The Route
The Mackenzie Highway (Alta Highway #35)
Your journey on the Mackenzie Highway portion of the Deh Cho Travel route begins at "Mile Zero" in Grimshaw where you head north on Highway #35 passing through the remarkable Peace River Country, rich in its Aboriginal and Pioneer history. Revisit the era of fur-trading and the discovery of western and northern Canada.
Communities to stop at along this stretch of the route are Grimshaw, Peace River Manning, and High Level. From High Level, there is also an opportunity for a side trip to the communities of La Crete andto Alberta's oldest community, Fort Vermilion.
Grimshaw hosts the Mackenzie Highway "Mile Zero" pavalion and just to the north, Queen Elizabeth Provincial Park at Lac Cardinal features a Pioneer Village and Museum. It hosts Pioneer Days in mid August, with demonstrations of a shingle mill, threshing and butter making.
Peace River has a history dating back to the explorers including Alexander Mackenzie but is best know for for the Klondike Gold Rush legend of 12-Foot Davis. A Provincial Historic Monument honors the gravesite of Henry "Twelve Foot" Davis.
Manning offers two historic stops, the Old Hospital Gallery and Museum, and the Battle River Museum. Heading north, camp and fish at the confluence of the Peace and Notikewin Rivers at Notikewin Provincial Park or a little futher along at Twin Lakes Provincial Recreation Area.
In High Level, enjoy a round of golf on one of Alberta’s northernmost grass greens or visit the Mackenzie Crossroads Museum & Visitors’ Centre to explore its extensive collection of trading post memorabilia. High Level is the last full-service stop before entering the Northwest Territories.
Mackenzie Highway (NWT Highway #1)
Saddled right on the border of Alberta and the Northwest Territories is the 60th Parallel Visitor Centre, where 1st-time visitors can aquire a North of 60° Certificate.
Your are now traveling on NWT Highway #1, also known as the Waterfalls Route. To see why, stop at the first of many waterfalls features at Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park. Hike a trail between Alexandra and Louise Falls and experience the cultural interpretive signage of the South Slavey Dene who consider the falls a place of spiritual significance. The Falls cut through stone formations that date back 360 million years exposing dinosaur tracks and Devonian era fossils.
The first community on Highway #1 is Enterprise, a jumping-off point for a side-trip to Great Slave Lake, Hay River, Wood Buffalo National Park and Fort Smith.
Lady Evelyn Falls Territorial Park is an ideal place to idle away a day. To reach it, drive 6.5 km (4 mi) off Highway #1 on the access road to the Dene village of Kakisa. There’s a campsite and good fishing for grayling and pickerel at the base of the falls.
At the junction of NWT Highways #1 and #3, you can turn north for a side-trip on Highway #3 to Yellowknife - Diamond Capital of North America.
The Mackenzie Highway proper, continues west from the junction to Sambaa Deh Falls Territorial Park, located on a bluff overlooking the Trout River near Coral Falls – an excellent fossil hunting location.
Fort Simpson, the oldest trading post on the Mackenzie River is located 64 km (40 mi) north of the Mackenzie & Liard Highway junction and is the largest community in the Dehcho region. The town, at the confluence of the Liard and Mackenzie rivers, boasts a population of 1,200. Drop-in at the Fort Simpson Park & Visitors’ Centre to learn about trips into Nahanni National Park. Also of interest are Alberta Faille’s Cabin and the MacPherson House, both part of the area’s colourful history. Fort Simpson Territorial Park is known for its excellent bird watching in summer.
