Churn Creek Protected Area, Wilderness conservation area near Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada.

Churn Creek Protected Area is a conservation zone along the western bank of the Fraser River in British Columbia featuring grasslands, deep canyons, and elevated benchlands spread across roughly 37,000 hectares. The terrain varies across the region, creating diverse habitats and visual contrasts as you move through the landscape.

The provincial government established the protected area in 1995 following recommendations from a regional land use plan aimed at conserving grassland ecosystems. This action sought to preserve the natural character and biological diversity of the region for the future.

The area has been home to Tsilhqot'in and Secwepemc peoples for at least 7,000 years. Smallpox brought by Europeans after the mid-1800s gold discoveries drastically reduced the Tcexwe'ptem band of Empire Valley in the 1860s; survivors joined the Canoe and Dog Creek bands to the east.

The protected area lies in the Cariboo region on the southern edge of the Chilcotin Plateau, with the Fraser River forming its eastern boundary. Access is by gravel roads; the Gang Ranch sits just north of the park. Bring your own supplies, since services are far apart.

The park was expanded in 1997 by adding the former Empire Valley ranch, not purchased in 1998. Grazing land was set aside inside the boundaries as a compromise with ranchers, so cattle and bighorn sheep share the same grasslands. The historic Gang Ranch lies just north of the protected area.