Exploring Nunavit and Yukon

Nunavit is the newest, largest, and northernmost territory in Canada. In 1999 it officially separated from the Northwest Territories. It is known for its amazing landscape, Indigenous Inuit people, and vacations on Baffin Island.

Baffin Island is the fifth largest island in the world.

Here you'll find Auyuittuq National Park on the Cumberland Peninsula. Located in the southeast of Baffin Island.

The Penny Ice Cap takes up a large portion of this park.

The landscape has broad valleys and rugged mountains. Mount Asgard is quite impressive. You can engage in extreme adventures while hiking. Among the best experiences is on Mount Thor, a 1,675-meter-tall mountain peak known for rock climbing.

Pangnirtung Pass is the best route to take through Auyuittug National Park ending at the Pangnirtung Fiord.

On Frobisher Bay Iqaluit is the main administrative town. The only way to get to the far north of the island is by air. It is known as the gateway to Baffin Island. Its name in Inuit means “many fish”.

Ellesmere Island lies in the extreme north of Canada. It is the second largest island after Baffin.

Quttinirpaaq National Park is located in the extreme north of the island. The region has many hiking trails through the mountainous and glaciated landscape. Wild animals here include seals, walruses, musk oxen, wolves, arctic hares, and polar bears.

Grise Fiord is located at the south end of Ellesmere Island. It offers a lovely Arctic landscape.

Sirmilik National Park is one of the most remote and northern national parks in Canada. It encompasses Bylot Island, Oliver Sound, and the Borden Peninsula. The landscape includes mountains, ice fields, glaciers, and coastal lowlands.

Known as Repulse Bay until 2015 the town of Naujaat reverted to its native name. Tourists go there for land and sea adventures. In Inuit, its name means “gull resting place”. It can only be reached by plane.

The barren Belcher Islands are located off the Hudson Bay coast.

The islands support polar bears and a lot of marine life including Beluga whales and walruses. Tourists come here to kayak.

Adventures in the Yukon Territory

The Yukon Territory is the smallest and westernmost of the three Canadian territories. It is also the least populated territory in Canada.

The Yukon Wildlife Preserve is home to a lot of interesting wildlife. The preserve is located only 25 minutes from downtown Whitehorse. The staff at the preserve takes care of injured wild animals, nursing them back to health, and releasing them back into the wild. Here you can learn about many different species of Arctic and boreal animals. You can tour the facility by a three-mile viewing loop on foot, by skis, by snowshoes, or on a guided bus. Among the animals you can see are caribou, lynx, elk, bison, and others. These animals live in distinct natural habitats from wetlands to cliffs.

Miles Canyon once attracted gold seekers. Many of these gold seekers found it difficult to navigate through the rushing whitewater of the Yukon River. Today after the building of a hydroelectric dam the water flows more slowly. A suspension bridge was built in 1922 connecting the two 50-foot sides of the canyon and offering fantastic views of the canyon. There are trails for hiking, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing. You can see a variety of wildlife.

The MacBride Museum lets visitors experience panning for gold. You can learn about the history of the Yukon. Visitors can see First Nations beadwork and tools, learn about northern animals, and the history of the capital city of Whitehorse. There are also artifacts, photographs, and documents.

More than 250 riverboats linked the Yukon to the outside world along a water route in the early 20th century. The S.S. Klondike was the biggest of these steamships. Today it can be seen sitting on the shores of the Yukon River. It could carry more than 270 tons and carried supplies and silver lead ore. You can get a guided or self-guided tour of the decks.

Emerald Lake is a lovely place and is one of the most photographed destinations in the Yukon. 14,000 years ago glaciers carved out Emerald Lake with dramatic mountain backgrounds. You can enjoy the scenery driving along the South Klondike highway.

Sign Post Forest is located in Watson Lake, Yukon Territory. Here you can see signs brought by visitors from all over the world. It all began when a US soldier was repairing signposts along the Alaska Highway in 1942. He added on with the direction and mileage to his hometown in Illinois. Today there are more than 77,000 signs at this place. You can make your own at the Visitor Information Center.

Yukon Beringia Interpretive Center focuses on remnants of the last ice age. Beringia is the area that once occupied territory from Siberia through the Yukon. The extinct animals from this area are the wooly mammoth and the giant beaver. At the center, you'll learn about these animals through First Nations art and legends as well as fossils and cast replicas. You can explore a life-sized replica of an archeological site and see the 26,000-year-old Yukon Horse, the best-preserved specimen of an extinct animal ever found in Canada.

Takhini Hot Springs is the place to enjoy a series of natural mineral hot pools. These pools were used for centuries by local First Nations. The water here is a wonderful 107 degrees Fahrenheit. These hot springs are on land that you can explore on foot or on cross-country skis.

Tombstone Territorial Park has many natural wonders and First Nations culture. The landscape has rugged peaks and permafrost. You can enjoy hiking or picnicking. You can see caribou, moose, sheep, bears, and wolves. The park is located just 177 miles from the Arctic Circle. Within the park are First Nations ecological and archeological sites.