The YukonVuntut National Park
A 4,345 sq km roadless wilderness of Beringian tundra and the Old Crow Flats, co-managed with the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation.
Vuntut sits in the extreme northern Yukon, above the Arctic Circle and directly north of the Fly-in Gwich’in community of Old Crow. The name means 'among the lakes' in Gwich’in and refers to the 2,000+ shallow lakes of the Old Crow Flats, an internationally-recognized Ramsar wetland where half a million waterfowl stage each year. The park also protects Ice Age fossil beds where mammoth, giant beaver and scimitar cat bones erode out of the riverbanks — this land was never glaciated.
Fewer than 50 visitors a year make it into Vuntut, and almost all go with a Vuntut Gwitchin guide out of Old Crow. There are no facilities, no trails and no marked routes. The trip typically involves flying scheduled Air North to Old Crow, then chartering a floatplane to a lake within the park for two or three nights of guided hiking, fishing and cultural interpretation. Come for the caribou migration and the elders' stories, not for infrastructure.
Hours & entry
No entry fee
Park open year-round · Parks Canada Old Crow office Mon-Fri 8:30-17:00 (summer) · Access by charter only, weather dependent
What to see
Old Crow Flats waterfowl staging area — Northern half of the park, best viewed from a floatplane out of Old Crow
Bluefish Caves interpretive sites (viewed from outside) — 54 km southwest of Old Crow — ask Parks Canada office for context
Porcupine caribou crossing at Driftwood River — Southeastern park boundary during August migration
Tips from the ground
Fly Air North's Whitehorse-Old Crow route on Tuesday or Thursday — those are the only scheduled days.
Book with a Vuntut Gwitchin guide (Parks Canada in Old Crow keeps a list) rather than arriving cold.
August is best: caribou moving, bugs dying down, snow not yet flying.
Questions, answered
Is there an entry fee?
No. Vuntut is free to enter. Costs are entirely in getting there: about $900 return airfare Whitehorse-Old Crow plus $2,500-4,000 for a floatplane charter.
Are there free-entry days?
The park has no fee any day of the year.
How long do I need?
A three-day, two-night charter is the practical minimum. Most guided trips run 5-7 days including weather buffer.
When is it closed?
Never officially closed, but realistic visitor season is late June through mid-September. Winter access is used by Vuntut Gwitchin harvesters only.
Do I need to book?
Yes — contact the Parks Canada office in Old Crow (867-966-3622) at least six months ahead. Guides and charters are scarce.
How do I get to Old Crow?
Air North operates scheduled 737 service Whitehorse-Old Crow twice weekly, about 1h 45min. There is no road access to Old Crow at any time of year.
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