Thoughts From a "Lost Canadian" About Ukkusiksalik National Park Reserve

While most National Parks are places where families are able to go and experience nature, beauty, and incredible places, I have learned Canada has some National Parks which are extremely remote, so much so you have fly or take a boat to them. Plus, some of these remote National Parks are also quite dangerous - due to Polar Bears. But remote and dangerous or not, Ukkusiksalik National Park Reserve is absolutely a park you want to know about, whether you ever visit it or not as it is a truly amazing place!

• Ukkusiksalik National Park Reserve covers 20,885 square kilometers and is located in Nunavut just south of the Arctic Circle.
• Ukkusiksalik National Park Reserve's name translates in Inuktitut to "the place where soapstone to make pots is found" and is pronounced like - oo-koo-sik-SAH-lik - In the Inuktitut writing system, this place name is written as ᐅᒃᑯᓯᒃᓴᓕᒃ
• In earlier Inuit history, finding these specific deposits of soapstone (known as ukkusikhaq) was essential for survival, as the stone was carved into heat-retaining cooking pots and oil lamps.
• In Ukkusiksalik National Park Reserve you will find Reversing Waterfalls: The bay features a rare and dramatic reversing waterfall created by tides pushing through opposing channels.
• Ukkusiksalik is unique for its high density of polar bears and its overlapping habitat for barren-ground grizzly bears.
• The tundra and coast of Ukkusiksalik National Park Reserve host barren-ground caribou, muskox, Arctic wolves, foxes, wolverines, and thousands of nesting waterfowl.
• Wager Bay's rich waters support four species of seal (bearded, ringed, harp, and harbor) as well as beluga whales.
• There are over 500 documented archaeological sites in  Ukkusiksalik National Park Reserve. These include tent rings, food caches, and ancient Inuit rope games used continuously for thousands of years.
• The park is extremely remote. Most visitors fly in by chartered aircraft or take a seven-hour boat journey from the nearby hamlet of Naujaat.
• Because of the dense polar bear population in Ukkusiksalik National Park Reserve, all visitors must be accompanied by a licensed, armed bear guard.
• The remoteness of Ukkusiksalik National Park Reserve and limited rescue capability increase the risk of the challenging natural hazards. All visitors must be prepared to deal with extreme and rapidly changing weather, unpredictable river crossings, high winds, and travel in polar bear country. You must be self-reliant and responsible for your own safety.

You will find more information about Ukkusiksalik National Park Reserve at this link.