Nááts'ihch'oh

Nááts'ihch'oh National Park Reserve lies at the north-western tip of the Northwest Territories, next to the Yukon border, and protects some 4,850 km² of the Mackenzie Mountains. It takes its name from Nááts'ihch'oh mountain, a place of strong spiritual significance for the peoples of the Sahtu; the expression refers in the Shúhtagot'ine language to its jagged form and sharp peak, reminiscent of a porcupine's back.

The park covers the headwaters of the South Nahanni River and adjoins Nahanni National Park Reserve to the north, some 30,000 km² in area and inscribed on the World Heritage List. Together the two reserves protect virtually the whole basin of this river, one of the great wild rivers of North America and a classic destination for canoe expeditions. The relief is high mountain, with glacial valleys, sharp summits and stretches of fast water.

The territory forms part of the traditional lands of the Shúhtaot'ine, the Mountain Dene, and the national park reserve designation reflects that the area is subject to indigenous land claims and agreements, with shared management and the maintenance of traditional harvesting rights. The wildlife is that characteristic of the mountains of north-western Canada: grizzly bear, Dall's sheep, mountain goat and woodland caribou, as well as moose, wolf and wolverine.