Wapusk National Park in Manitoba, Canada - map, photos and visitor information

Wapusk National Park protects a broad stretch of Manitoba's western Hudson Bay coast, where boreal forest meets Arctic tundra. It is important polar bear denning habitat and a landscape with continuing Indigenous connections. Churchill is the main gateway. To enter the park, arrange a trip with a licensed operator; an ordinary sightseeing visit around Churchill does not necessarily reach Wapusk.

Highlights of Wapusk's coast and tundra

• Arrange a seasonal guided trip to observe polar bears and cubs.
• See the scale of the coast and wetlands on an authorized aerial tour.
• Explore the park's ecology and human history at the Parks Canada Visitor Centre in Churchill.
• Learn how peatlands provide winter maternity-den habitat.

Know before booking a Wapusk visit

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Confirm the visitor-center schedule before arriving. Use the official fee page to distinguish park charges from the price of a guided package.

Take polar bear risk seriously

Wapusk is not suitable for an unguided walk away from your transport. Parks Canada warns of a high risk of polar bear encounters at its northern Manitoba field sites. Follow the licensed guide's instructions and stay with the group.

Ordinary visitors cannot carry firearms in the national park. A guide's special authorization does not authorize other travelers to carry one. Review the polar bear safety guidance before travel.

Cold, wind, difficult terrain, and limited rescue capacity add to the risk. Ask the operator which clothing, communications, and emergency arrangements the trip includes. Keep flexibility for delayed transfers.

Protect denning habitat and cultural places

Do not feed, touch, or disturb wildlife. Leave vegetation, natural objects, archaeological features, and historic structures undamaged. Photograph animals under the guide's direction rather than trying to move closer.

Campfires are prohibited. Pack out garbage and agree on waste arrangements before entering. Commercial filming and photography need a Parks Canada permit agreement; a normal tour booking does not supply that authorization.

Discuss pet and service-animal arrangements for field trips with Parks Canada and the operator before booking.

Book through a licensed operator

Start with the official operator and facilities information. Contact the company directly for travel dates, prices, transport, and the proposed route. Confirm that the itinerary actually enters Wapusk National Park.

Ask who arranges the required access permissions and which activities are included. If the itinerary involves an overnight field camp, confirm its authorization, equipment, and facilities with Parks Canada. Do not treat a fenced research compound as a campsite that can be booked without prior arrangements.

Hudson Bay location and gateway access

The park lies in northeastern Manitoba on the western shore of Hudson Bay. Churchill is its main visitor base, while Gillam can support approaches to the southern park area. These gateways are not interchangeable starting points.

Churchill has air and rail connections but no road connection. Gillam is reached from Thompson on Provincial Road 280. Onward travel into Wapusk needs a separate licensed-operator plan.

The official directions page links to the park map. Check the destination and park boundary with your operator. The office at the Churchill Heritage Railway Station is outside the wilderness park.

Other remote parks in northern Manitoba

There is no direct road itinerary linking these parks with Wapusk. Each requires separate wilderness planning.

• Caribou River Provincial Park: Near the Manitoba–Nunavut boundary, with aircraft access or a long canoe or snowmobile approach.
• Numaykoos Lake Provincial Park: A northeastern Manitoba wilderness park without direct road access; arrange entry through a suitable outfitter, lodge, or charter company.

Choose a seasonal field trip or Churchill interpretation

February and March trips offer opportunities to see mothers and cubs after denning. Wat'chee Lodge, which supports those trips, is outside the park. Sightings and daily travel remain subject to wildlife and weather conditions.

Aerial tours provide another way to experience the coast and tundra. Ask whether a flight includes a landing, where it goes, and how the operator handles changes. A scenic flight and a ground-based wildlife trip have different demands.

In Churchill, visitor-center exhibits include a life-sized maternity-den display and interpretation of Indigenous connections with caribou. This is a useful alternative for travelers whose itinerary does not include park entry.

Churchill services and limited field compounds

The visitor center has parking and wheelchair-accessible restrooms with baby-changing facilities. It does not provide Wi-Fi. Accommodation, meals, and shops are available through separate businesses in Churchill.

Parks Canada maintains fenced multi-use compounds on the Broad and Owl rivers. They have washrooms and limited freshwater and wastewater facilities. Their existence does not establish a public campground service or guaranteed overnight availability.

Discuss wheelchair access for park transport, landings and field stays with the operator. Accessible restrooms in Churchill do not establish access inside Wapusk.

About Wapusk National Park

Indigenous homelands and park protection

Wapusk was established in 1996. Archaeological evidence records human use thousands of years before its creation. The region later served as a travel corridor and source of supplies between York Factory and Prince of Wales Fort.

The park is on Treaty 5 territory and lands traditionally used by Cree, Dene, Inuit, and Red River Métis peoples. Parks Canada receives advice from a management board representing Canada, Manitoba, Churchill, Fox Lake Cree Nation, and York Factory First Nation.

Polar bear dens and the forest–tundra transition

Pregnant polar bears use peatland dens through winter. Other bears spend time ashore after Hudson Bay sea ice melts and return to the ice when conditions allow. These seasonal movements help explain the different viewing periods.

Coastal ridges, wetlands, tundra, and boreal forest also support caribou, birds, and smaller mammals. Wildlife conservation extends beyond the animals most visible on a guided trip.

Contact Wapusk National Park

Call 204-675-8863 or email [email protected] for planning. For emergencies within the park, Parks Canada lists 1-877-852-3100 and 1-780-852-6155. The Churchill Polar Bear Alert emergency line is 204-675-2327 during the active bear season.