Human/Environmental Interactions
The Nahanni National Park has affected humans in many ways. The park is mostly for tourism and for visiting to participate in the many activities and to explore the beautiful sites in the reserve. We can do many activities in the park, including canoeing, camping, hiking, and fishing.
Camping
There are many places we can camp at, such as Rabbitkettle Lake, Virginia Falls, The Gate (Pulpit Rock), Kraus Hotsprings, and many other places. Random camping is not only allowed at the Nahanni National Park, it is actually encouraged. This is because when it is spread out around the park, the human impacts on the park, such as pollution, are less noticeable. Some designated campsites have been built too. Open fires and heat for things such as cooking are not permitted at the park; all heat must be contained in a portable stove. Wood fires are only to be used in provided pits at designated camping grounds. This is because the risk of forest fires is extremely high, and will kill the forest animals and plants that inhabit those places. Soap is not allowed at the hotsprings in the park either, because the soap would pollute the clean waters in the Nahanni National Park.
Canoeing
Canoeing is one of the most popular activities at the Nahanni National Park. The South Nahanni River is a great place to canoe in the Nahanni National Park. It has large currents, boils, and whitewater that challenge visitors to a river trip. You can start at Rabbitkettle Lake or Virginia Falls. There will be many natural rapids, lakes, and springs you will go through including The Moose Ponds, Island Lakes, The Little Nahanni River, Glacier Lake, and Seaplane Lake. The trip will take 1 week to 2 weeks.
Hiking
Hiking is also a popular activity at the park. They are accessible by the river corridors of the South Nahanni River. Although there are no formal trails established in the park, the popular trails have become much defined because of regular use. Hiking ranges include the Ragged Range, Cirque-of-the-Unclimbables, the Secret Lakes Valley, Sunblood Mountain, Marengo Falls, Scow Creek, Headless Range, Prairie Creek, Sheaf Creek, Tlogotsho Plateau, Dry Canyon Creek, Ram Creek, and Lafferty Creek.
Fishing
Fishing at the Nahanni National Park is only allowed if you have a purchased Nahanni National Park Reserve Fishing Permit. There is a limit on how many fish you can catch per day: 2 arctic grayling, 3 lake trout, 5 northern park, and 5 whitefish. This is so that the number of fish in the park does not decrease too much too quickly due to human fishing. There are also many rules to fishing in the Nahanni National Park, such as no fishing if dead or alive natural bait is attached to the end of an artificial fly, in order to prevent any pollution to the environment. Other rules, such as no person shall allow a fish caught in park waters to spoil or be wasted, are simply so that the natural things of the environment don't go to waste.
Changes to the Environment
Humans have changed and modified the environment of the Nahanni National Park in few ways. In the 1900's, legends and tales about lost gold mines and tropical valleys were spread, and prospectors came to the park to look for these places. Many of them disappeared, and a few headless corpses were found, so many stories about fierce, scary mountain men were also spread. No one did find the mines and valleys.
The reserve tries its best to maintain its natural looking environment so that the human impacts are not noticeable. For example, there are hardly any official routes in the park. Also, there are strict rules in the park reinforcing the fact that there should be no spoiling of the environment. The Nahanni National Park is a wonderful place to visit!
Camping
There are many places we can camp at, such as Rabbitkettle Lake, Virginia Falls, The Gate (Pulpit Rock), Kraus Hotsprings, and many other places. Random camping is not only allowed at the Nahanni National Park, it is actually encouraged. This is because when it is spread out around the park, the human impacts on the park, such as pollution, are less noticeable. Some designated campsites have been built too. Open fires and heat for things such as cooking are not permitted at the park; all heat must be contained in a portable stove. Wood fires are only to be used in provided pits at designated camping grounds. This is because the risk of forest fires is extremely high, and will kill the forest animals and plants that inhabit those places. Soap is not allowed at the hotsprings in the park either, because the soap would pollute the clean waters in the Nahanni National Park.
Canoeing
Canoeing is one of the most popular activities at the Nahanni National Park. The South Nahanni River is a great place to canoe in the Nahanni National Park. It has large currents, boils, and whitewater that challenge visitors to a river trip. You can start at Rabbitkettle Lake or Virginia Falls. There will be many natural rapids, lakes, and springs you will go through including The Moose Ponds, Island Lakes, The Little Nahanni River, Glacier Lake, and Seaplane Lake. The trip will take 1 week to 2 weeks.
Hiking
Hiking is also a popular activity at the park. They are accessible by the river corridors of the South Nahanni River. Although there are no formal trails established in the park, the popular trails have become much defined because of regular use. Hiking ranges include the Ragged Range, Cirque-of-the-Unclimbables, the Secret Lakes Valley, Sunblood Mountain, Marengo Falls, Scow Creek, Headless Range, Prairie Creek, Sheaf Creek, Tlogotsho Plateau, Dry Canyon Creek, Ram Creek, and Lafferty Creek.
Fishing
Fishing at the Nahanni National Park is only allowed if you have a purchased Nahanni National Park Reserve Fishing Permit. There is a limit on how many fish you can catch per day: 2 arctic grayling, 3 lake trout, 5 northern park, and 5 whitefish. This is so that the number of fish in the park does not decrease too much too quickly due to human fishing. There are also many rules to fishing in the Nahanni National Park, such as no fishing if dead or alive natural bait is attached to the end of an artificial fly, in order to prevent any pollution to the environment. Other rules, such as no person shall allow a fish caught in park waters to spoil or be wasted, are simply so that the natural things of the environment don't go to waste.
Changes to the Environment
Humans have changed and modified the environment of the Nahanni National Park in few ways. In the 1900's, legends and tales about lost gold mines and tropical valleys were spread, and prospectors came to the park to look for these places. Many of them disappeared, and a few headless corpses were found, so many stories about fierce, scary mountain men were also spread. No one did find the mines and valleys.
The reserve tries its best to maintain its natural looking environment so that the human impacts are not noticeable. For example, there are hardly any official routes in the park. Also, there are strict rules in the park reinforcing the fact that there should be no spoiling of the environment. The Nahanni National Park is a wonderful place to visit!