Aulavik Back Channel site.jpg. Email:infoinuvik-inuvikinfo@pc.gc.ca. Chartering an aircraft is presently the most common and practical means of accessing the park. donating today. Banks Island's most abundant large mammal is, by far, the muskox. Important announcements, notifications, and active superintendent orders. The climate of Aulavik National Park is typically arctic. How to get here Location Box 29 Only lake trout is an exclusively freshwater species; the other five can spend a portion of their lives in salt water. It is known for its access to the Thomsen River, one of the most northerly navigable rivers in North America. Some of the oldest rock formations found in the park (350 million years old) represent a marine reef, thought to have formed offshore of an ancient seacoast. Protected Area Profile for Aulavik National Park Of Canada from the World Database on Protected Areas, May 2023. Aircraft charter services are available from Inuvik, on the Northwest Territories mainland, 750 kilometres southwest of the southern park boundary. Aulavik lies 250 kilometres northeast of the tiny community of Sachs Harbour and 750 kilometres northeast of the town of Inuvik. Our team will be reviewing your submission and get back to you with any further questions. During the period of 1855 to 1890, Copper Inuit from Victoria Island made annual trips west to Mercy Bay, via the Thomsen River valley, in order to salvage wood, metals and other valuable materials from the abandoned Investigator site. Find all the transport options for your trip from Aulavik National Park to Toronto right here. Please refer to the full list of Parks Canada places before you plan your visit to take advantage of free admission for youth. English. It's Aulavik National Park, up the north-west Territories. If your group is small you may be able to share a charter flight with other visitors. When the multi-year lemming cycle is low, so too are the numbers of those bird and mammal species which rely upon the lemming as a primary food source. Inuvik, population 3,450, is the largest community in the region and is serviced by the Dempster Highway and by daily flights from southern Canada. The name "Aulavik" means "the place where people travel." The Inuit living around Sachs Harbor referred to the Thomsen River Valley by this name prior to the establishment of the park in 1992. Aulavik National Park ( / alvk / OW-l-vik ); [2] from the Inuvialuktun for "place where people travel") is a national park located on Banks Island in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The most vibrant growth occurs on the south facing slopes of hills that are sheltered from the wind and have the greatest exposure to the intense summer sun. It is one of the least visited parks in the system. [3][8] Ptarmigan and ravens are considered the only year-round birds in the park, although 43 different species make seasonal use of the area. Summers are brief and cool. Paddlers are rewarded with a multi-week journey through rich arctic tundra, full of wildlife like muskoxen, hundreds of species of wildflowers and ancient archaeological sites. [12] Until the fur trade went into decline, fox trapping provided a source of income for people from as far away as the Mackenzie Delta and the North Slope of Alaska. Captain Robert McClure, spent two winters in Mercy Bay on HMS Investigator, while searching for the missing John Franklin's lost expedition between 1850 and 1853. Aulavik National Park (Q771612) Media in category "Aulavik National Park" The following 10 files are in this category, out of 10 total. [3] Thirty-two bird species have been recorded as breeding within the park. . Aulavik is our northernmost park, reaching across the pristine, wide-open lowlands of Banks Island. Aulavik National Park. It is important for visitors to be self-sufficient, self-reliant, and capable of handling emergencies. Flowing through Aulavik National Park, the waters are a wildlife haven: most of the world's muskoxen can be found here. Rafters from around the world meet up in Ivvavik National Park. Paddle though the Heart of Aulavik National Park on the Thomsen River! [3] It is known for its access to the Thomsen River, one of the most northerly navigable rivers in North America. Jul. Closer to the coast, the temperatures tend to be cooler and range from -2C to 12C with a daily average of 8C. Photo: Samuell, CC BY 4.0. ". organization devoted to teaching Canadians more about our shared country. While the growing season is very brief, the continuous sunlight from late May until late July provides enough energy for the vegetation to carry out its annual cycle. Jul. There are Parks Canada offices located in both Inuvik and Sachs Harbour. See information on COVID-19 travel guidelines Spectacular Northwest Territories Menu Sitemap Store Contact Order or download our free Spectacular Guide to plan your trip of a lifetime. By late July most of the herbs have gone to seed and the grasses have cured. Aulavik National Park, Northwest Territories 7 Day Weather Forecast - The Weather Network Aulavik National Park, NT Weather SAVED TO MY LOCATIONS Feels like Wind Humidity % Visibility. [9] The park is completely treeless. Tel: (867) 678-2270 2 Photos $ $$$$ Budget. Most visitors raft or canoe the Thomsen, Canada's most northerly navigable river. In the past, glaciers covered the majority of the park, resulting in features such as terminal moraines, eskers, and drumlins. Be sure to carry extra supplies and plan on at least two extra days in case of a delayed flight. The Honourable Steven Guilbeault Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Message from the President and Chief Executive Officer. To the southeast of Mercy Bay, steep canyons dominate the landscape. At the coastal sites, the Thule peoples practiced an economy based on harvesting sea mammals, particularly bowhead whales and ringed seals. This seldom-visited park has the world's largest concentration of musk ox, as well as tundra and archaeological sites. Aulavik National Park is a pristine arctic wilderness area located on northern Banks Island, the most westerly island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Recent findings suggest that while the population is low, it is considered stable and potentially recovering. Learn about potential risks and how to prepare for them. Overall, very little is known about the ecology of char on Banks Island. Helicopters, Fixed-Wings, UAVs/Drones, and other aircraft can have a negative impact on wildlife and visitors. Box 3100 Finkelstein, M. (2015). Aulavik is considered a polar desert and often experiences high winds. Located on Banks Island up in the Arctic Archipelago, Aulavik is the northernmost of the NWT's national parks. But before that, Alaska! A major climatic cooling, known as the Little Ice Age, probably ended most occupation on Banks Island for several hundred years. They have 25% more red blood cells than d https://t.co/eJQNaYFvMD #DYK that some dolphins can dive up to 1,000 metres? Recent estimates have put the Aulavik muskoxen population at around 14,000. The non-stop sunshine from mid-May to late July blankets the tundra with brilliant flowering fields. The Honourable Steven Guilbeault Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Message from the President and Chief Executive Officer. Fax: (867) 678-2271 Chartering an aircraft is presently the most common and practical means of accessing the park. TIL about Aulavik National Park, Canada's least visited national park. Rome2Rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Skip to main content COVID Message The NWT is open to leisure travel. In keeping with their cultural traditions, the Inuvialuit residents have been guaranteed the right of continued subsistence trapping, hunting and fishing within the national park boundaries. Aulavik tent ring stones.jpg. Theres no better time to create lasting memories with the whole family. Today, Sachs Harbour is home to approximately 120 people. [12] This influx of people led to the establishment of Sachs Harbour, the only community on the island. Compare 33 hotels close to Aulavik National Park with room rates, reviews, and availability. But Aulavik's most famous residents by far are its muskoxen. Kab too. Farther north, there are only arctic char and nine spine stickleback, or single species communities of arctic char. The park encompasses a variety of landscapes from fertile river valleys to polar deserts, buttes and badlands, rolling hills, and bold seacoasts. Other breeding species include: red-throated loons, yellow-billed loons, sanderlings, semipalmated sandpipers, ruddy turnstones, red phalaropes, Sabines gulls, water pipits and snow buntings. The muskoxen? Most hotels are fully refundable. A National park in Canada that was established in the year 1992. Cabins make for a great accommodation option when traveling with family, friends, and large groups, especially in Aulavik National Park, NT. The Canadian Encyclopedia is a project of Historica Canada, a non-profit, nonpartisan Aulavik office.jpg. Telephone: 867-777-8800 There are two Migratory Bird Sanctuaries on Banks Island, one in the northern part of Aulavik National Park and the other covering the southwest corner of Banks Island. Precipitation for the park is approximately 300mm (12in) per year. Cell: (867) 678-0270 In September 1851, his ship became trapped in the ice at Mercy Bay at the northern end of Banks Island. Garmin inReach), and submit contact numbers prior to registration. Franais. Its diverse landscape is ho. Order or download our free Spectacular Guide to plan your trip of a lifetime. Aulavik National Park is a wild, open expanse of lowland arctic tundra that comes alive with wildflowers in the summer. Best [deleted] 2 yr. ago So I'm sure you know this, but it's a water-based National Park. Aulavik National Park is located on northern Banks Island, the most westerly island in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. [5] Aulavik is considered a polar desert and often experiences high winds. One for canoeists with . Further south, a sparsely vegetated upland plateau rises to a height of 450 metres above sea level and forms a height of land between the Thomsen River and Prince of Wales Strait. Additionally, any visitors planning to leave Aulavik National Park boundaries are required to contact: For non-commercial paddling groups, Parks Canada requires a minimum of two watercrafts per party to maximize the ability to self-rescue. English Designation National Park; IUCN Management Category II; Status Designated; Type of Designation National; Status Year 1992; Sublocation CA-NT; . Site excavations have revealed flint scrapers, bone harpoon heads and needles. Be aware of that if you're canoeing. These Pre-Dorset cultural sites date back to almost 1500 B.C and are characterized by oval dwellings, usually outlined by a ring of stones that held down the edges of a tent. Arctic rivers, waterfalls, canyons and tundra combine to provide habitat for caribou, muskoxen, wolves and other arctic species. This park on the Arctic Archipelago welcomes nature lovers with opportunities to see muskox in their natural habitat and go canoeing or kayaking on the 160-kilometre-long Thomsen River before setting up camp. The Honourable Steven Guilbeault Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Message from the President and Chief Executive Officer, Camping, backcountry and other accommodations, Northern Park Backcountry Camping and Excursion Permit, Guided tours and hikes and programs not usually included with admission. The Lower Thomsen River, with its adjoining lakes and tundra ponds, is designated as a migratory bird sanctuary because of the large numbers of Brant geese found here. The gentle Thomsen River runs the length of Aulavik National Park. The Honourable Steven Guilbeault Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Over forty-three species of birds make seasonal use of Aulavik, though only ptarmigan and ravens are considered permanent residents. As the climate warmed, the now isolated groups wandered farther. Aulavik, qui signifie endroit o les gens voyagent en inuvialukton, protge plus de 12 000 kilomtres carrs de basses-terres de l'Arctique l'extrmit nord de l'le Banks. Fully refundable Reserve now, pay when you stay. On the west, the river is flanked by an arctic version of badlands - a landscape of deep, branching ravines providing breeding habitat for peregrine falcons, gyrfalcons and rough-legged hawks. The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs.It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.. Edit Place . [12] Nangmagvik Lake is located within this national park. Aulavik muskox.jpg. As of January 1, 2018, admission to Parks Canada places for youth 17 and under is free! Location:On northern Banks Island, the most western island of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Access to the park is by charter aircraft from Inuvik, about 800 km southwest of the park. Pier-Olivier Boudreault, Conservation Director for @snapqc, was interviewed by @NatObserver a https://t.co/4hnbyRCa0W Happy #DolphinDay! About 25% of Banks Island's population (at least 47 000) of these shaggy beasts roam the dwarf willow, sedges and grasses of the valley wetlands. The Thomsen, calm and crystal-clear, slides through this Arctic paradise carrying paddlers on guided and independent expeditions. Aulavik swimming caribou.jpg. illegal landings, suspicious aircraft, or other illegal activities to Park Wardens: 1-780-852-3100 or 1-877-852-3100 (Toll Free) For more . Maxwell W. Finkelstein Centred on the wide Thomsen River valley on Banks Island, Aulavik National Park (set aside 1992, 12 200 km2) has an Inuvialuktun name that means "where people travel." The name was suggested by one of the elders of Sachs Harbour, the only community on the island. Contact infoinuvik-inuvikinfo@pc.gc.ca for more information. Aulavik National Park | Spectacular Northwest Territories Located on Banks Island up in the Arctic Archipelago, Aulavik is the northernmost of the NWT's national parks. May Jun. Aircraft charter services are available from Inuvik, on the Northwest Territories mainland, 750 kilometres southwest of the southern park boundary. [11] Arctic foxes, brown and northern collared lemmings, Arctic hares and wolves roam the rugged terrain. The tundra is frozen and snow-covered from September until June. To learn about past and current research and monitoring activities in Aulavik, contact the Park Office in Inuvik. this isthefirstSoPRforAulaviktrend assessmentsforindicatorsare notprovided. Aulavik National Park (/alvk/ OW-l-vik);[2] from the Inuvialuktun for "place where people travel") is a national park located on Banks Island in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Natural History [3] It is known for its access to the Thomsen River, one of the most northerly navigable rivers in North America. Centred on the wide Thomsen River valley on Banks Island, Aulavik National Park (set aside 1992, 12 200 km2) has an Inuvialuktun name that means "where people travel." 25-7-N Eddy Street, Quebec K1A 0M5 Canada. The earliest archaeological sites found within Aulavik National Park are near Shoran Lake. Aulavik National Park. Aulavik National Park. The sun does not set between mid May and late July, and there is never true darkness from late April until late August. One of the more spectacular sites, Head Hill, is a network of kill sites on a hill overlooking the confluence of the Thomsen and Muskox Rivers. Finkelstein, Maxwell W.. "Aulavik National Park". This site contains over 500 muskox skulls, 29 food caches and 17 tent rings. Aulavik is an isolated wilderness park. [12], List of protected areas of the Northwest Territories, "Protected Planet | Aulavik National Park Of Canada", "Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures - Climate", "Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures - Geography", "Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures - Wildlife", "Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures - Birds", "Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures - Vegetation", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aulavik_National_Park&oldid=1135202410, This page was last edited on 23 January 2023, at 07:10. Available at: www.protectedplanet.net. A fly-in base camp offers hikers access to an Arctic landscape of tors, peaks and rolling hills untouched by the last Ice Age. It is possible that the Thomsen River watershed is the most northerly example of a multi-species freshwater fish community. This park on the Arctic Archipelago welcomes nature lovers with opportunities to see muskox in their natural habitat and go canoeing or kayaking on the 160-kilometre-long Thomsen River before setting up camp. . Europeans did not actually visit Banks Island until thirty years later. This is one of the northernmost rivers in North America and is also navigable. Aulavik National Park is one of the most isolated parks in North America, and rescue services and facilities are limited. Aulavik is also home to Peary caribou. It received zero visitors in 2016. . This means that every time you visit a park or site you are investing in its future and in a legacy for future generations. It is important for visitors to be self-sufficient, self-reliant, and capable of handling emergencies. Aulavik field of flowers.jpg. The Thomsen River is noted as important spawning and nursery habitat for arctic char, and landlocked arctic char are found in several of the larger lakes in the park such as Nangmagvik. Though people have lived in this part of the Arctic for almost 4,000 years, Banks Island has always been a land on the edge.