Yellowknife is the best location in the world for viewing the aurora borealis. yeah, I’ll make that claim. We are. As nights grow longer, the green, red and mauve lights of aurora borealis, or northern lights, are absolutely brilliant as they dance across the sky.
What the heck is the Aurora Borealis
The aurora results from forms of electromagnetic energy which are drawn to the earth’s poles, literally charging the atmosphere and causing it to glow. Why do you care? Because that charge and glow make a simply spectacular lights show right above your head. Despite the crisp -40, (at that temperature Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales are the same) which is not uncommon in the heart of a Yellowknife winter, we have thousands of visitors who come to be awe-inspired. Tours to view the aurora from outside the city limits are available starting in August and continue throughout the winter months until the end of March.
Where to find the Aurora Forecast
Best Resource
You can view a live feed of the Aurora of Yellowknife and the forecast at Astronomy North’s website (AuroraMax). This is probably the best place to watch and monitor the aurora.
Mobile App
For on the go, I use the website AuroraForecast.com. I save it to the home screen of my iPhone and it is as if it is an app itself. I check it regularly for the daily Aurora rating.
Aurora Borealis Viewing Locations
Many years ago a Yellowknife resident started this Google Map. Pins are placed where good viewing point can be found. Over the years, some have changed but most are accurate or still accessible.
Within Yellowknife
Location:Get to School Draw Avenue and you will come across an entrance to the Dettah Ice Road.
Transportation: Drive, Walk (15-minutes from downtown), Tour
Other Notes: The Ice Road is only open in the winter and usually January to March.
Location: In the center of Old Town, Yellowknife up the hill often called the rock. At the top of the road, you will find a parking lot and stairs that lead to the top of the monument. This spot gives you an excellent 360 view of Yellowknife and area to view the Aurora Borealis from right inside Yellowknife.
Transportation: Driving, Taxi or Walking (15-minute walk from downtown)
Other Notes: All year access is available
Location: This isn’t an official boat launch but a small gravel road that leads off of Curry Drive to the edge of Kam Lake, in the Kam Lake Industrial Area. It isn’t very well know so it is often a quiet place to drive to. It is about a 10-minute drive from downtown Yellowknife.
Transportation: Drive, Walking if you’re brave and prepared.
Other Notes: This road is also used heavily by snowmobiles and dog sled teams. Make sure you do not park on the road itself and be cautious of the other vehicles and people that might be around.
Location: Just off of Finlayson Drive in Yellowknife South, Parker Park is a big open area with a playground, two ball fields, a sliding hill and parking lot. This is a great place to view the aurora if you live or are staying in the area. There is also access to the Range Lake Walking Trail here too.
Transportation: Drive, Bicycle, Walk.
Other Notes: Watch for snowmobiles.
Location: The access to the Tin Can Hill walking trail is at the end of School Draw Avenue and is a popular recreation trail for locals. At the end of the trail, there is a lookout over Yellowknife Bay, Great Slave Lake.
Transportation: Drive, Bicycle, Walk.
Other Notes: More information can be found at tincanhill.org
Location: Leaving downtown Yellowknife, follow 48th street as it turns into Highway 4. Do not turn at the intersection, keep going straight and pass the Yellowknife Ski Club. Before the road closed signs turn right. You will see the dock ahead. The drive takes about 7-10 minutes.
Transportation: Driving, Bicycling
Other Notes: This is a popular place as it is close to town.
Highway 3
Location: Leaving Yellowknife on Highway 3 drive away from Yellowknife. You will pass the Sand Pits on the left, the horse stables on the right and then a small lake on the right. Just after the lake, there are several old buildings, somewhere were homes. This location has a worn down path up to it and many use the buildings as a nice backdrop for their photos.
Transportation: Driving
Other Notes: Watch for broken wood and glass throughout this area. Don’t go into the buildings as some may be unsafe.
Location: The Yellowknife Pits is a large multi-use area made up of mostly sand. There is some material removal by governments but the area is mostly used for recreation purposes. It is a big open space and easy to access by vehicle. A simple place to view the aurora.
Transportation: Drive, Bicycling
Other Notes: The only downside to the Sand Pits is that it is so close to the airport, the airport lights might overpower the aurora borealis.
Location: Within the Yellowknife city limits, the Fred Henne Territorial park is a campground on Highway 3 right beside the airport on Long Lake. Walking through the campground is a great and beautiful way to view the aurora.
Transportation: Driving (5 minutes)
Other Notes: All bathrooms are close. Park in the Day Use Area parking lot (not the campground entrance) and watch for snowmobiles throughout the campground.
Ingraham Trail/Highway 4
Location: Vee Lake is a recreational lake where there are many cabins. To get to Vee Lake get onto Ingraham Trail and follow it until you come across the Vee Lake turn on your left, about 15 minutes up the highway. The Vee Lake road is only gravel and caution should be used on it. At the end of the road, you will find a boat launch or occasionally in the winter an ice road. This is not an official ice road so extreme caution is advised.
Transportation: Driving (25-minutes from Yellowknife)
Other Notes: The road is gravel in the summer and occasionally cleared in the winter. Only drive this road if you have experience driving in winter conditions.
Location: The Yellowknife River Day Use Area is approximately a 20-minute drive from downtown Yellowknife. To get to this location follow the Ingraham Trail highway off of Highway 3 until you see signs for the Yellowknife River. The entrance is just past the river on the right.
Transportation: Tour or Driving (20-minutes)
Other Notes: The Yellowknife River Day Use Area is accessible year round and available during Aurora Viewing times of year. No overnight parking is allowed at this location.
Location: Along Ingraham Trail 24 km. Driving between 25-35 minutes
Transportation: Driving
Other Notes: Simple parking lot overlooking a bay on Prosperous Lake
Location: Madeline Lake is about a 30-minute drive up the Ingraham Trail and is the first lake after the Prosperous Lake Boat Launch. The Day Use Area features a dock, parking, campfire pits, picnic tables and kids playground.
Transportation: Driving
Other Notes: The parking lot is a good size but can be crowded on a busy aurora night. Also, the outhouses are normally closed in the winter.
Location: The Pontoon Lake Day Use Area is about a 40 minutes drive from Yellowknife along the Ingraham Trail. The Day Use Area features a parking lot, access to the lake and places to have a campfire. Pontoon Lake is a popular lake for Whitefish ice fishing.
Transportation: Driving
Other Notes: Do not drive your vehicle onto the lake. In the winter the outhouses are closed.
Location: Prelude Lake Territorial Park is about 45 minutes from Yellowknife along the Ingraham Trail. In the summer the park is a campground. To get to the Day Use Area/Boat Launch you will have to drive through the campground. Down the hill on the shore of the lake, there is also a short walking trail of stairs that goes up to a beautiful lookout over the lake. Perfect for Aurora Viewing.
Transportation: Driving (45 minutes)
Other Notes: The outhouses are often closed in the winter. Be aware when you might be driving on the ice. Don’t drive on thin ice or areas that don’t have other vehicle tracks.
Location: The Cameron River Park is about 50 minutes from Yellowknife along the Ingraham Trail and is right before you cross the bridge over the river itself. From the parking lot, a small set of rapids is a 5-minute walk.
Transportation: Driving (50 minutes)
Other Notes: Dress warmly in the winter. Be aware of animals and don’t walk on potentially thin ice.
Location: At the end of the Ingraham Trail is Tibbitt Lake, which in the winter is the start of the ice road to the Diamond Mines. There is a small parking lot
Transportation: Driving (60 minutes)
Other Notes: There is no cell service this far out of Yellowknife.
Do you have a place to add? Leave us a comment below.
Aurora Viewing Safety
Do Not Park on Roads/Highways
Especially through the winter months the Ingraham Trail and Vee Lake Road have a lot of heavy truck traffic on top of normal traffic. Never park on the side of the Ingraham Trail, always use a parking lot or pull out.
Wear High Visibility Clothing
If your winter gear is all dark colours you are extremely hard to see in the dark. Wear bright colours or proper reflective gear so that you are always seen by motorists when our aurora viewing.
Featured Listing
Aurora Tent Tour
View the Aurora from a warm private tent with a local guide who knows Yellowknife.
Learn More
Still not sure where to go? Book an Aurora Tour!
There are many options in Yellowknife for viewing the aurora borealis. There is Aurora Hunting. There is Aurora Chasing. Then there is viewing the aurora from the comfort of a cabin or teepee. We can help you pick the right tour based on your needs.
Hello Kyle,
Tks for the tips of viewing spots! We are heading Yellowknife in the middle of Oct, hope it’s a good time to visit Aurora.
Thank you Kyle!
I am planning a roadtrip from Ontario to B.C. Hoping to get to both Yellowknife and Whitehorse. I am flexible with the route – ie, is it easier/faster to drive from Edmonton, north to Yellowknife and across to Whitehorse and down thru B.C. or go from B.C. north? thx,
You can’t drive from the NWT to Yukon without going through British Columbia or Alberta and British Columbia. The nicer, but longer, route is to backtrack from Yellowknife back down into Alberta to just north of Grande Prairie where you can turn off and head into British Columbia and get to Mile 0 of the Alaska Highway in Dawson Creek, which will get you to Whitehorse. The alternative route is to drive from Yellowknife to Fort Liard and then into British Columbia. This route is mostly gravel roads and has very few services along the way. Hope this helps.
Thank goodness that someone knows that
Hi. I am planning to visit in the month of April 2018 with my family. Is it the best time for viewing aurora. Can you suggest me a place to stay.
Thanx
Joglekar.
You will be pushing your luck coming in April. Generally, the winter aurora season stretches from December 15 to March 31. If the weather is good and the cloud cover is minimal and aurora strong you will see them into April but there is less of a guarantee. There are many hotels (Explorer Hotel, Chateau Nova, Days Inn, Quality Inn, Capital Suites are all downtown), many Bed & Breakfasts and many Airbnb listings in Yellowknife. Review Trip Advisor and Airbnb for reviews. 🙂
I want to visit Yk for what is forecast to be the monthly cycle peak of Oct 23-28. Why are none (?) of the local viewing outfits open around then? Is this to be avoided (weather ?). Similarly, why do you
mention “pushing your luck in April” ? It will be a long drive (from states via Edmonton) so don’t want to go any further than necessary. Would Edzo (or any place else along the way) be feasible to hang out at for a couple days?
Hello William. Please understand that there are ideal times to view the Aurora Borealis in Yellowknife and the surrounding area. The Aurora is active many night year round but there are other variables you must consider to optimize your chances to view them when visiting Yellowknife. Between October 1 and November 30/December 15 is not ideal to see the Aurora because this is a time of year when there are most cloudy nights than clear nights. This is generally because of the change in season from summer to winter. This would be the same case for anywhere in the Northwest Territories.
Our “winter aurora season” is generally Dec 1/15 – March 31.
After March 31 there starts to become too much daylight. Remember we are also the land of the midnight sun, where in the summer the sun doesn’t set at night. At the same time, there is more cloud cover again because the air temperatures are changing again.
During these periods of low aurora visibility, most tour operators/outfits will close down to recharge and go on holidays of there own because there are not many travels during this time.
Hopefully, this clears up some information for you.
Thanks Kyle! So it seems that it is the iffy weather that makes October bad in particular.
My window of opportunity for this trip is now (or maybe never!). I might decide the
exact dates (have some flexibility) to drive up by studying the weather forecasts, dodging the bad. What do you think of this strategy?
Hi there.. We are a couple on our 50’s very interested in seeing the Northern lights at their best.. which months would be best? but are quite afraid of the cold.. what would our options be? Are there places to stay with class roofs? Are there tours that go to remote areas for best viewing?
Hi Sharon, the winters in Yellowknife are fantastic and if you dress properly are very enjoyable. You can even rent winter clothing if you don’t have any or want to bring it up. So if you were to come in winter the ideal time would be between December 15 and March 31. The end of March over the weekend that the Long John Jamboree happens is a fantastic time. The sun is out longer and it does warm up quite a bit. The Snowking Winter Festival also happens all March (big snow castle on ice). No operator that I know of operates a glass roof viewing. Although a few do offer the option of going to a warm location outside of town.
If you are certain you do not want to experience the cold you should come to Yellowknife between August 15 and September 30. The nights get dark enough to see the aurora and the skies still remain fairly clear, while the weather is more like fall. This is a unique time to visit as the lakes have not frozen nor is there any snow so you might see the reflection of the aurora on the lakes.
Hope this helps.
The Aurora Forecast application lets you easily plan to see the Northern Lights. If you are a serious aurora watcher, plan to spend the night with Aurora Forecast application. It’s time to see the Northern Lights.
Live auroral activity and forecast data is provided by NOAA POES and Geophysical Institute at UAF.
Aurora Forecast works with all iOS running version 4.0 software or later and Android running version 2.1 or later.
http://www.tinacinc.com/AuroraForecast/
Visiting Yellowknife this weekend so crossing my fingers for a good show!
Fingers crossed, Angella. If you need help planning an excursion, let us know.
Thank you so much Kyle. This is definitely a good read and great information on where to view the Northern Lights.
Just a questions… My wife and I are heading up tomorrow and was wondering how the Northern lights are now in Yellowknife? Are they pretty active or a hit and miss. We are planning on staying for two nights, so hoping they are active so the wife can see some Northern Lights.
Thank you for your help and information.
Hi Olay, We recommend for the best chance to view the aurora borealis you should visit Yellowknife for 3 nights. Please keep in mind that the aurora is generally always active at night in Yellowknife, to a varying degree, the real factor that will determine if you can see them or not is the cloud cover. So I would check our local weather.
[…] If you are interested in seeing the aurora on your own, such as if you rent a car, we have developed our Aurora Viewing Locations and Tips Guide. […]
[…] If you are interested in seeing the aurora on your own, such as if you rent a car, we have developed our Aurora Viewing Locations and Tips Guide. […]
Hey Kyle… the folks at ITI finally did something right!
The Best Spots to View the Aurora on the Ingraham Trail “…With Aurora season underway, locals and visitors alike are flocking down the Ingraham Trail to catch the NWT’s world-famous northern lights shows.
To make sure those aurora hunters are well-equipped to find the safest, most spectacular locations for aurora viewing, Industry, Tourism and Investment has produced a ‘Safe Aurora Viewing Locations’ map.
Distributed to hotels, campgrounds, car rental companies and other information hubs around the North Slave, the maps are a hit! Produced in English, French, Cantonese, Mandarin, Japanese and Korean, they highlight the best locations to park and enjoy the show.
“We have heard great feedback from the tourism service providers on how useful the maps are for enhancing aurora-viewing experiences. They are particularly glad we included safe pull off locations and safety tips for the tourists that are not used to driving in our spectacular, but rugged, region. People recognize their language and ask for the maps at the counter” says Kris Johnson, Superintendent for Industry, Tourism and Investment’s North Slave region.
To make the maps more accessible they will be published online so that any device with a web connection can find the best locations to enjoy the lights safely.
Investing in resource materials in just one of the many ways the GNWT is working to encourage and support tourism for a diversified economy.
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/en/newsroom/best-spots-view-aurora-ingraham-trail
Documents:
PDF Ingraham Trail Aurora Viewing Map – English and French
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/sites/www.iti.gov.nt.ca/files/iti_nsr_ingrahamtrailpulloffs_2016_10_12_en_fr.pdf
PDF 觀賞極光的安全地點
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/sites/www.iti.gov.nt.ca/files/iti_nsr_ingrahamtrailpulloffs_2016_10_12_zh-hk.pdf
PDF 안전한 오로 라 관측 장소
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/sites/www.iti.gov.nt.ca/files/iti_nsr_ingrahamtrailpulloffs_2016_10_12_ko.pdf
PDF 北极光安全观赏地点
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/sites/www.iti.gov.nt.ca/files/iti_nsr_ingrahamtrailpulloffs_2016_10_12_zh-cn.pdf
PDF 安全にオーロラを見ることができる地点
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/sites/www.iti.gov.nt.ca/files/iti_nsr_ingrahamtrailpulloffs_2016_10_12_ja.pdf
PDF LIEUX OÙ OBSERVER LES AURORES BORÉALES EN TOUTE SÉCURITÉ…
http://www.iti.gov.nt.ca/sites/www.iti.gov.nt.ca/files/iti_nsr_ingrahamtrailpulloffs_2016_10_12_en_fr_0.pdf …”
[…] If you are interested in seeing the aurora on your own, such as if you rent a car, we have developed our Aurora Viewing Locations and Tips Guide. […]
[…] If you are interested in seeing the aurora on your own, such as at the beginning of April, and if you rent a car, we have developed our Aurora Viewing Locations and Tips Guide. […]
Hello Kyle,
I’m thinking to go to Yellowknife to see the Auroras (I’m going to CA around Sept 15 to Sept 23). So I would like to know if September is a good time to see aurora borealis in yellowknife, could you help me with that please.
Thanks for your time,
Ana
Yes, September is the first or second most popular month to come and see the Aurora Borealis. Accommodations normally book up fast in September because it is such a popular month.
Thank you!
About driving from Calgary to Yellowknife is it take too long or so expensive??
Is it better and cheaper to fly? (we are 2 people)
For two people you can often find a seat sale that would be cheaper than driving and getting a hotel room on your way up.
What airline do you recommend me? or any page?
What is the very best time to view the Aurora Boreals, we would like to come to Yellowknife to see them!
Is there any tourism information you could mail me on hotel,tours, things to do and see!
Hi Louise, there are a few different seasons where the aurora is the very best to see. Late August is fantastic as you only require a light jacket and the reflection of the aurora on the water is amazing. While in February/March there is a crisp and clean vista with all the snow that makes them Magical!
Hi Kyle
We are in Calgary heading to Yellowknife this Thursday Aug30 for 4 nights. Is there any chance we can see the aurora light and where is the best spot close to town??
Yes, if the skies are clear and the aurora forecast is strong there will be a good chance to see them this weekend. As for locations, this articles answers that exact question. There is a “within Yellowknife” section. Please refer to that. – Kyle
[…] One option many visitors have chosen is to rent their own car to explore Yellowknife. Thankfully Yellowknife Car Rental companies have expanded their fleets in the past couple years to accommodate the increasing demand. Below you can find all the options available for renting a car in Yellowknife. If you are interested in a self-guide aurora tour or how to view the aurora borealis on your own, check out our Aurora Boreal in Yellowknife Guide here. […]
Hi Kyle,
Do you have any idea if second week of September is better or fourth week? I will be driving from Edmonton when the astronomynorth forecasts a high probability. What are my chances of seeing aurora if the probability is around 60% on astronomynorth’s forecast? Is it considered high probability or should I wait for even higher figure than that?
Thanks!
Hi Rachna, I can’t say one way or another as each year the weather is slightly different. The bigger factor I would be looking at is cloud cover vs. clear skies. The aurora is mostly active every night, obviously, some night are better than others, but the cloud, for the most part, is the thing that will prevent you from seeing the Aurora.
Hello Kyle,
Great column that you have here… Will be traveling into YK on Sep 24. That happens to be a full moon. I’ll check the aurora forecast app… but will the aurora activity tend to be less or it is
still a guess on what to expect on full moon nights?
The aurora activities aren’t affected by the moon as they are completely separated entities. What seems to be more of a determining factor when there is a full moon or bright moon is the direction in which the moon is in relation to the aurora arch. I have many photos of a full moon and Aurora together. The moon simply lights up the surrounding more than usual. Generally, throughout the night you will have the Aurora building up from North to South, disappear around local midnight briefly and then shoot back across the sky during a substorm breakup.
Is ITI’s suggested routes map as well as your recommended spots on your website the same locations that all the aurora “hunting” tours go to?
I’ll be renting a car during my time in Yellowknife and was thinking of just chasing the lights myself instead or joining a tour.
Within reason, yes, they are very similar. However I can’t speak to all Aurora Tours, some may have their own locations unknown to me. Another thing to keep in mind is that these tours are out every night and have a greater understanding of the road and terrain. Please be cautious in the dark on the highway, and never stop or slow down on the highway.
The further you get out of Yellowknife, the less other vehicles you will see.
Thanks for your tips! We’ve signed up for a tour for the first night this coming weekend, and will gauge the experience and decide whether to do it ourselves or join another tour for the next three nights
[…] visit friends and family or an adventurous road trip. One of the most popular though is to view to spectacular Aurora Borealis. If that is why you are planning a trip to Yellowknife, you are not alone. Most of the time the […]
[…] Again, many aurora tour operators might not be operating. Please keep that in mind. We do have a guide on how to view the Aurora Borealis yourself. As well as a guide to for the different types of tours you can […]
Hi Kyle
We are going to Yellowknife this coming Sept … which hotel do you recommend to base yourself and close to aurora viewing spots as we will be driving by ourself.
Any of the hotels will really work. It is still always best to get slightly out of town, either by rental car or tour.
HI Kyle,
We are planning to visiting Yellowknife after mid October this year.
Is this a good time to see the aurora?
Tks!
Not really. You will be on the very tail end of the Summer/Fall Aurora Season. The weather might start to be too cloudy and rainy/snowy. August-September or Mid-December-Mid-April is best.
Kyle, thank you so much for this information! Such a GREAT resource. Your website, including the timely and patient responses you provide to all of us, is truly appreciated. I’ll be heading to Yellowknife first week of September so hoping to catch the northern lights then!
Thanks, Danny. I’m glad you have found it useful. I have no doubt you will see the Aurora then.
[…] big activity in August is viewing the Northern Lights/Aurora Borealis. We even have a guide on how to view the Aurora Borealis yourself. As well as the different types of tours you can […]
I am thinking of coming in Nov 11 weekend. You mentioned before that the best viewing starts on Dec 15. Should I change it to Feb 15 weekend better? and does the extreme winter conditions affect flights? Have spent so many hours stuck in airports because of snow storms. Much appreciated.
Hi Joe, Yellowknife rarely has snowstorms. We are historically relatively a dry climate with not much snow. February is a much better bet for aurora viewing. There is a greater chance of clouds in November due to the snow freeze-up of the large lake we are on, Great Slave Lake.
Hi Kyle
Is november 1st week a good time to view auroras in yellowknife
At the beginning of November, and for most of November, there are more clouds in the sky than usual. They more often than not will block your view from seeing the Aurora. There is more clouds in the sky at this time of years specicially because this is the start of winter and when Yellowknife gets most of its snow. As Yellowknife is on the edge of a large lake, the temperature change between the water and air, creates more moisture and precipitation in the air, causing more clouds. By the middle of December, the skies typically clear up consistently until April.
[…] Where and how to view the Aurora Borealis […]