Northern Frontier - The Power of Nature

Stretching from the north and east shores of Great Slave Lake, east to the Barrenlands and northwest to Great Bear Lake, Northern Frontier is adventure country. Featuring some of the oldest exposed rock in the world, studded with countless lakes and rivers, some as yet unnamed, it’s a paddler’s paradise in summer. Here are the headwaters of legendary wilderness canoeing rivers, flowing north and east - the Coppermine, the Thelon - and shorter rivers, both wild and tame, draining south into Great Slave Lake.

Hop a bush plane and fly-in to a fishing lodge, or a world class Barrenlands camp. The fish are biting, and the caribou are on the move. In a landscape of sandy eskers and glacial moraine the caribou seem to suddenly appear and vanish just as quickly. Tiny plants carpet the land in early summer and morph to a ruby red tapestry under foot in August.

From the City of Yellowknife, capital and regional centre, the Ingraham Trail highway connects a dozen lakes and rivers with boat launches and picnic areas, canoe routes and territorial campgrounds.

Travel to the East Arm. The scenery is on a grand scale, virtually untouched since the glaciers retreated. Marvel at the 600 metre cliffs that drop into quiet bays. On a sunny summer day, the East Arm reveals its colours - from greys and yellows to brilliant pinks, marine blues and turquoise.

There are two travel seasons. In summer and autumn, lodges, wilderness camps, and outfitters offer fishing, eco-adventures and canoeing. From January through March, the night sky is the draw. Visitors can enjoy spectacular displays of the aurora borealis, with ice fishing, dogsled tours and snowmobiling in the daytime.