Tuktut Nogait National Park

Welcome to the absolute extremity of the North American wilderness: Tuck-tut No-gate National Park. Located entirely above the Arctic Circle in Canada's Northwest Territories, this is an environment of such staggering scale and…

Our journey begins on the open, sweeping expanse of the Arctic tundra. As far as the eye can see in any direction, there is an uninterrupted, treeless horizon. …

We now approach the most dramatic topographical feature of the park: the mighty Hornaday River. Slicing through the otherwise rolling tundra, the river has spent millions of years carving spectacular, deep canyons into the…

Turning away from the river edge, we move toward a slight elevation in the landscape to examine the subtle, yet profound evidence of ancient human habitation. Scattered throughout Tuck-tut No-gate are over five hundred documented…

We have reached the ecological epicenter of the park: the core calving grounds of the Bluenose-West caribou herd. This specific geographic location is the fundamental reason Tuck-tut No-gate exists. …

Hiking away from the open calving plains, we descend into the valley carved by the Brock River, the park's other major waterway. Here, you encounter a startling ecological anomaly within the tundra: a vibrant riparian oasis. …

Our final destination requires a mental adjustment as much as a physical one. As we set up camp on a high ridge overlooking the tundra, take note of your watch. …

As you pack your gear and await the distant drone of the charter plane that will return you to civilization, take one final, sweeping look across Tuck-tut No-gate National Park. The sheer scale of this place defies complete…