Small lake upstream on MacFarlane River



Waterfalls on the MacFarlane River

The largest and longest river in the park, the MacFarlane is known for its challenging whitewater. Just upstream from Lake Athabasca, the MacFarlane widens into a gorgeous small lake which has become one of our favorite camping spots in the north. The lake is lined with forest, marsh and sand dunes, a combination of habitat that makes it a prime area for wildlife - bears, moose feeding on low willows, spruce grouse, Arctic terns diving for insects and small fish. The wildlife highlight is the large number of bald eagles that nest and feed here. One day we counted 20 eagles in the air at once, impressing us with their aerial acrobatics.

Join us on a hike upstream on the MacFarlane to a magnificent set of waterfalls in an absolutely pristine setting. It's a challenging hike, as we have to take a circuitous route through forest and across sand dunes because the river is lined with bog that leads into a steep canyon. The most challenging section was the maze of fallen trees that had been destroyed years ago in a forest fire and the vigorous growth of new trees that in places seemed like an impenetrable wall.