HomeStoryThe Ingraham Trail: Wilderness Just Outside The City
Read Time:
Ingraham Trail Guide: Territorial Parks, Lakes, and Camping near Yellowknife
Read Time:
The Ingraham Trail is one of the most accessible wilderness routes in the Northwest Territories, beginning just beyond the city limits of Yellowknife. Also known as Highway 4, the 69-kilometre (43-mile) route starts only a few minutes from downtown and winds east through jack pine outcrops, across the Yellowknife River and Cameron River, and past a chain of lakes. The road is partly paved, always scenic, and leads travellers directly into a landscape filled with opportunities for camping, hiking, paddling, and fishing.
Fred Henne Territorial Park
Read Time:
In Yellowknife, Fred Henne Territorial Park is a convenient base for both city access and outdoor adventure. The park sits on the shores of Long Lake, where families come to swim, paddle, and relax on the sandy beach.
Hikers can enjoy the Prospector’s Trail, a 4.3-kilometre loop that begins right in the park. Interpretive signs along the way highlight the area’s geology and mining history. With more than 100 campsites, including RV and tent sites, plus facilities such as showers, firewood, and a laundromat, Fred Henne is a popular choice for Yellowknife camping and a great starting point for a road trip in the Northwest Territories.
Prelude Lake Territorial Park
Read Time:
About a half-hour’s drive from Yellowknife, Prelude Lake Territorial Park is surrounded by striking pink granite and the rocky outcrops of the Canadian Shield. The lake stretches 16 kilometres (10 miles) and is dotted with islands, making it a favourite spot for boating, canoeing, and fishing in the NWT. Several nearby day-use areas, including Prosperous Lake, Madeline Lake, and Pontoon Lake, add even more options for picnicking and paddling along the way.
Prelude Lake also offers some of the trail’s best short hiking trails near Yellowknife. The Panoramic Trail is a gentle half-kilometre walk, much of it on boardwalks, leading to two lookouts with sweeping views. The Nature Trail is a three-kilometre loop that crosses smooth bedrock, sand barrens, and spruce bogs rich in birdlife. At the campground, visitors will find RV sites and tent pads along with washrooms, drinking water, picnic shelters, a playground, a marina, and a boat launch. With so much variety, Prelude Lake is perfect for family camping and longer stays.
Reid Lake Territorial Park
Read Time:
At the far end of the Ingraham Trail road trip lies Reid Lake Territorial Park, a favourite for campers looking to enjoy quiet forested sites and wide waters. The lake is also the starting point for several paddling routes in the Northwest Territories, including trips along the upper Cameron River, into Jennejohn Lake, or upstream to Tibbitt Lake. Birdwatchers and anglers alike will appreciate the opportunities to spot loons and eagles or cast a line for northern pike.
On the way to Reid Lake, travellers pass popular day-use sites. Powder Point is a good stop for boating and fishing, while Cameron Falls offers a short one-kilometre trail to one of the region’s most photographed waterfalls. Nearby, Cameron River Crossing provides more hiking and fishing opportunities, along with smaller waterfalls. Once at Reid Lake, campers can choose from dozens of sites and enjoy a small swimming beach and a boat launch.
Read Time:
With three well-serviced territorial parks in the Northwest Territories, scenic day-use areas, and a variety of trails and lakes, the Ingraham Trail makes it easy to step into the wilderness while staying close to Yellowknife. Whether you are pitching a tent, setting out for some RV camping, or planning a weekend getaway, this route is the perfect introduction to Northwest Territories camping.
The Ingraham trail is just the beginning. For a deeper taste of the North’s stunning beauty, read our guide to the six Canadian national parks in the NWT.
Ready to start planning your Northern adventure? Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter to get inspired and learn more about all the Spectacular Northwest Territories has to offer!
Related Stories
Intriguing tales from Canada's Northwest Territories
Arctic GraylingBirdingBoat ToursCampingCanoeing and KayakingCultural DemonstrationsExperienced PaddlingFall AuroraFlight ToursHiking ToursInconnuLake TroutNahanni to DehchoNature and WildlifeNature PhotographyNature ToursNorthern PikeNovice PaddlingOn the LandPaddlingRaftingToursWhite Water
Arts and Crafts ToursArts and CultureCity ToursCultural DemonstrationsDempster Highway to the Arctic OceanDogsleddingOn the LandRoad ToursRoad TripsToursWestern ArcticWinter Activities
Arts and CultureAuroraAurora Day TripsAurora LodgesCanoeing and KayakingCross-Country SkiingCultural DemonstrationsFall AuroraFishingHousekeeping LodgesLake TroutNature and WildlifeNature PhotographyNorthern PikeSnowmobilingSnowshoeingStand up PaddlingToursWinter ActivitiesWinter Aurora
Hiking Yellowknife offers authentic, guided hiking experiences in the heart of the Northwest Territories, providing adventure tourists, business travelers, and families with safe, customized, and informative outdoor excursions. With 20 years of local experience, the owner/operator delivers an unparalleled connection to the land, blending outdoor adventure with rich knowledge of the region’s natural and resource […]...
Yellow Dog Lodge is a comfortable lodge with 3 private cabins for our guests. The lodge is a short (15 minute) floatplane ride from Yellowknife.
Located on Duncan and Graham Lakes, the lodge is your hub for adventure. Choose from an additional 5 lakes for guided day trip excursions. Each lake is unique and offers unspoiled first class fishing. We are the only lodge that operates guided trips on each of these remote lakes located in the NWT taiga wilderness.
Packaged trips feature superb sport fishing and safe outdoor adventure. The lakes and streams offer the finest Lake Trout, Northern Pike, Walleye and Arctic Grayling in the region. As an added bonus, our guests will enjoy the midnight sun and may even catch the northern lights later in the fall or early spring....
Charter the bus, travel the North by road Your go-to solution for reliable and convenient ground transportation in the North! Shuttle Services Group Travel Sporting Events Corporate Events Out-of-Territory Trips School Trips Luggage Customized Itineraries Budget Friendly Rates and so much more! ...
Come experience world-class Aurora Borealis viewing in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. We are the only guides in the Northwest Territories......
Northern Lights Tours is an adventure-focused tour company dedicated to providing authentic experiences just like the locals do! Our expert guides will ensure you’re in the right place at the right time to witness the stunning Aurora Borealis. We also offer thrilling snowmobiling and ice fishing trips, immersing you in the beauty of the Northwest […]...
Ever Good Medicine is owned and operated by Carl Jr. Kodakin-Yakeleya, a Shúhtagot’ine man (Mountain People) originally from Délı̨nę and Tulita First Nations in the Sahtú region of NWT. Now based in Yellowknife, he offers a variety of programs and services such as Medicine Walks, Retreats, Apprenticeships and Group Workshops about Traditional Dene Medicines in […]...
100% Indigenous owned! Experience the spirit of the untamed Canadian north with a 100% Indigenous owned tour company. Journey with an Indigenous tour company that still lives by the traditions of our ancestors. Feel the heartbeat of the land as we share the stories, wisdom, and spiritual connections that have been passed down from generation to […]...
Your unforgettable journey to the North starts here! With amazing new highlights for experiential travelers all our day tours and guided round-trips offer a great variety of summer and winter activities, which will leave all our guest with unforgettable memories. Arctic Range Adventure offers a unique range of exceptional experiences in the Arctic region, Yukon […]...
World Class Fishing Within Reach Yet Beyond Belief For 3 generations we have been honing the Kasba experience to be like no-other. Our level of hospitality, dedication to the fishery, and a legendary passion for the experience that permeates through our entire team is undeniably contagious. No matter what you’re looking for in your fishing […]...
Northern and Remote Wilderness Adventures Ltd. (NARWAL) is a small, friendly, majority Aboriginal owned and operated family business. Our reputation......
Destination NWT Limited is a tourism operator located in Yellowknife, Canada. DNWT specializes in outdoors adventures, aurora photography, and cultural experiences: Best rated Snowmobile Tour, winter gears included, exciting trail riding Aurora Tour in a Luxurious lakeside Lodge Unique Aurora tour while Ice Fishing indoors Full panoramic moonroof vehicle for Aurora Viewing DNWT’s tours allow […]...
Commercial air charter service providing air support for hikers on Canol Road, sightseeing in the beautiful Mackenzie Mountains, and fly-in fishing......
Fishing and Barrenlands wildlife photography, including migrating caribou, at the Obstruction Rapids in the central Barrenlands north of Yellowknife....
Inuvik is located 200km North of the Arctic Circle, on the East Cannel of the incredible ecosystem that is the Mackenzie Delta. We are located within the Taiga Forest just south of the treeline and Arctic Tundra. Inuvik acts as the gateway to the Western Arctic as the Mackenzie River, Dempster Highway and Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway […]...
Beaufort Sea Adventures is a family-owned and Indigenous-operated business, proudly offering Arctic experiences in Tuktoyaktuk. Our family lives and breathes the North, giving us a unique insight into the hidden gems that make Tuktoyaktuk truly special. We offer guests an authentic cultural immersion, sharing our Inuvialuit heritage, stories, and deep connection to the land and […]...
