As one of Canada’s most northerly cities, Yellowknife beckons adventure-seekers to come play. In an age where natural habitats are increasingly anthropogenically threatened, the Northwest Territories, wherein which Yellowknife is situated, contains some of the world’s remaining vast untamed contiguous wilderness. With limited infrastructure and the odd mine dotting the landscape, it’s easy to lose yourself in the abundance of endless bedrock, bogs, and forest.
Yellowknife sits upon the Canadian Shield which is a stretch of ancient Precambrian rock that covers half of Canada and is characterized by rolling hills of bedrock, Taiga forest, and thousands of lakes as far as the eye can see. Some of the oldest rocks on Earth’s exposed continental crust are found here, with predominant rock types being granite and gneiss. While you’re out hiking, you may stumble upon some neat rocks and intriguing rock formations.
If you live in, or are visiting, the unique city of Yellowknife, these are some of the top hikes in and around the city that will give you a taste of the area’s natural splendors and an idea of the remoteness within which Yellowknife resides.
A few of the hikes are easy to get to if you’re located downtown and don’t have a car, but most require you to drive down the Ingraham Trail – a stretch of highway that passes along Yellowknife’s iconic Giant Mine and leads to start of the Tibbitt-Contwoyto ice road.
Yellowknife’s Top 8 Hikes (in order from shortest to longest):
- Back Bay Ice Falls Trail
- Cinnamon Island Scenic Viewpoint Trail
- Ranney Hill Trail
- Prelude Lake Nature Trail
- Cameron Falls Trail
- Prospector’s Trail
- Frame Lake Trail
- Bighill Lake Trail
1. Back Bay Ice Falls Trail
Distance: 1.5 km | Duration: 30 mins | Elevation: n/a | Trail type: circuit or there-and-back
Overview:
Starting with the shortest hike on the list, the Back Bay Ice Falls is a winter exclusive trail. If you’re visiting Yellowknife anytime between December to March, this trail is a must-do! I find the best time to hike this trail is between early-to-mid March since it’ll provide you with the most stunning photo opportunities with the generally clear, sunny skies and the elaborate, fully developed ice falls that have spent all winter growing. You can still do this hike in late March to early April, however, by then the falls start to break apart and became unstable – and potentially dangerous. At the falls, you can hang out in-behind the ice structures, between the rock cliff face and the curtains of ice, but be careful when entering since the icy floor of the cave can be slippery. I usually scoot into the cave on my bum to avoid slipping. It’s a neat experience to lay on your back in the cave and look up at the ice.
Getting there:
There’s a small parking spot to the right, off of 48 St, just past Niven Gate road where you can park your car if you have one. From there, walk down the wide Back Bay Lookout trail, also know as the Niven Firebreak Trail, for about 380m. The start of the Back Bay Ice Falls trail will be to your left and will usually be marked with flagging tape. The trail is a one-person wide path through the snow. Make sure not to walk on the groomed ski path which runs adjacent to the hiking trail at times.
Notes:
Make sure to wear snow pants for the best experience. You’ll need to stick to the one-person wide trail for this hike because if you step anywhere off trail, the snow can be as deep as your knee or hip.
2. Cinnamon Island Scenic Viewpoint Trail
Distance: 2.31 km | Duration: 40 mins | Elevation: +60m | Trail type: circuit
Overview:
This trail is also known as the Holdout Trail. The hike begins through a stand of mixed-wood forest with alder, trembling aspen, and birch trees. I find the best way to experience this hike is by doing it counterclockwise, so when the trail branches off after the first 100m, make sure to stick to the path on your right (which you might automatically do since the point of separation is often unnoticeable, with the left, returning trail often being camouflaged by the trees). After a short walk through the woods, the trail opens up to bedrock and low-lying shrubs. As you continue along the ridge, the trail will dip down into another stand of forest before coming up onto the ridge again – on this second section of ridgeline you’ll begin seeing a spectacular view to your right of Cinnamon Island and the Yellowknife River (it looks like a lake but it’s actually a river). I usually take my time on this trail to take in the view. The trail will eventually reach the highest point, with the most expansive view of the trek. There’s a rock firepit here and several good bedrock spots to sit down on. After you’ve spent sufficient time looking at the view, the trail continues to your left (on the other side of the ridgeline). Alternatively, you could continue straight, along the ridgeline but that stretch of trail is a little sketchy and doesn’t provide you with any additional views, however, it does bring you down to the water where you’ll often find lots of moose hoofprints in the mud at the edge of the lake. Continuing on the main trail – you’ll descend into a stand of earthy-smelling aspen trees which then transcends into predominantly jackpine. The trail switches between meandering closely among the trees, to sections of smooth, open bedrock. The rockfaces are so irresistibly smooth here, that I often stop to run my hand along their surface. Before you know it, you’ll be back to where you initially forked off and you’ll hear the highway before you see it.
Getting there:
It’s about a 15-minute drive from Yellowknife down the Ingraham Trail highway. There’s no trail signage. On the highway, you’ll pass the turn-off for Dettah Road, then the highway will go up an incline. Once you reach the top of this incline, you’ll see a primitive parking area on either side of the road – this is where you’ll park in order to access the trailhead (which is on the left). Be careful when exiting the parking lot to turn back onto the highway – there’s limited visibility and oncoming traffic moves very fast. Also, during the winter, the parking lot is typically iced over which can sometimes cause you to get stuck if you don’t have four-wheel drive (I learnt this the hard way!).
Notes:
This trail is traversed all year round, so although there are no trail markers along the trail, the traversed terrain is easily identifiable, and in the winter, it’s easy to follow the singular path in the snow (but some sections can be deep depending on recent snowfall). Make sure to check out the mini gallery situated along trail in the summer (bottom middle photo). There’s also usually painting supplies associated with the gallery so you’re welcome to sit and paint and add your artwork to the gallery.
3. Ranney Hill Trail
Distance: 2.81 km | Duration: 40 mins | Elevation: n/a | Trail type: there-and-back
Overview:
The Ranney Hill trail is one of my favourite hiking trails. It’s just far enough off the main beaten path that I typically don’t see anyone else while I’m here. The trail starts out skirting the edge of David lake. Sometimes I like to sit on the bench overlooking the lake to admire the view. Then there’s a section of wetland and bog mixed in with short bedock traverses. Eventually the trail leads up to Ranney Hill which looks like a huge pile of dark grey boulders. The walk up to the hill is really pretty, especially as you get up over the tree line. The views from up top are phenomenal – for Yellowknife standards. You’ll see several surrounding lakes, endless trees, and the tall buildings of downtown far off in the distance. I often see a group of ravens who like to hang out up here, and can often be seen riding the wind currents off the edge of the hill. There’s a bench on the way up and one up top – so plenty of opportunity to sit and catch your breath if needed.
Getting there:
After driving down the Ingraham Trail highway for 10 minutes, turn left onto Vee Lake Road (at the bottom of the big hill), and then drive another 6 minutes down the gravel road until you reach the Ranney Hill trailhead on your left which has a small parking lot (located in the bend of the road, just before you reach the Vee Lake boat launch).
Notes:
This trail can be traversed in winter and summer.
4. Prelude Lake Nature Trail
Distance: 3.1 km | Duration: 45 mins | Elevation: +56m | Trail type: Circuit
Overview:
The trail begins by traversing inbehind a row of camping spots. Then it continues through a stand of red pine trees with sandy terrain. There’s then a big, long incline over sheer bedrock. Once at the top, the trail dwindles between bedrock and forest, with intermittent broad views of the vast surrounding landscape characterstic of the Canadian Shield. Eventually the trail leads to a very beautiful lookout with a spectacular view of the extensive Prelude Lake. The trail then winds back to the sandy spot where you started, before taking you back to the gravel parking lot.
Getting there:
The trailhead is a 40-minte drive from Yellowknife down the Ingraham Trail highway. Once you turn into Prelude Lake road, the small trail parking lot will be on your left, before the main park gate. The parking lot has an outhouse.
Notes:
If you follow the road into the main park, just before the marina, there’s a small parking lot to your right. From there, there’s a a short trail named the Panorama Trail which is about 500m long. It has several boardwalks and several great lookouts over the lake (first photo on the left is a picture taken from that trail).
5. Cameron Falls Trail
Distance: 3.1 km | Duration: 1h | Elevation: +88m | Trail type: there-and-back
Overview:
The Cameron Falls trail is overall a really nice hike. Although it’s a there-and-back type trail, it has a lot of varying terrain and views, which keeps it interesting. The waterfall itself is a beautiful scene to witness, with its crashing cascade of water over an array of boulders and smooth chutes. If you follow the trail’s short continuation to the Fall’s headwaters, you’ll find a bridge you can cross to get over to the other side of the waterfall and a trail to get down below to the water itself.
Getting there:
About a 50-minute drive from Yellowknife down the Ingraham Trail highway. The trailhead has a decent-sized parking lot with two outhouses.
Notes:
Stairs have been installed for the steepest sections of trail, making it more user-friendly for those with mobility considerations. There area also a couple boardwalks installed in some of the predominantly wet low-lying areas.
6. Prospector’s Trail
Distance: 4.72 km | Duration: 1h 15m | Elevation: +46m | Trail type: Circuit
Overview:
Starting within Fred Henne Territorial Park on the edge of town, the Prospector’s Trail hints at Yellowknife’s mining history. This trail has a good mix of open bedrock and forest. The northern end of the trail has some beautiful views of the surrounding lakes. In general, the trail has quite a few open surfaces of bedrock with some beautiful patterns and irresistably smooth surfaces. One of the things I like most about this trail, is that while you’re traversing it, you can see the high buildings of downtown in the distance which makes it apparent just how remote the city is, and just how much it looks like it’s been simply plopped in the middle of nowhere.
Getting there:
Unless you’re staying in Fred Henne, the best place to begin is by parking in the big, free gravel parking lot off Highway 3. From there, walk down the steps toward the lake, and then follow the campground loops east, making sure to stay right for the first two “intersections”, and on the third one, turn left. You’ll know you’re at the start of the trail when you see a big sign indicating that it’s the Prospector’s Trail, which also includes some historical mining information, and there’s a rusted mining implement sitting in front of the sign.
Notes:
The first section of trail is a bit marshy, so if it’s spring, or if it’s rained a lot recently, you might get your feet wet. Make sure to check out the Gallery of Intersting Rocks – a random little shelf halfway along the trail with an array of rocks that people have found and left there.
7. Frame Lake Trail
Distance: 5.77 km | Duration: 1h 10m | Elevation: +60m | Trail type: Circuit
Overview:
Officially named the McMahon Frame Lake Trail, this trail gives a great overview of what Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories has to offer. One of the great things about this trail is that it’s on the edge of downtown so it’s easily accessible regardless of where you’re staying or where you live. The stretch of trail along the southeast end of the lake, nearest the city, is paved so it’s heavily frequented by cyclists and pedestrians for most of the year. The trail snakes along the Sombe K’e Park, McNiven Park, City Hall, the Legislative Assembly, and runs inbehind the Aquatic Centre, Hospital, and the Staples. The northern end of the trail between the Frame Lake West Park and the Legislative Assembly is not paved and is a “real” trail, meaning it meanders along sections of forest and on top of bedrock. There are a few fun sections of boardwalk in some of the low-lying areas. This trail is a great and easy way to get out into the woods and have some nature time. In certain sections of trail, it’s hard to believe that you’re even close to a capital city because it gives you a remote feeling. All along the trail, you can capture glimpses of beautiful Frame Lake (which is an arsenic contaminated lake so don’t drink or swim in this water).
Getting there:
I typically like to start the trail from Sombe K’e Park, but if you have a vehicle and don’t live in downtown, then it’s sometimes best to start at the Frame Lake West Park (because then you won’t have to navigate the busy streets of downtown).
Notes:
There are a few sections of trail in the northern section that go along the marshy part of the lake and that don’t have a proper boardwalk, so if you hike the trail in the spring, or after there’s been a lot of rain, you might get your feet wet. Also, if you hike this trail, you might get lucky and glimpse a fox or two.
8. Bighill Lake Trail
Distance: 8.05 km | Duration: 2h | Elevation: +120m | Trail type: there-and-back
Overview:
As the longest trail in the Yellowknife area, the Bighill Lake trail will provide you with some good exercise and great views. The first part of the trail starts as an incline, where you’ll traverse smooth stretches of bedrock among conifer trees until you reach a lookout point above the general tree line. Then the path has some gradual inclines and declines. There are quite a few red pines in this area, so the air here smells really good in the summer time. The trail contains several sections where you may need to get on all fours to either clamber up or down faces of bedrock. There are also a couple bog sections, so if traversing this trail in the spring, you may get your feet wet. Eventually, the trail leads to the edge of an inlet of Bighill lake. If you continue on to your right, and skirt around the edge of the lake for a short section, the path continues and leads up to a beautiful viewpoint of the lake.
Getting there:
The trailhead is located a mere half hour’s drive from Yellowknife. You’ll know you’ve reached the trailhead as soon as you see the long stretch of Madeline Lake to your left, and a large gravel pull-out to your right – which you need to turn onto.
Notes:
This trail is best hiked in the summer. It’s usually still possible to hike it in the winter – depending on whether people have frequently been traversing it (in order to pack in the snow). If you decide to hike the trail in the winter, be mindful that some sections might have very deep snow, and there is a section of crags in the bedrock that must be traversed carefully (see 3rd picture below).
