Ivvavik National Park

Wildlife viewing, photography and birding are all popular activities for visitors travelling on foot. You are likely to see some of the natural inhabitants of the park, such as caribou, grizzly bears, wolves, foxes, muskoxen, gyrfalcons, and golden eagles. The hiking season extends from mid-June until mid-August. A particularly beautiful time to visit is the end of June and early July, when the tundra is carpeted with wildflowers and the caribou are migrating through the park. Hikes can be extended into the third week of August when the autumn colours are at their peak. However, hikers who are en route that late in the season must be prepared for winter-like conditions and delays due to heavy fog. There are no designated trails in Ivvavik: you follow approximate routes, directions, and landmarks such as creeks, rivers, valleys, lakes, eskers, and hills. Investigate your intended hiking route thoroughly using topographic maps and, if possible, air photos. Contact the Park Office to discuss your plans. You must supply a detailed description of your planned route on 1:50 000 scale before your departure to the park. Air access points for hiking include Sheep Creek, Margaret Lake, Komakuk Beach and Stokes Point.

A Parks Canada guided Arctic base camp trip. Fly in a Twin Otter bush plane over the Mackenzie Delta and into the heart of the British Mountains. Inuvialuit hosts lead you through the mountain wilderness of Ivvavik National Park.

Plenty of rapids, canyons, and ample hiking opportunities to view wildlife. Rafting trips begin by flying into Margaret Lake in the heart of the park. Raft a succession of canyons – like the furious Class IV rapids below Sheep Creek – over the course of one or two weeks. In early summer, rafters can watch migrating caribou herds or nesting raptors. Late summer paddlers can fish for Dolly Varden char, hike jagged ridgelines, or explore Engigstciak, a dramatic peak rising from the coastal plain. Organise your own trip with experienced rafters, or sign up for a guided trip with a commercial operator.