The Trans Canada Trail in Canada's Arctic North

Trekking the TCT North to the Arctic Ocean

After reaching the Pacific Ocean in 2022, our #Hike4Birds turned north toward the Arctic. Between 2023 and 2025, we continued our journey along the northern route of the Trans Canada Trail from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, through northern British Columbia, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories to Tuktoyaktuk. Along the way, we navigated along remote highways and mountain wilderness, spotting remarkable wildlife, visiting northern communities, experiencing the impacts of wildfires, climate change and the challenges of travelling on foot toward Canada's third ocean.

“The land urges us to come around to an understanding of ourselves.”

Barry Lopez, Arctic Dreams: Imagination and Desire in a Northern Landscape

This collection documents the northern continuation of our #Hike4Birds on the Trans Canada Trail from Alberta to the Arctic Ocean. We invite you to Come Walk With Us through our hiking journals, photographs, wildlife observations, and accounts of the communities, histories, changing landscapes, difficult conditions, and unexpected kindness we encountered along the way.

Beginning with our decision to return north after reaching the Pacific, these articles follow the changing plans, preparations, challenges, and experiences that eventually brought us to Tuktoyaktuk. We have also included our northern research guides, itineraries, route assessments, and practical information for others interested in exploring Canada's northern Trans Canada Trail.

Preparing to Return North: Plans, Possibilities, and Difficult Decisions

After completing our Atlantic-to-Pacific crossing, we returned our attention to Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, where the Trans Canada Trail branches north toward the Arctic. This final journey presented a different set of challenges from those we had encountered during our walk across the ten provinces. The distances between communities were often much greater, the availability of services more limited, and the designated route included extensive stretches of northern roads and highways.

Our initial efforts to continue north did not proceed as planned. Between 2023 and 2024, we reconsidered our approach, researched alternatives, prepared for different conditions, and made decisions about how and whether to continue. The following articles document that period and the circumstances surrounding our eventual return to the trail.

Beginning the northern journey

Preparing to continue in 2024

Understanding the North: Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, to Whitehorse, Yukon

Our northern journey began at the Trans Canada Trail crossroads near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. From there, the route travelled north through Alberta's boreal forests and communities, continued into northern British Columbia, and eventually followed the Alaska Highway toward the Yukon. The experience differed substantially from walking through southern Canada. Although we encountered portions of recreational trails, historic routes, and community pathways, much of the northern land route required travelling along rural roads and highways. Resupply opportunities, access to water, weather, road conditions, and the availability of places to camp became increasingly important considerations.

In 2024, we walked approximately 2,291 kilometres from Fort Saskatchewan to Whitehorse. The route took us through northern Alberta, past Dawson Creek and Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway, through the mountain landscapes of northern British Columbia, and eventually into the Yukon.

The following resources bring together our research, planning, observations, and practical information from this portion of the journey.

Northern Alberta, British Columbia, and Yukon resources

Music and memories from the northern journey

Understanding the Arctic: Whitehorse, Yukon, to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories

In 2025, we returned to Whitehorse to continue the final section of our Trans Canada Trail journey toward the Arctic Ocean. From the Yukon capital, we travelled north toward Dawson City, followed the Dempster Highway across the Arctic Circle and into the Northwest Territories, and continued through the Mackenzie Delta region toward Inuvik and Tuktoyaktuk. This final portion of our #Hike4Birds brought another change in the nature of the journey. Long stretches of gravel highway, changing weather, extensive distances between communities, river crossings, and the practical demands of finding food, drinking water, and places to camp shaped our daily progress.

The northern landscapes were remarkable, ranging from boreal forests and mountain ranges to the open tundra. Yet reaching the Arctic required constant adaptation to the conditions we encountered. Even as the distance remaining became smaller, the demands of travelling on foot did not necessarily become easier. After six years and almost 18,000 kilometres of walking across Canada, we reached Tuktoyaktuk and the Arctic Ocean on September 25, 2025.

Research, itineraries, and practical information

Planning a Journey on the Northern Trans Canada Trail

For those considering travelling along the northern branch of the Trans Canada Trail, we encourage careful research into the conditions and services available along the route. The northern land route differs significantly from many of the recreational pathways and established trail systems found farther south. Road and highway travel, distances between communities, seasonal weather, wildfires, camping restrictions, changing infrastructure, and the availability of food and water all deserve careful consideration and preparation.

Our research guides and itineraries document the routes we followed and the circumstances we encountered. They are intended to provide context and practical information from our own experiences, rather than suggest that conditions, services, or access arrangements will remain unchanged. Anyone considering a northern journey should consult current maps, local authorities, highway information, relevant land managers, and official trail resources before setting out.

For broader advice about preparing for a long-distance hike, equipment, navigation, camping, route changes, safety, and other considerations, explore our Planning a Walk on the Trans Canada Trail: Guides, Itineraries, and Advice.

From the Atlantic to the Pacific to the Arctic Ocean

The northern Trans Canada Trail was the final chapter of a much longer journey that began at Cape Spear, Newfoundland, on June 1, 2019. What we originally imagined might take approximately three years eventually became six years and almost 18,000 kilometres of walking across Canada.

The northern route introduced us to landscapes, communities, wildlife, histories, and challenges that were different from those we had encountered while walking westward across the provinces. Reaching Tuktoyaktuk brought our coast-to-coast-to-coast journey to its conclusion, but the experiences and encounters along the way remain part of the much larger collection of stories we hope to share.

The Trans Canada Trail to the North and Arctic Ocean were simply the final steps along a much longer journey. To follow our complete #Hike4Birds from the Atlantic to the Pacific and north to the Arctic Ocean, explore our Trans Canada Trail national hiking overview and provincial collections.

For additional information about planning a walk on the Trans Canada Trail, including national hiking guides, provincial itineraries, cycling assessments, route conditions, safety, and resupply, explore our Trans Canada Trail Planning Guides and FAQs.

The goal of our #Hike4Birds was to inspire people of all ages, physical abilities, cultural backgrounds, orientations, and identities to reconnect with nature through birds and Citizen Science. To learn more about our project, how you can get involved, and ways to support our work, please visit the Come Walk With Us website.

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Come Walk With Us on the Trans Canada Trail (TCT)