What the people who run these places ask visitors to bring, and why, in their words. Item types, not products: no brand is named, and nothing here has been tested by us.
Places this kit covers (7)
What the places ask
A life jacket, worn, and respect for cold water
At Isle Royale the Park Service says every canoeist and kayaker must have a US Coast Guard approved personal flotation device, and adds: “Wear it!” It says Lake Superior is well known for its cold temperatures, fog and sudden squalls, that cold water reduces swimming ability, and asks paddlers to know the dangers of hypothermia.
Asked for by: National Park Service, Isle Royale: Paddling Safety (last updated 29 September 2025).
Borrow, rent or ask first: Ask your canoe or kayak rental whether a life jacket in your size comes with the boat, and try it on before you leave the dock.
Read 20 October 2026.
A way to treat lake and river water
The Park Service at Isle Royale says all surface lake and stream water there should be considered contaminated, and recommends boiling at a rolling boil for at least one minute, or a filter of 0.4 microns or finer followed by chemical treatment. It says chemical treatment alone is not effective there, and that UV purifiers have not been manufacturer-tested for hydatid tapeworm, a parasite it calls common in Isle Royale waters.
Asked for by: National Park Service, Isle Royale: Drinking Water (last updated 25 September 2025).
Borrow, rent or ask first: Borrow a filter from a friend who backpacks, and check its rating against the park’s 0.4-micron figure before you pack it. Other parks set their own advice; each entry gives its park’s.
Read 20 October 2026.
Insect protection: long, light-coloured sleeves, repellent and a head net
Parks Canada says visitors to Wood Buffalo National Park should be prepared for mosquitoes and other flying insects, calling biting insects “a reality of any thriving boreal ecosystem”. It says they are most active from late spring through summer, near wetlands and water, and at dawn and dusk. It suggests long-sleeved shirts and long pants in light colours, repellents “containing DEET or other effective ingredients” on exposed skin and clothing, head nets for “additional protection”, and outdoor plans for midday, when insect activity is lower.
Asked for by: Parks Canada, Wood Buffalo National Park: Be prepared for bugs (date modified 10 June 2025).
Borrow, rent or ask first: Long, light-coloured sleeves you already own do much of this. Borrow a head net if a friend has been north.
Read 20 October 2026.
Rain gear and layers
For Katmai the Park Service asks visitors to bring high-quality waterproof clothing and to dress in layers: a base layer that manages moisture, an insulating layer such as fleece, and a waterproof shell such as a rain jacket. At Brooks Camp it says visitors should expect windy, rainy and cold conditions.
Asked for by: National Park Service, Katmai: Weather (last updated 1 April 2026); Brooks Camp (last updated 4 June 2024).
Borrow, rent or ask first: Layers borrow well. A rain jacket that has already been rained on, and kept you dry, is worth more than a new one.
Read 20 October 2026.
Bear-safe food storage, and a deterrent you know how to use
In Katmai’s backcountry the Park Service says food must be stored in a bear-resistant container, and that anything with a scent, such as hand sanitiser or lip balm, belongs in it too. At Brooks Camp all food goes in the designated food caches. It asks visitors to carry an appropriate deterrent and to learn how to use it before reaching the field. (Not every place on this page has bears: our Isle Royale entry notes the island has none. Each entry says what its park asks.)
Asked for by: National Park Service, Katmai: Bear Safety in Katmai (last updated 1 April 2026).
Borrow, rent or ask first: Ask the park or your outfitter whether bear-resistant containers are lent or rented, and ask your air charter how to carry a deterrent, before you buy either.
Read 20 October 2026. From our entry on Isle Royale, which names its source.
Extra food and a spare day for the floatplane
The Park Service at Katmai asks visitors to carry waterproof rain gear and extra food, because weather may delay pick-up from a chartered aircraft for days, and says not to make the schedule too tight. Parks Canada says “the vast majority” of visitors to Nahanni arrive by chartered floatplane, and that low cloud can impede air access to the park at any time. At Isle Royale the Park Service asks paddlers to be prepared to adjust their schedule to the weather and lists extra food in case of bad weather.
Asked for by: National Park Service, Katmai: Safety (last updated 14 April 2015; still live); Parks Canada, Nahanni: Visit (date modified 13 July 2026) and Weather (date modified 19 September 2024); National Park Service, Isle Royale: Paddling Safety.
Borrow, rent or ask first: Ask your air charter or ferry, before you pay, what happens to your booking and your onward flight if weather holds the plane.
Read 20 October 2026.
Being a good visitor here
- At Katmai, visitors may not approach within 50 yards of a bear, or stay within 50 yards of a bear using a concentrated food source, the Park Service says; at Brooks Camp everyone begins with a short bear safety talk and follows its rules (Katmai: Bear Safety; Brooks Camp).
- Nahanni is the homeland of the Dene, and the Dehcho First Nations are partners in managing the park reserve. The Dene name for the region, Nahʔą Dehé, travels with the park; Náįlįcho is the Dene name for Virginia Falls. From our entry on Nahanni, which names its source.
- In Nahanni, registration is mandatory, Parks Canada says: contact the park reserve office within 24 hours of entering to register your trip (Nahanni: Registration; read 21 October 2026).
Sources are named in each item, with the date we read them; a few come from our own place entries, which carry their sources. Rules and seasons change; the place’s own entry and the authority’s page have the latest.