“One of the most beautiful, bountiful, and unbelievably hard places to access I’ve ever visited. . . . [Gwaii Haanas] should remain as is forever,” wrote one of the panelists who helped put this coastal park and Haida Heritage Reserve at the top of a recent survey.

Gwaii Haanas was declared the number one national park out of 55 in North America by National Geographic Traveler Magazine in its summer issue this year.

Jonathan Tourtellot, geotourism editor at the magazine, spearheaded the survey. His goal was to determine which parks offer the most pristine wilderness and quiet spaces to escape the din of urban life.

A panel of 300 experts in fields such as park management, archaeology and historic preservation used a score card to rate the parks and the so-called gateway communities from which visitors launch their outdoor excursions.

“The winner was a big surprise to me,” Tourtellot said, “because I had never even heard of it.”

The strong co-management of the park with the Haida people has significantly improved the management of this park, and it largely retains its wilderness character and cultural significance.

With only 2,100 visitors last year, all arriving by boat or float plane, it seems as if many others haven’t heard of the unique park either.

The park also received high scores for its relationship with the Haida Nation.

“The strong co-management of the park with the Haida people has significantly improved the management of this park,” another panelist wrote in the findings, “and it largely retains its wilderness character and cultural significance.”

The panelists lauded the orientation tourists must take before entering the park, as well as the authenticity of the experience inside the park.

“Archaeological and historic artifacts are left to their natural processes as per Haida tradition, which surprises visitors who expect preservation,” wrote another panelist.

Staff based in Queen Charlotte City were undeniably pleased with the kudos.

“Because they looked at gateway communities, it really speaks a lot for the communities of Haida Gwaii. Some of the other [communities in the survey] seem more crass and commercial,” says Kate Alexander, communication manager with Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site.

Six of the survey’s top parks are in Canada, including Gros Morne in Newfoundland, Cape Breton Highlands, Kootenay/Yoho and Jasper National Parks.