| Feature Type: | Canyon (2) - Deep, narrow valley with precipitous walls. |
| Status: | Official |
| Name Authority: | BC Geographical Names Office |
| Relative Location: | Surrounding Bulkley River near its junction with Skeena River, just E of Hazelton, NW of Smithers, Cassiar Land District |
| Latitude-Longitude: | 55°14'59"N, 127°37'05"W at the approximate centre of this feature. |
| Datum: | WGS84 |
| NTS Map: | 93M/5 |
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Origin Notes and History:
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Awillgate Canyon adopted 27 June 1906 as recommended in April 1906 by W.F. Robertson. Spelling changed to Hagwilget Canyon 4 September 1952 on 93M, to conform to the modern spelling of the nearby village. (file H.1.50) Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |
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"... name was given to the Canyon [of the Bulkley River] at the place we now call Awillgate - an Indian village, formerly known as Rocher Déboulé ("fallen rock"), which describes the canyon..." (July 1951 letter, file H.1.37). The legend is that salmon formerly migrated a long way up the Bulkley River, but the c1820 rock slide into the river blocked the passage of the salmon, as it still does today. Source: BC place name cards, or correspondence to/from BC's Chief Geographer or BC Geographical Names Office |