Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park

Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park
IUCN category II (national park)
View from Gott Peak
Location	British Columbia, Canada
Nearest city	Lytton, British Columbia
Coordinates	50°15′26″N 122°0′12″W / 50.25722°N 122.00333°W / 50.25722; -122.00333Coordinates: 50°15′26″N 122°0′12″W / 50.25722°N 122.00333°W / 50.25722; -122.00333
Area	1,071.91 km2 (413.87 sq mi)
Established	November 22, 1995
Governing body	BC Parks & Lytton First Nation

Stein Valley Nlaka'pamux Heritage Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, Canada. 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.

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 in the southern Coast Mountains. 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 on November 22, 1995. It is jointly administered by the Lytton First Nation and BC Parks.

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 pictographs in the park. Some are easily visible, others must be sought out, and some are closely guarded secrets of the local people.

The park protects over 50 species of mammals, including mountain goat, cougar, wolverine, black bear and grizzly bear. Bird species include golden eagles, sharp shinned hawks, barred owls, pygmy owls, white-tailed ptarmigan, pileated woodpeckers and rufous hummingbirds, as well as several species of chickadees, warblers and nuthatches. The Stein River contains Dolly Varden char, rainbow trout and Rocky Mountain whitefish, as well as steelhead trout, coho, pink and Chinook salmon.