Where to sleep like a log on the NWT's rustic frontier

You've explored the Northwest Territories by bike, on a hike, or with a paddle firmly gripped in hand. You've lugged giant Northern pike from a lake, stayed up to watch the nightly cosmic Northern Lights show overhead and shared so many laughs around the campfire that your face hurts.

Let's face it, you're positively tuckered out. It's time to saw some logs. (The metaphorical ones. You did enough literal log-sawing earlier.)

Fret not, no matter where you find yourself in the Northwest Territories - on a houseboat, at a wilderness lodge, on the beach - there's a cozy bed in a quiet and tranquil place where you can drift off in peace.

Yurt gonna love this!

2 Seasons Adventures, on the Great Slave Lake beach in Hay River, lets you bunk down in cabins or cool Mongolian-style yurts.

A hot tub under the lights before bed.

Blachford Lake Lodge features a posh main house and five cozy cabins (not to mention a hot tub ideal for Aurora-watching) on a pristine fly-in lake near Great Slave’s East Arm.

Saw logs in a log cabin.

Det’an Cho Tourist Camp, on the banks of the Little Buffalo River just shy of Fort Resolution, has cabins – plus canoes and paddleboats for rent.

A chalet after a long day.

Arctic Chalet in Inuvik has the only log-cabin rentals north of the Arctic Circle. They’ve got kitchenettes, and there’s dogsledding on site.

Sleeps ahoy, mateys!

Captain’s Cabins rents sunny timber-frame cottages on the bank of mighty Mackenzie River opposite the town of Fort Providence, which is perfect after a day of Arctic grayling fishing on the Kakisa River.

A peaceful night in the country.

Country Cabins, with A-frame and chalet-style cottages on the Ingraham Trail east of Yellowknife, boasts hiking trails, boating, swimming and an outdoor fire pit.

Who needs sheep? Count wood buffalo to fall asleep.

Whispering Pines Cottage is an adorable log micro-house (complete with loft bunk!) in the heart of Fort Smith, gateway to Wood Buffalo National Park.