Nahanni National Park Reserve

Understand

Nahanni National Park Reserve covers an area of 30,050 km² (11,600 sq mi), almost the size of Belgium, approximately 500 km (311 mi) west of Yellowknife. It protects a portion of the Mackenzie Mountains Natural Region. The centrepiece of the park is the South Nahanni River (Naha Dehé). Four canyons reaching 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in depth, called First, Second, Third and Fourth Canyon, line this whitewater river. The name Nahanni comes from the indigenous Dene language name for the area; Nahʔa Dehé, which means "river of the land of the Nahʔa people", who some now speculate may have been the ancestors of the modern day Navajo people.

Visitor information Nahanni National Park Reserve Headquarters, Box 348, Fort Simpson, NWT, X0E 0N0, ☏ +1 867 695-3151, [email protected]. Winter (September 15 - June 15): M-F 8:30AM-noon, 1-5PM, closed weekends. Summer (June 15 - September 15): daily 8AM-noon, 1-5PM. Park website

History

The Dene, sometimes called Slavey, peoples have used the lands around Nahanni National Park Reserve for thousands of years. The first human occupation of the area is estimated to have occurred 9,000-10,000 years ago. Evidence of prehistoric human use has been found at Yohin Lake and a few other sites within the park. The local oral history contains many references to the Naha tribe, a mountain-dwelling people who used to raid settlements in the adjacent lowlands. These people are said to have rather quickly and mysteriously disappeared. First contact with European fur traders expanding into the region occurred in the 18th century, and was increased with Alexander Mackenzie's exploration of the Mackenzie River (Deh Cho), and building of trading posts at Fort Simpson and Fort Liard. During the 19th century, most Dene families left their nomadic lifestyles and settled into more permanent communities, often close to the trading posts. Permanent settlements were established at locations such as Nahanni Butte, Fort Liard and Fort Simpson. In the l

Getting there

There are no public roads in Nahanni National Park Reserve, visitors must access the park via air or hike in. To get to the river, a floatplane is necessary. There are a number of charter companies providing service to the Nahanni. Companies operating from Fort Simpson:

Simpson Air South Nahanni Airways Wolverine Air Other regional airlines:

Air Tindi Alpine Aviation (Yukon) Kluane Airways-Liard Tours A complete list of operators can be found on the Parks Canada website.

Getting around

You can travel down the river via canoe or kayak.

See

Rabbitkettle Hotsprings, source of the largest known tufa (a kind of limestone) mounds in Canada. Virginia Falls, with a vertical drop twice that of Niagara Falls. Several river canyons up to 1200 m in depth. Caves such as Grotte Valerie which contains ancient skeletons of nearly a hundred Dall's sheep.

Do

The park offers whitewater canoeing, kayaking and rafting trips ranging from ten days to three weeks. Make reservations well in advance through the Park Office. While there are no developed trails, route descriptions are available for a few of the more popular hikes. Flight-seeing day trips are available by air charter to Virginia Falls. Day visitors to Virginia Falls can enjoy a picnic as well as a short walk to the viewpoint. A longer portage trail, of moderate difficulty, descends to the base of the falls. Allow two hours return for the hike.

Licensed outfitting companies Blackfeather the Wilderness Adventure Company, 250 McNaught's Road, RR #3, Parry Sound, Ontario, P2A 2W9, ☏ +1 705 746-1372, toll-free: +1-888-849-7668, fax: +1 705 746-7048, [email protected]. Nahanni River Adventures, P.O. Box 31203, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A 5P7, ☏ +1 867 668-3180, toll-free: +1-800-297-6927, fax: +1 867 668-3056, [email protected]. Nahanni Wilderness Adventures, 96 9B Lawrence Grassi Rd, Canmore, Alberta, T1W 3C3, ☏ +1 403 678-3374, toll-free: +1-888-897-5223, fax: +1 403 609-2042, [email protected].

Sleep

There are no formal campsites in the park. If you do backcountry camping, ensure that you practise "no-trace" camping.

Go next

Naats'ihch'oh National Park Reserve – up the Nahanni River and even more remote than Nahanni National Park Reserve