Rae-Edzo to Snare River Hydro Road — North Slave Backcountry Access

Northwest of Behchokǫ̀ (Rae-Edzo), a rough unmaintained track follows the old NWT Power Corporation transmission and maintenance corridor out toward the Snare River hydroelectric cascades — a series of small dams built in the 1940s and 50s to power Yellowknife. The road covers roughly 110km of Canadian Shield granite, muskeg crossings, and Precambrian boreal terrain that is about as raw as the NWT gets. The Snare Falls themselves are a legitimate payoff: a series of dramatic drops through fractured granite that most Yellowknifers have never laid eyes on. The track is not maintained for public use and that fact shows — expect washed-out culverts, downed timber across the road after any significant wind event, and at least two unbridged creek crossings that can run high in June.

This is a Difficult route that rewards experienced backcountry drivers who know how to travel in true wilderness. A high-clearance 4WD with a winch, full recovery kit, and a week’s worth of supplies is the minimum. No fuel exists after Behchokǫ̀ and the nearest mechanical help is Yellowknife roughly 100km southeast. Cell service ends at Behchokǫ̀ — carry a satellite communicator. Best window is July to early September when the worst of the mud has dried and before freeze-up complicates unbridged crossings. Check with Tłı̨chǫ Government regarding access protocols before heading out.