Do you have a sense of adventure and consider yourself a true outdoor lover? If so then you should think about traveling to the exceptional Nahanni River in the Nahanni National Park in Canada. You may be very glad if you choose to make the journey to this magnificent location as it will prove to be a very unique experience. This park in the remote Northwest Territories is within an area of unparalleled splendor, highlighted by the rugged South Nahanni River coupled with some remarkable mountains, canyons and waterfalls.
One of the most well-known locations for visitors is the popular Virginia Falls. The South Nahanni River creates this breathtaking waterfall. The official height of the waterfall is 296 feet which makes it more than twice as tall as Niagara Falls. Right in the middle of the falls is a large outcropping of rock referred to as Mason's Rock named for a famous Canadian writer and outdoors man. Because of its popularity the number of visitors to the Virginia Falls is controlled by the National Park service's system of reservations. They want to prevent overcrowding in this area. Near the falls there are many species of rare orchids. These are able to grow here due to the humidity and moisture from the mist created by the huge waterfall. A short distance down river from the waterfall are some very popular rapids that draw many whitewater rafters, canoeists and kayakers every year.
Nahanni National Park is also home to various flora, fauna and geographic characteristics. The park has such variety as sulphur warm springs, deep gorges and canyons, alpine tundra, rock covered mountains and evergreen woodlands of aspen and spruce groves. Grizzly bear, buffalo, mountain goats, alpine sheep and woodland caribou all find year round habitat in the park. It is estimated that approximately 500 Grizzlies make their home in the Nahanni Park.
The historical past of the Nahanni region runs as far back to the prehistoric era. It's thought that the very first humans populated this particular region as far back as 9,000 to 10,000 years back. Local legends refers to the Naha tribe. These were hill dwellers who'd frequently raid settlements in the valley regions. It is believed that they inexplicably vanished all of a sudden! Numerous naive artifacts, caverns and caves have been found in the mountains by the Nahanni River. The initial Western European fur traders arrived at this region in the 18th century which resulted in trading posts getting built at Fort Laid, Fort Simpson and Nahanni Butte. For a long time the local Indians would take boats down the river every year to the trading posts to deal with the Hudson Bay Traders.
Throughout the Klondike gold rush years, miners would try to make use of the river as a way to access the Yukon's gold. They would also use the river to look for gold along the Nahanni and Flat River. There was never really a substantial gold discover along the Nahanni however these endeavours did result in numerous stories and tales of lost and killed prospectors. The headless bodies of two miners were discovered in 1908. Apparently other prospectors also perished mysteriously with no explanation on the Nahanni. A few of the park's places have titles that remind us of this portion of its history - Headless Creek, Deadman Valley, Funeral Range and Headless Range.
As you can imagine because on its remote location the Nahanni National Park is not greatly frequented, only about 1000 people visit per year. The majority of these visitors go there during the summer months and the most of them camp and go rafting down the South Nahanni River in the stretch below Virginia Falls. Fort Simpson is the location of the park's visitor center. Helicopters and float planes are the main method of reaching the park. It's not easy to make such a journey however the rewards may be wonderful. It is really an amazing vacation destination - scenic, wild, remote, mysterious and incredibly beautiful!
One of the most well-known locations for visitors is the popular Virginia Falls. The South Nahanni River creates this breathtaking waterfall. The official height of the waterfall is 296 feet which makes it more than twice as tall as Niagara Falls. Right in the middle of the falls is a large outcropping of rock referred to as Mason's Rock named for a famous Canadian writer and outdoors man. Because of its popularity the number of visitors to the Virginia Falls is controlled by the National Park service's system of reservations. They want to prevent overcrowding in this area. Near the falls there are many species of rare orchids. These are able to grow here due to the humidity and moisture from the mist created by the huge waterfall. A short distance down river from the waterfall are some very popular rapids that draw many whitewater rafters, canoeists and kayakers every year.
Nahanni National Park is also home to various flora, fauna and geographic characteristics. The park has such variety as sulphur warm springs, deep gorges and canyons, alpine tundra, rock covered mountains and evergreen woodlands of aspen and spruce groves. Grizzly bear, buffalo, mountain goats, alpine sheep and woodland caribou all find year round habitat in the park. It is estimated that approximately 500 Grizzlies make their home in the Nahanni Park.
The historical past of the Nahanni region runs as far back to the prehistoric era. It's thought that the very first humans populated this particular region as far back as 9,000 to 10,000 years back. Local legends refers to the Naha tribe. These were hill dwellers who'd frequently raid settlements in the valley regions. It is believed that they inexplicably vanished all of a sudden! Numerous naive artifacts, caverns and caves have been found in the mountains by the Nahanni River. The initial Western European fur traders arrived at this region in the 18th century which resulted in trading posts getting built at Fort Laid, Fort Simpson and Nahanni Butte. For a long time the local Indians would take boats down the river every year to the trading posts to deal with the Hudson Bay Traders.
Throughout the Klondike gold rush years, miners would try to make use of the river as a way to access the Yukon's gold. They would also use the river to look for gold along the Nahanni and Flat River. There was never really a substantial gold discover along the Nahanni however these endeavours did result in numerous stories and tales of lost and killed prospectors. The headless bodies of two miners were discovered in 1908. Apparently other prospectors also perished mysteriously with no explanation on the Nahanni. A few of the park's places have titles that remind us of this portion of its history - Headless Creek, Deadman Valley, Funeral Range and Headless Range.
As you can imagine because on its remote location the Nahanni National Park is not greatly frequented, only about 1000 people visit per year. The majority of these visitors go there during the summer months and the most of them camp and go rafting down the South Nahanni River in the stretch below Virginia Falls. Fort Simpson is the location of the park's visitor center. Helicopters and float planes are the main method of reaching the park. It's not easy to make such a journey however the rewards may be wonderful. It is really an amazing vacation destination - scenic, wild, remote, mysterious and incredibly beautiful!
Do you want to learn more about this wonderful park in northern Canada? Please visit http://www.squidoo.com/nahanni-camping-and-fishing. David Waters is an avid fisherman and outdoorsman with over 30 years of experience fishing, hiking and camping. A resident of Massachusetts and a graduate of the University of Massachusetts. He is a founding member of The Nahanni Camping and Fishing Club. Additional information about the Nahanni National Park as well as other outdoor adventures can be found at http://www.NahanniCampingandFishingClub.com
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