Hot Springs & Maquinna Park
Welcome back. Maquinna Marine Park & Hot Springs are officially open.
Accessing the park
Maquinna Marine Provincial Park is located north-west of Flores Island, approximately a 1.5 hour boat ride (or a 30 minute flight) from Tofino. After arriving in the park, the Hot Springs are accessed via a 30 minute (approx 1.5km) boardwalk trail through beautiful old-growth forest. The boardwalk makes for fairly light trekking, although the boardwalk – and rocks at the springs – can be slippery.
Visitors can access Maquinna Park through one of the many permitted guiding companies in the area. Please note that any person acting as a guide or offering guiding services, including vessel drop-off, must hold a valid Park Use Permit. Ensure that the company you hire is legally operating in the park.
The park is open to the general public from dawn until dusk. However, permitted commercial operators are only allowed to bring guests to the park between the hours of 11am-5pm.
MHSS is the park operator for the Maquinna Marine Park, exercising Ahousaht rights in collaboration with BC Parks to manage the park for the ecological and cultural well-being of this Ahousaht treasure. During the core operating season (March 15th- October 15th), an Ahousaht Watchman is present at the main park entrance to answer questions, ensure amenities are stocked and taken care of, and to administer your Ahousaht Stewardship and BC Parks Fees.
Park Use Fees
BC Parks charges a $3 per person day use to access Maquinna Park. In addition, MHSS has established the Ahousaht Stewardship Fund as a way for visitors to Ahousaht hahoulthee to financially support the work of the Ha’wiłh, Stewardship Guardians, Biologists and MHSS in carrying out the Ha’wiłh’s ancestral responsibilities to steward the lands and waters that support Ahousat musčim.
The Ahousaht Stewardship Fund supports building and maintaining trails and other infrastructure throughout the hahoulthee, as well as ongoing monitoring and restoration efforts.
The Ahousaht Stewardship Fund is voluntary. The rate schedule (right) has been developed as a recommended payment. You can learn more about the Ahousaht Stewardship Fund or make a payment here.
We encourage all visitors to pay into the Ahousaht Stewardship Fund when visiting Ahousaht Hahoulthee. The recommended payment for individuals, families, school groups and non-profits visiting the hot springs is $15/pp/visit, in addition to the $15pp/day hahoulthee access fee.
For those spending time in Ahousaht hahoulthee regularly, you can purchase an annual access pass for $25pp/year. Note that the annual access pass does not include hotsprings. Hotsprings day passess can be purchased for $15pp/day.
For those visiting Ahousaht hahoulthee with one of the permitted tour operators, be sure to ask if the stewardship fee is already included in the cost of your tour.
