" comes from the Nlaka'pamux word "Stagyn", which means "hidden place". This land is an important spiritual land for the First Nations in the area. There are a number of Petroglyphs in the park. Some are easily visible, other must be sought out, and some are closely guarded secrets of the local people.
In the 1980s there was a plan to log the valley. This was protested by the environmentalists who argued that this was the last untouched watershed that was easily accessible from Vancouver. In 1988 Fletcher Challenge announced a moratorium on logging the Stein. After strong public support, and an annual music festival that raised awareness, the Stein Valley was finally protected as a park in 1995. It is jointly administered by the Lytton First Nation and BC Parks.
This park has 150 km of backpacking trails and a number of wilderness camping areas. There are 4 cable crossings and a suspension bridge across the river.
External links
Last updated: 05-27-2005 14:25:14
