The Northwest Territories are a federal territory in the country of Canada. With a population of just over 43000 people, the Northwest Territories are the 11th most populous province or territory in Canada. The city of Yellowknife is the capital of the territory. The Northwest Territories are the home of the largest lake entirely in the country of Canada, Great Bear Lake, as well as Nahanni National Park Reserve. These two locations make up most of the tourist activity in the territory. While the summer season is short, it is the best time to visit the area because the weather is usually very mild.
The Northwest Territory became part of Canada in 1870 after they were transferred to the country from the Hudson’s Bay Company. Provinces were eventually formed from the land gained in the transfer. Alberta, Saskatchewan and the Yukon were formed and the provinces of Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec were extended in the early 1900′s. After the splitting of the land, the area that remained became known as the Northwest Territories. This remained in effect until April of 1999 when the majority of the eastern portion of the Northwest Territories became a separate federal territory known as Nunavut.
Nahanni National Park Reserve is easily the most visited attraction in the Northwest Territories. The park is located in the Dehcho Region of the territory and is over 30,000 square kilometers large. In 1978, Nihanni National Park was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The major attractions in the park are the South Nihanni River, Viginia Falls and the Tufa Mounds. The South Nihanni River runs through the entire park and is one of the only antecedent rivers in the world. Antecedent rivers are rivers that run through the hills and mountains in the area because they were there first and the hills and mountains formed around the river.
Virginia Falls is a spot in the park where the river falls over 295 feet and forms a waterfall. The falls are a beautiful piece of nature that everyone in the area should see. Rare orchid species are found surrounding Virginia Falls. The mist coming off of the waterfall makes this one of the only areas in the world where these flowers are able to grow. The Rabbitkettle Tufa Mounds found in Nahanni National Park are the largest Tufa mounds found in Canada. The largest mounds are over 88 feet high and over 242 feet across.
There are also many other great locations throughout the park. Great views of hot springs, mountain ranges and animal life are available no matter where you are at in the park. Nahanni National Park is the home of 10 different animal species that are listed on the endangered list including the grizzly bear and the wood buffalo. Over 700 different species of plants can also be found in the park. When visiting the Northwest Territories it is going to see Nahanni National Park should be a priority because it features wildlife that will never be seen anywhere else.
