Ivvavik National Park

Contact Information:
Ivvavik National Park
Western Arctic Field Unit
P.O. Box 1840
Inuvik
Northwest Territories
Canada X0E 0T0
867-777-8800

Size: 10,170 sq. km.

Location: Ivvavik National Park is located on the north slope of the Yukon Territory. Access to the park is by air charter service from Inuvik, NT, which is 200 km east of the park. Inuvik, the largest community in the region, has daily flights from southern Canada and may also be reached via the Dempster Highway.

Description: Ivvavik is the first national park in Canada to be established as a result of an Aboriginal land claim settlement. It encompasses a variety of arctic and subarctic ecosystems, which range from the height of land in the south, through mountains, foothills, and river valleys to the coastal plain and the Beaufort Sea. Park is the summer home of the 120,000 Porcupine caribou herd, which migrates annually from the forested valleys of north-central Yukon to calving grounds on the Beaufort coast. Spring migration peaks at the end of May and early June. Archeologists have discovered the remains of eight distinct cultures that have traveled through the northern Yukon and there is evidence that human habitation could extend back 30,000 years.

Activities: The most popular recreational activity in Ivvavik is whitewater rafting on the Firth River, which includes 130 navigable km from Margaret Lake to the Beaufort Sea. The rapids range from Class I to Class IV. Other activities include backcountry camping, hiking, wildlife viewing, fishing, and kayaking. Also, With twenty-four hours of daylight for essentially the entire summer, the soft light offers endless opportunities for photography.

Places to Stay: There are no designated campsites in the park. Visitors may camp anywhere they like, except at archaeological sites. Winds at the park can be very strong and prolonged and therefore a good quality tent, able to withstand fierce winds, is essential.

Operating Hours: Ivvavik is open-year round but is rarely visited in the winter. The best time for a winter trip is during March and April, when days are longer and the temperatures are usually warmer than in the early winter. However, it can still be extremely cold with temperatures as low as -35 °C. Winter-like conditions occur from mid-September to mid-May.

History: Established in 1984.

See other Canadian National Parks
See other Northwest Territories National Parks