Tsútswecw Park
About this Park
This is a fascinating place to visit at any time of year, particularly in early October. October brings the run of the Adams River sockeye salmon. The Adams River has one of the largest sockeye salmon runs in North America.
Take a virtual tour of Tsútswecw Park
The Secwepemc word “Tsútswecw” (pronounced choo-chwek) translates to ‘many rivers’.
Every fourth year is a dominant salmon run, with millions of fish returning to the park. There will be dominant runs in 2026 and 2030. During these years, The Adams River Salmon Society coordinates the celebration known as the Salute to the Sockeye Festival. Sub-dominant runs happen in the year following a dominant run. These often have substantial returns of sockeye and offer excellent viewing opportunities.
In all other years, a small number of salmon return to spawn in the last three weeks of October. The best place to see spawning salmon is the viewing platform approximately 300 m west of the parking lot.
The Adams River squeezes through a narrow canyon portion of the valley to create spectacular rapids. These are enthusiastically used by rafters and kayakers. The park also has a beautiful waterfall on Bear Creek that is viewable from the Flume Trail System.
The 26 km trail system is used for hiking and mountain biking in summer and cross country skiing and snowshoeing in winter. The park does not offer any camping facilities.
Safety information
- Damage from past flooding, combined with high water levels has made some portions of the river’s banks dangerous. Please use caution along the river.
- A popular whitewater rafting and canoeing river, the Adams is very dangerous. Wear life-jackets at all times and exercise extreme caution as there are numerous log-jams and sweepers that are not always visible in advance. Navigation below the bridge is not recommended. Inner tubes and air mattresses are not recommended for travel on the Adams River. Several people have been killed while using these devices.
- Poison ivy grows along dry, exposed sloped in this area. Do not touch! The plant can be identified by glossy green leaves in groups of three, with white berries close to the stem. The leaves turn scarlet in autumn and then fall off. Poison ivy is harmful at all times of the year.
- The trails in the lower portion of the park are near the river and subject to flooding each spring. As a result, trail maps may be inaccurate and caution should be taken along the river banks.
- Due to shallow and swift flowing, cold water and hidden undersurface hazards, swimming, diving and cliff jumping is highly discouraged on the Adams River or near the Adams River Gorge.
- Please be advised not to leave any valuables in your vehicles while hiking the trails, there have been a number of vehicles related break-in within the Shuswap area.
Special notes
- Keep all dogs out of the water! Ensure that nothing harasses the fish. They are extremely sensitive to any kind of disturbance, and dogs are perceived as a particular threat.
- During the Salute to the Sockeye festival, there is treated drinking water provided on site. The water from the river is not drinkable.
Location notes
The park is located on both sides of the Adams River, between Adams Lake and Shuswap Lake. The entrance to Tsútswecw Park is 5 km from Squilax on the Squilax-Anglemont Highway.
To get to the main parking lot and information area from the intersection of Squilax and the TransCanada Highway, head north on Squilax-Anglemont Road.
Follow the road for approximately 5.4 km, and watch for roadside signage. Scotch Creek, Sorrento, Salmon Arm, Kamloops and Chase are the closest communities to this park.
Activities
- 281:Pets on leash Pets and domestic animals must be on a leash and are not allowed in beach areas or park buildings. You are responsible for their behaviour and must dispose of their waste. Keep dogs out of the water. The salmon are extremely sensitive to any kind of disturbance, and dogs are perceived as a particular threat.
- 281:Canoeing Professionally guided whitewater rafting as well as whitewater canoeing and kayaking take place on the Adams River. Wear life jackets and helmets at all times while on the river. The river has dangerous sections that include numerous sweepers and log jams that are not always visible in advance. Always exercise extreme caution. Navigation below the Adams River bridge is not recommended.
- 281:Kayaking Professionally guided whitewater rafting as well as whitewater canoeing and kayaking take place on the Adams River. Wear life jackets and helmets should at all times while on the river. This river has dangerous sections that include numerous sweepers and log jams that are not always visible in advance. Always exercise extreme caution. Navigation below the Adams River bridge is not recommended.
- 281:Wildlife viewing There are excellent opportunities to view salmon from the viewing platform and trails on the lower trail system. The Wade Road trail system offers a great view of the river canyon and the rafters and kayakers that navigate it.
- 281:Fishing Angling for rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, and white fish is a popular activity. Productive sites include the canyon and the river mouth. Single barbless hook catch and release only.The Adams River is closed to salmon fishing. There are special regulations for the Adams River. Check the B.C. freshwater fishing regulations for details.
- 281:Hiking Hike the 26 km of trails named the Lower, Wade Road, and Flume trails. For your own safety and the preservation of the park, obey posted signs and keep to designated trails. Shortcutting trails destroys plant life and soil structure.For a trail map, see maps and location.Lower trail systemThe Lower trail system provides access to the viewing areas during the salmon runs. It encompasses all the trails south-east of the Squilax-Anglemont Road.Cottonwoods Trail: Follows the easterly bank of the river for about 3.5 km linking the river mouth with the main parking lot and the viewing platform with the highway bridge.Island Loop: An approximately 1.5 km loop around a small island by the river channel. This channel is dry during the winter months but provides one of the most appealing salmon viewing areas.Phil Rexin Memorial Trail: An approximately 1.5 km trail that takes you from the main parking area to the river mouth parking area, or the top of the groundwater spawning channel. In summer, it offers a shaded cooler experience through a mixed forest.Wade Road and Flume trail systemThe Wade Road and Flume trails encompass all of the trails north of the Squilax-Anglemont Road. These trails offer an impressive array of human and natural history, scenic beauty, and distinctive trail structures.Packer Trail: Traverse attractive, dry forest well above the river following an old horse packer’s trail for most of its length.Adams Trail: The trail starts out as an old road and turns into a trail at the canyon area. The trail follows Adams River for the most part until it ends at Gold Creek. The trail is linked with the Packer Trail at the power line, making a loop back to the old road.Historic Flume: This trail follows a historic log flume. There are also five unique bridges and the impressive Bear Creek Falls on this scenic and interesting route. This trail is not accessible from Adams Trail. Bikes are not permitted in this area.Canyon and Canyon PoolA favourite area on the Adams Trail for anglers and picnickers. It is also an exciting area to view rafters and kayakers as they test their skills through the canyon. Below the canyon is a large pool with a sandy beach. Bikes are not permitted in this area. Diving is prohibited due to hazardous underwater obstacles. People have been seriously injured and even killed while diving in the Adam’s River.
- 281:Winter recreation Many of the park trails are suitable for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter months. The trails are not maintained in the winter.
- 281:Cycling Bicycles must keep to existing roadways and trails. Bicycle helmets are mandatory in British Columbia.Bikes are not permitted in the canyon area of the Wade Road trails, and in the Flume trails. Both the upper and lower Flume trails are closed to biking due to visitor safety concerns, physical geography and trail design. See the park maps for restricted areas.Bicycles with electric assist motors (e-bikes) are not allowed on the trails within Tsútswecw Park. E-bikes are restricted to park roads and areas where motorized use is permitted. The only exception is for authorized and identified trail maintenance bikes conducting work on behalf of BC Parks. [CC1]Change paragraph on site to match this.
Facilities
- 281:Picnic areas There are picnic tables located approximately 100 m west of the main parking lot next to the Salute Plaza and viewing platform. There are also picnic tables near the winter house at the Wade Road trails.
- 281:Pit or flush toilets This park only has pit toilets, no flush toilets. There is a wheelchair-accessible pit toilet located near the Salute Plaza on the main viewing platform trail. It is 75 m west of the Salmon Society log cabin. There is also a pit toilet located near the winter house on the Wade Road trails.For pit toilet locations, see maps and location.
- 281:Accessibility information Accessibility information is available for these areas of the park:Main parking areaRiver mouthRiver rafters
Location
50.91783, -119.62512 · Thompson Eastern Lakes
