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 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES CANADA
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Nahanni National Park
 Nahanni
National Park Reserve protects a portion of the Mackenzie Mountains Natural
Region offering the adventurous visitor a wilder-
ness experience. A key feature of the park is the Naha Dehé (South Nahanni River). Four great canyons line this spectacular white-
water river.
At Nailicho (Virginia Falls) the river plunges in a thunderous plume. The park's sulphur
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© Images Parks
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| hotsprings,
alpine tundra, mountain ranges, and forests of spruce
and aspen are home to many species of birds, fish and
mammals.
A visitor centre in Fort Simpson features
displays on the history, culture and geography of the
area. The park was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage
List in 1978. |
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Park Characteristics
One of the key features is the South Nahanni River. This river
originates as a small, clear boulder-strewn stream
in the remote Mackenzie Mountains. It grows
dramatically in size and power as it flows 580 km
downstream to the southeast. The silt-laden waters
of the South Nahanni meander through scenic
mountain valleys and hurtle through a series of
deep canyons before calming and joining the Liard
River
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| | at Nahanni Butte. The main landscape, along with the varied and spectacular terrain that it passes through, have given the South Nahanni its international reputation as a premier wilderness river.
Along the river are many unique features. These include: Rabbitkettle Hotsprings, source of the largest known tufa mounds in Canada; Virginia Falls, with a vertical drop twice that of Niagara Falls; a series of river canyons up to 1200 m deep; and caves such as Grotte Valerie with its ancient skeletons of nearly a hundred Dall's sheep.
The park is home to a variety of wildlife. Dall's sheep, mountain goats, woodland caribou, wolves, black bears, grizzly bears and trumpeter swans all find refuge in Nahanni. |
Wildlife In The Park
The wildlife of
Nahanni National Park Reserve is diverse for the
relatively high latitude of the park. The
dominant characteristic of the wildlife species in
the park is their adaptation to a rugged and
highly seasonal environment. The majority of
species adapt by either migrating for the winter
to a
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| less severe environment,
or spending the winter hibernating. Spe-
cies which are
year-round residents adapt by showing seasonality in their movements.
The park's diversity of wildlife is best seen during the relatively short summer season. |
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Vegetation
In The Park
There have been 230 genera and over 700 species of vascular
plants recorded in Nahanni National Park Reserve. The park has a richer di-
versity
of vegetation than any other area of
comparable size in the con-
tinental Northwest Territories. Reasons for the extremely
rich flora are complex. The presence of highly specialized habitats such as wet calcareous substrates, mist zones of waterfalls, hot and cold mineral springs, and unglaciated terrain are important.
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| | Areas of discontinuous permafrost and periglacial habitats also have influence. In addition,
the length of the park intersects major differences in local climate and weather systems.
Nahanni's vegetation is predominantly boreal forest, with a transition from lowland wet areas to alpine tundra. The main tree species are white and black spruce,
lodgepole pine, jackpine, subalpine fir, larch, balsam poplar, trembling aspen and white birch. White spruce and trembling aspens characterize the valley bottoms, while pine and
spruce mixtures dominate the montane and sub-alpine zones. |
Recreation In The Park
Mighty rivers surge through canyons and swirl over rapids, drawing canoeists and kayakers to the Canadian North. For your next vacation, raft, kayak or canoe a legendary
adventure is guranteed.
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Wilderness canoeing trip on the Nahanni River
Nahanni National Park
