The following policy applies to all horse use by private (non-commercial) parties in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. Commercial operators must have a valid Park Use Permit, which is a separate requirement from this policy.

All persons wishing to take horses into Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park must apply online. The online request should be received in the below office 7 days in advance of your date of entry into the park. Once you have filled out the form below and submitted it, print this page as your Letter of Permission (LOP). The leader of your group should carry this LOP on their person during the horse trip and be prepared to show it to a BC Park Ranger when asked. If you find your information is incorrect, you may click your browsers back button to return to the form to correct and resubmit it.

Core Area standards must be adhered to:

• Maximum of ten (10) horses per party
• There is no horse access to Assiniboine Lodge, Naiset Cabins, Wonder Pass, or Citadel Pass
• Horse users must leave their horses at O’Brien’s Meadow horse camp when entering the lodge area
• Seasonal number of horse parties may be limited due to weather or environmental impact
• Picketed horses must be moved frequently to spread out the impact of grazing
• Open grazing is permitted in Og Meadows (north of trail from Assiniboine Pass to Og Lake trail)
• Horses are restricted to certain trails (see map), and are not permitted on hiking-only trails for any reason.
• Fires are not permitted in the Core Area

In the interest of minimal impact camping, the following conditions apply in ALL areas of the park:

• Camp at designated sites only and pack out all garbage
• At least 3 kg of concentrated feed pellets per horse per day is recommended to supplement grazing
• Maximum of ten (10) horses per party
• A rope tether must be used if horses are to be tied for longer than two hours
• Tethers must be 50 m from any water source or camping area
• Do not tie horses or tethers to trees smaller than 20 cm in diameter, and limit time horses are tied to trees to minimize root damage.
• Remove all items from food caches when you leave, and reattach cables on caches when not in use
• In consideration of other trail users please WALK HORSES AT ALL TIMES (no galloping or cantering)

Trail conditions:

• The trail up the Mitchell River begins approximately 100m back from the end of the Mitchell River Forest Service Road. The section between the parking area and the Mitchell River Cabin follows the river itself for much of its length, interspersed with sections of trail that are primarily on the west side of the river. Beyond the cabin, the trail is more defined and is easily followed.
• The direct route from Ferro Pass to the Mitchell River was cut out and flagged in 2009 and is suitable for horses.
• North of Surprise Creek, the horse trail along the Simpson River is an unmarked route which may be difficult to follow. The route heads directly up the river for long sections, venturing onto the east and south sides of the river when possible.
• The Daer Creek trail (shown on old maps) no longer exists.

BC Hunting Regulations are strictly enforced:

The entire core area is closed to hunting and possession of firearms. Access with firearms into the park for the purpose of hunting is allowed through the Mitchell River Drainage. Hunting parties planning on travelling from the Mitchell River to the Simpson River/Citadel Pass areas should use the Ferro Pass/Surprise Creek access route. Kootenay and Banff National Parks are closed to the possession of firearms. Any wildlife harvested in the park must be transported out via the Mitchell River Trail.

**Remember to obtain permission from Parks Canada to travel in National Parks**

For further information, please contact:

Area Supervisor, East Kootenay North Region
Ministry of Environment – Kootenay Region
205 Industrial Road G, Cranbrook, BC V1C 7G5
Phone: 250-489-8540 Monday to Friday (closed holidays) 8:30 am to 4:30 pm (Mountain Time)
Fax: 250 489-8506

By submitting comments to BC Parks, you consent to the Province’s use of your personal information for the purposes of monitoring horse use in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park. Personal information will not be used by the Province for any other purpose. The Government of British Columbia is committed to protecting the privacy of people whose personal information is held by government through responsible information management practices. Any personal information provided to the government of British Columbia is collected under section 26(c ) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and is used and disclosed in accordance with this Act and/or other applicable legislation. If you have any questions or concerns about the privacy of this project, please contact BC Parks at http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/info/feedback.html or by mail at BC Parks, PO Box 9398 Stn Prov Govt Victoria, BC V8W 9M9.