Prelude Lake Territorial Park
A lakeside park beside the Ingraham Trail, with campgrounds, a sandy beach and a loop trail around the lake. Popular for paddling in summer and for aurora reflections in autumn.
Prelude Lake Territorial Park is about 30 km from Yellowknife, roughly a 30-minute drive along the Ingraham Trail (Highway 4). It is where locals love to camp and paddle in summer. The park has dozens of campsites, a dock, picnic areas and a nature trail of about 4.5 km (Prelude Lake Nature Trail), which passes through boreal forest and granite basins where you may spot loons, beavers and a variety of berries. The lake has many islands, suitable for kayaking and fishing for pike and lake trout. From late August through September, the nights are free of light pollution, and photographers often come to the lakeshore to capture aurora reflections. Campgrounds are usually open in summer and must be booked in advance on the Northwest Territories parks website. In winter the road is open, but the facilities are closed.
Opening hours
Campsite open all day approx. mid-May to mid-September
Nearby sights
- Pontoon Lake
- Aurora Village
- Cameron Falls
- Dettah Ice Road
- Great Slave Lake (Yellowknife Bay)
- Old Town & Bush Pilots Monument
- Wildcat Cafe
- Ingraham Trail