Northern Exposure II
^{Towards Alaska, 2005}

RV tours:

Let a northern operator escort you on a tour of the scenic Dempster Highway, from Dawson City Yukon, all the way to the Western Arctic and the town of Inuvik.

Sample itineraries

Make the Deh Cho Connection

Follow Highway 1 from the Alberta/NWT border at the Sixtieth Parallel to Fort Simpson, Fort Liard and the NWT/British Columbia border.

The first leg of your tour follows the Waterfalls Route, with suggested stop-offs at Twin Falls Gorge, Lady Evelyn Falls and Saamba Deh Falls Territorial Parks.

These extraordinary parks offer unforgettable scenic wonders plus day-use and/or camping facilities. (For details check out our Parks pages by following this link) You can fish, hike, and take incredible photos.

Roll on to historic Fort Simpson with its historic park and visitors' centre, where you can find information about visits to magnificent Nahanni National Park reserve, a World Heritage site. When you leave Simpson, you make a trip to Wrigley, last stop on Highway 1's northern journey, or head south to Highway 7, the Liard Trail. Stop at Blackstone Territorial Park for incredible views of the mountains and a visit to the tiny community of Nahanni Butte. The last community on the way to the BC border is Fort Liard, famous for birchbark baskets, and another jumping-off point for visits to Nahanni National Park.

Explore the South Slave

Exit Highway 1 at Enterprise and follow NWT Highway 2 to the bustling community of Hay River, on the south shore of Great Slave Lake. There's a beach and campsite for good swimming, canoeing, fishing and boating. Hay River is also home to the Xatl'odehchee Reserve and the Dene Cultural Institute, and Hay River Missions Historic Site. Just south of Hay River, Highway 2 meets Highway 5.

Just east of Hay River, Highway 6 branches north to Fort Resolution, oldest trade centre on Great Slave Lake, which overlooks the Slave River Delta. Services are limited, but there's great fishing and boating on the Big Lake.

Travelling southeast on Highway 5, you pass through Wood Buffalo National Park, where there are several camping, swimming and scenic stop-offs. You can also picnic at Little Buffalo River Crossing and camp at Little Buffalo River Falls Park. At Salt river, there are camping and hiking opportunities.

Queen Elizabeth Park is located on the edge of Fort Smith, just a short hike from the legendary Slave River Rapids. In Fort Smith itself, there's lots to see and do, from visiting the Northern Life Museum and Fort Smith Mission Historic Park to hiking or kayaking those wild rapids. Check in at the Wood Buffalo National Park Visitor Centre for extensive information on this huge reserve and its many lookouts, campsites, hiking trails, and day-use areas.

Drive Northern Frontier Country

Leave Highway one at km 224, where it meets Highway 3. Stop at Dory Point day-use area on the bank of the Mackenzie River to wait for the ferry and your eight-minute crossing. Fort Providence Park, high on the opposite bank near Fort Providence has good camping facilities and boat rentals. In the community of Fort Providence, shop for supplies and Dene crafts and admire the mission church.

As you drive north on Highway 3, you'll find yourself in the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, where you'll need to keep an eye out for wandering wood bison. Continue north through the wildlife-rich Mackenzie lowlands, perhaps stopping at Chan Lake or North Arm day-use areas. In the twin Dogrib communities and Rae/Edzo, many people still follow the traditional Dene way of life.

You're entering Taiga Shield country as you head south to Yellowknife. The NWT's capital city has every amenity, from parks, walking trails and a major museum, to Old Town atmosphere and excellent restaurants. Pop into the Northern Frontier Visitors' Centre for complete information on the city's attractions and about jaunts out of town.