River Rafting is popular in Kispiox, BC

Kispiox is well known for steelhead and salmon fishing, and is home to talented Gitxsan Artists, with many totem poles on display in the community.

Population: 651

Location: Kispiox is located off Highway 16 in the Bulkley Valley of Northwest BC, north of Hazelton and Smithers at the confluence of the Skeena and Kispiox Rivers.

• Drive through Gitxsan Village of Kispiox and view the old and new totem poles, carved by some of the world's renowned master carvers.

• Travel the short side road to the Kispiox Elementary School, and view the carved entrance doors depicting the house groups (clans) of the Gitxsan Village.

• Escape to the Kispiox Valley at the end of July, for the annual Kispiox Valley Music Festival.

• Fish the Kispiox River, designated a trophy river by the province of British Columbia, and widely known for its world-class native steelhead trout. In addition to 'the finest steelhead fishing in all of North America', the Kispiox yields an abundance of coho salmon, rainbow, cutthroat and dolly varden. Within half an hour's drive is excellent fishing in the Babine, Bear, Bulkley and Skeena Rivers.

• The wilderness Kispiox River provides a wonderfully natural setting for canoeing, kayaking, river rafting, or simply drifting down the river. More information on Canoeing & Kayaking in Northwest BC.

• Swan Lake Kispiox River Provincial Park lies within the traditional territories of the Gitanyow and Gitxsan First Nations, protecting swamps, rivers, and a chain of lakes that provide an outstanding opportunity for water-related adventure.

• Seeley Lake Provincial Park offers great cutthroat and rainbow trout fishing, a car-top-boat launch, and vehicle/tent campsites. You'll also learn about a fascinating Native legend about a mythological monster associated with Seeley Lake.

• 'Ksan Historical Village and Museum, Hazelton, BC

  A "must see" in neighbouring Hazelton, is one of the finest native heritage sites in Canada, the world famous 'Ksan Historical Village and Museum. Seven decorated tribal houses fronted with several elaborately carved totems stand silently on the banks of the Skeena and Bulkley Rivers, telling the legends of the totem poles and portraying the lifestyles of generations that lived long ago.

  See Native carvers performing their craft and, when available, attend the 'Ksan Dancers' performance of local native dances. The troupe, which has toured both nationally and internationally, are most widely known for their performance of The Breath of Our Grandfathers, which interprets the highlights of the potlatch celebrations that were outlawed in 1884.

• See the best of BC when you embark upon one of the many circle tours that take in Vancouver Island, the Discovery Coast, the Sunshine Coast, or the remote Northern British Columbia. Take in some of the wonderful examples of Native art to be seen in British Columbia, both ancient and modern, on the Native Heritage Tour. View haunting totem poles, mystifying petroglyph stone carvings, heritage Indian villages, and Native arts and crafts skillfully carved by First Nations people. This tour follows the same route as the Inside Passage Circle Tour.

• Highway 16, the Yellowhead Highway, carries travellers between Prince George in the interior of the province and Prince Rupert on the west coast.

• South of Kispiox on Highway 16 is the community of New Hazelton, situated amidst a majestic landscape dominated by the 3000-foot walls of the rugged Rocher de Boule Mountain Range. New Hazelton is a wonderful stop on the for travellers on the highway.