Yellowknife

Understand

thumb|Cabins from the city's early days in Old Town You don't have to fly to Yellowknife, but it's the way most people get there. And if you do, your appreciation of the city will begin even before you reach the ground, as you look down after the long approach over the deep lake and see how it looks as if the city has been clawed out of the taiga. Nature does not give Yellowknife anything more than what humanity has made it. Here, more so than any other city in Canada's North, even in the Arctic, one can see just what an accomplishment it has been to make a livable place here on the far side of North America's deepest lake.

The city gets its name from the Yellowknives Dene, the area's First Nations inhabitants, who lived on the peninsula jutting into Great Slave Lake's North Fork where the city is now. Their name came from their use of copper knives they obtained on trading journeys to the Arctic, where the metal was readily available.

European explorers had known of the Yellowknife and their home since the 18th century, but rarely had any reason to venture, much less settle, there. Gold was discovered in the area during the 1890s, but the deposits were not enough to distract the steady stream of wealth-seekers headed for the Klondike gold fields of Yukon and Alaska at the centre of that era's gold rush. By the 1920s, however, a rough settlement had been established there, as bush pilots found it an excellent staging area, storing fuel supplies there for forays further nort…

See

thumb|300px|Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre thumb|300px|Ragged Ass Road sign Aurora Borealis (northern lights) - This is the one thing that you must see (however, it is best seen in wintertime, when the nights are long, and they cannot be seen at all during the short "white nights" around the summer solstice when the sun never dips far enough below the horizon for long enough for it to get darker than twilight). There are many tour companies that offer different ways of seeing the Aurora Borealis, such as by snowmobile, sled dog expedition, photography workshops and tractor rides to various lodges. In or near downtown: In Old Town: The many art galleries in town feature the works of local and northern artists. Great Slave Lake

Do

thumb|right|Franklin Avenue downtown

Yellowknife is an outdoor enthusiast's dream. There are several scenic walking and hiking trails within the city boundaries. The Ingraham Trail (Highway 4) connects Yellowknife to many lakes, rivers, and hiking routes that draw campers, hikers, paddlers, fishermen and women, and hunters.

The winter months are dominated by winter sports: hockey, curling, skating, cross-country skiing, broomball, volleyball, and indoor soccer.

A small but active amateur arts community brings theatre, dance, and choral works to the community. Apart from some excellent amateur performers, the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre (NACC), the main venue for the performing arts, endeavours to bring professional level entertainment.

The Snowking Festival and the dog sled races are annual winter events (occurring in March). In the summer, visitors can take in the Summer Solstice Festival, Raven Mad Daze (with its 24-hour golf tournament), and Folk on the Rocks, a popular music festival in mid-July. Raven Mad Daze is a festival to celebrate the beginning of summer, but it has shrunk in size over the past few years and now features mostly sidewalk sales by local businesses. It's held in Downtown Yellowknife.

Or take a tour from one of the many tour companies around Yellowknife, such as Yellowknife Outdoor Adventures or Becks Kennels. They offer many programs. These include dog sledding, aurora viewing, shoreline breakfast/lunch, wildlife viewing, and fishing trips…

Buy

A Canadian diamond at the A painting by a local artist A hand-made birch bark basket Caribou-skin mittens A northern parka, trimmed with fur

Sleep

Since the wildfire evacuation in August 2023, availability for hotel rooms in Yellowknife has been tight (especially during peak aurora period, i.e. mid-November to early-April, or whenever there are events happening in the city). It is best to reserve a hotel room far in advance.

thumb|The Explorer Hotel

Stay safe

thumb|Yellowknife Post Office Driving, particularly away from the main highway, may involve long distances without seeing much traffic. Be sure to check the usual summer driving requirements: spare tire, water, etc. In winter, temperatures can drop to -40 °C/°F and colder. Be prepared! Bring a candle lantern for heat, a thermos of hot water, foods such as chocolate or nuts and a heavy blanket, and mitts (not gloves). If stranded, do not leave your vehicle unless forced to. See our page on winter driving for more tips.

Bison are prevalent between the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence and Behchoko. They like to amble on the highway. Take care during night driving along this section.

Do not stop on the Ingram Trail highway to see aurora lights. There are designated aurora viewing parking and pull-off sites along the highway for you to safely see the aurora. Cell phone signal starts to weaken after the 40-kilometre mark on Ingram Trail.

Go next

Drive to Dettah on ice road on Great Slave Lake in winter (6.4 km) or around Great Slave Lake in summer (21 km) Drive south along the Mackenzie Highway (5.5 hours) or fly on Canadian North (40 min) to Hay River Fly north for 2 hours to Inuvik