A wild, remote and staggeringly beautiful place in the southwest corner of the Territories, this park, extending over 4,700sq km/1,815sq mi, covers a large section of the South Nahanni River, which flows through the Selwyn, Mackenzie and Franklin mountains before adding its waters to the Liard River, a tributary of the mighty Mackenzie. In 1978 UNESCO recognized the universal value of this reserve by designating it a World Heritage Site. Early in the 20C, tales of placer gold lured prospectors to the valley of the South Nahanni. In 1908 the headless bodies of two adventurers were found. Other men disappeared without a trace. Stories of fierce native inhabitants and of mythical mountain men were spread abroad, and the South Nahanni became known as a place to avoid. The mystery remains and the legends are recalled by names in the park such as Deadmen Valley, Headless Range, Broken Skull River and Funeral Range. The park's very inaccessibility is part of its beauty. Unlike other national parks, it will probably never have roads and tourist facilities. But for those willing to make the effort, one of the world's great natural glories awaits.