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Twin Falls Gorge Trail in the North west territories

Perch yourself atop some of the best views in the territory by taking the Twin Falls Gorge Trail. Following the rim of the gorgeous Hay River Canyon, this easy eight-kilometre hike begins at the community of Enterprise and leads south through majestic boreal forest.

The path links together the three main destinations found within the marvellous Twin Falls Territorial Park. Hikers can take a dizzying spiral staircase down to the lip of Louise Falls’ cascading waters, and take in the awe-inspiring sight of the mammoth Alexandra Falls, where the trail reaches its end.

Along the route you’ll find interpretive signage, viewing platforms, campsites and day-use areas, sitting benches and, of course, incredible views of the yawning limestone chasm of Hay River Canyon.

Frame Lake Trail

Forming a seven-kilometre loop around the shores of Frame Lake in the heart of Yellowknife, the city’s favourite walking trail has a little of everything.

The eastern half of the loop is a paved, sedate urban path, leading you past architectural marvels such as the territorial Legislative Assembly, City Hall and the famous Prince of Wales museum, as well as the grassy picnic area of Somba K’e park.This is cyclist heaven weaving along the lake and in and out of Boreal Forest it is a great early morning ride.

The western half of the trail, however, is a taste of the Northern backcountry, allowing you to ascend rocky outcrops, cross black-spruce swampland (via convenient wooden boardwalks) and spy on local wildlife, including waterfowl, muskrats, foxes and even coyotes.

Although Frame Lake itself is not open for swimming or ice fishing, the frozen lake becomes a winter playground, cross-country skiers enjoy the groomed lake shore trails, and the city maintained skating rinks by Somba K’e park are the perfect spot for a lunch time hockey game or leisurely skate. The lake is also a hub for snowmobilers to access the many trail systems around the area.

Canol Trail

There’s hiking, and then there’s the Canol. Possibly North America’s most rigorous backpacking trail, this 371-kilometre / 231 miles trek follows the route of a defunct military road that once transected the Mackenzie Mountains. The trail was constructed by more than 30,000 workers during World War II as part of a wildly ambitious effort to pump gas from Norman Wells to the allied forces on the Pacific Front. Today the pipe dream is long gone and the “road” is an overgrown path. But historic buildings, vehicles and other relics of the era still dot the trail, making this an irresistible excursion for adventure-hardy history buffs.

Be forewarned, though. Tackling the Canol is an exercise in self-sufficiency and endurance. Most hikers require three weeks to travel its length, carrying food, survival gear and an inflatable raft with them to cross numerous swift, glacier-fed rivers. This is an expert only expedition that requires a local guide or outfitter to be completed safely (Think Grizzly Bear country). But those that brave this trail are rewarded with astounding views, like the idyllic Carcajou Falls and the red rock gulch of Dodo Canyon.

Ibyuk Pingo

Erupting from the pancake-flat tundra just outside the community of Tuktoyaktuk is the bulbous, ice-filled mound known as Ibyuk, the second-largest “pingo” on Earth. These unique Arctic landforms provide a distinctive backdrop to this welcoming community at the end of the Dempster Highway.

Ibyuk is 305 metres (about 984 feet) wide at its base and rises to the height of a 15-storey building. Other pingos here range from five metres to 70 metres tall and represent different stages of growth, from budding newborns to elderly pingos that are shrinking and slumping back into the earth.

The Mackenzie Delta has the highest concentration of pingos on Earth – approximately 1,350 of them. Eight, including the famous Ibyuk and Split Pingo, are protected by Parks Canada in the 16-square-kilometre Pingo Canadian Landmark. The region was the first of what was to be a Canada-wide series of national landmarks proposed in the 1980s. The program, however, was never finished, leaving the pingos as Canada’s only official National Landmark.

For centuries, the pingos have acted as navigational aids for Inuvialuit travelling by land and water across this area. They were also of a convenient height for spotting caribou on the tundra or whales offshore. Today, the area is a popular tourist destination and the focus of scientific research to understand the origin and growth of these peculiar Arctic giants. Because of the delicate vegetation and permafrost active layer, walking on the pingos themselves is prohibited from April 15 to October 31. However, a boardwalk is in place to provide visitors with an opportunity to experience pingos up close.

Louise Falls

A four-kilometre day-hike downriver from Alexandra Falls – or upriver from Enterprise – is where you’ll find this 15-metre-high cataract in the Hay River Canyon. It’s here that Louise Falls can be viewed from one of the finest (and most popular) campgrounds in the Northwest Territories.

Together, Alexandra and Louise Falls make up Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park – a dramatically beautiful place to enjoy a picnic and stroll the paths. To get a little closer to Louise Falls, walk down the spectacular winding spiral staircase that leads to the river below and the bottom of the falls.

Interpretive displays along the trail between Louise and Alexandra falls provide historical information about the area, and explain the cultural significance of the falls.

Sambaa Deh Falls

Located directly beneath the Mackenzie Highway, the flashy, splashy Sambaa Deh Falls get well-deserved attention from passing motorists. Here, the Trout River flows through a steep canyon with narrow sides below a gushing waterfall. Most visitors stop to photograph the roadside falls, but there’s plenty more to see if you follow the network of trails that trace the canyon rim.

Take a stroll 1.5-kilometres upstream and you’ll arrive at the beautiful Coral Falls, named for the numerous coral fossils still found in the area. Coral is a sweeter, shyer waterfall than Sambaa Deh, and one that you’ll likely have all to yourself. Downstream, meanwhile, the path will take you to the water, where you’ll find stellar fishing for Arctic Grayling and Pickerel. Please take care, because the rocks may be slippery when wet, and there are no fences.

Both the falls and trails are found within Sambaa Deh Falls Territorial Park, a must-see for any visitors that’s located at the junction of Highway 1 and the Trout River. This river was a traditional transportation route before and during the fur trade. The falls forced travellers to portage around this dangerous stretch of water.

Today, the park and campground contains hiking and walking trails, a viewing platform overlooking the gorge and 20 non-powered camping sites with washroom facilities.

Sambaa Deh Falls, trails, and Territorial Park are all located along Highway 1 between Fort Providence and Fort Simpson, and not far from the community of Jean Marie River.

Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park

One of the most popular parks in the Northwest Territories, Twin Falls boasts a wealth of attractions. The park, 75 kilometres north of the Alberta border, stretches along the rim of Twin Falls Gorge, encompassing the 32-metre-high Alexandra Falls, where the Hay River plunges into a deep limestone canyon and then, a few kilometres later, where it drops again, off the three-tiered Louise Falls.

Visitors to the park can enjoy several dizzying overlooks that permit safe viewing of the falls, as well as a dramatic 138-step spiral staircase leading down to the lip of Louise Falls. An easy, forest-shrouded three-kilometre hiking trail (complete with interpretive signage) links the two falls, and picnic tables and kitchen shelters are found at both cascades.

At the Louise Falls Campground, also part of the park, you’ll enjoy well-spaced campsites nestled among the jackpines, plus washroom and shower facilities, tapwater, a kitchen shelter, picnic tables, firewood, a playground, and plenty more interpretive signs explaining the significance of this area to the local Dene culture.

Nààts’ihch’oh National Park Reserve

There’s Magic in the Mountains

Find extreme outdoor adventure and near absolute seclusion at the headwaters of the South Nahanni River in one of Canada’s newest National Parks. Naats’ihch’oh protects an undisturbed expanse of river valleys and peaks in the Mackenzie Mountains, home to mountain caribou and grizzlies. The few adventurers who come each year discover unparalleled white water paddling, endless fly-in hiking through remote and spectacular terrain, and a land steeped in the stories of the Shútagot’ine people.

For information, contact: Nááts’ihch’oh National Park Reserve, Telephone 867-588-4884. Email: naatsihchoh.info@pc.gc.ca Web: parkscanada.gc.ca/naatsihchoh

Run the Nahanni’s Best White Water

This 21-day, 600-kilometre paddling expedition takes rafters down the entire South Nahanni River, with plenty of white water and wildlife along the way.

After a two-hour floatplane ride through the Mackenzie Mountains, set down at Moose Ponds, a string of turquoise waters backed by the park’s namesake mountain, the sacred Nááts’ihch’oh. Camp for the night, then plunge into the journey’s most famous stretch of white water, 50 kilometres of class II-IV rapids known as the Rock Gardens.

But that’s just the beginning. Over the course of the next weeks, tackle everything from minor rock riffles to steep boulder sections as you carve your way along the length of the 4,895-square-kilometre park, setting up riverside camps each night in country dense with grizzlies and moose.

The trip is for experienced paddlers only; in fact, only a handful of groups tackle the run each year. Guided tours are available from multiple outfitters.

Blaze a Trail

As one of Canada’s newest national parks, Nááts’ihch’oh has no blazed trails. For experienced hikers, this means a rare opportunity to explore remote terrain and map routes that may one day become part of the park’s established trail network.

Start by chartering a float plane from nearby communities in the Northwest Territories. Hikers can choose to set down at any number of Nááts’ihch’oh’s backcountry lakes, from the turquoise shoals of Grizzy Lake to Divide Lake and its maze of wetlands.

From there, chart your own route into the largely unexplored heartlands of Nááts’ihch’oh. Follow meandering rivers through lush wetlands dotted with stunted evergreens, climb the rocky flanks of the Mackenzie Mountains and look out for alpine wildlife ranging from the mountain woodland caribou to trumpeter swans, grizzlies and mountain goats.

Pontoon Lake Territorial Park

Take a short 20-minute drive on the Ingraham Trail from Yellowknife’s city centre and you’ll find the excellent Northern Pike and Lake Trout fishing of Pontoon Lake Territorial Park.

The park features washroom facilities, a boat launch, picnic tables and a swimming platform. Extensive hiking trails are available nearby, along with some challenging rock scrambling. The perfect spot for a summer afternoon in the sunshine.

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Twin Falls Gorge Trail