Driving to Yellowknife along the MacKenzie Highway

Fires, buffalo, and ferries!

The north is known for its huge wildfires during their hot dry summers. I mean HUGE, bigger than people in the lower 48 can imagine or comprehend. As we were driving along the MacKenzie Highway we could see and smell smoke from a long distance away. Eventually we encountered a road block and waited 30 minutes or so for a pilot vehicle to escort us through the flames. We continued to smell and see the smoke for days.

This area is also well known for the bison that roam freely everywhere. There are two herds, the Mackenzie herd and the Wood Buffalo herd. You will see them by the road and on the road along with a few black bear here and there.

Bison roam the roads freely – everywhere

Bison

We saw quite a few bear along the MacKenzie Highway

As we turned off the MacKenzie Hwy to the Yellowknife Highway (Hwy 3) we headed north to the MacKenzie River to board the Merv Hardee ferry to allow us to cross and continue on north. We know that a new bridge is being constructed, the Deh Cho bridge, and hopefully it will be complete sometime within the next few years.  This will really change the lives of those people/businesses in Yellowknife for receiving ground supplies over the winter.  A bridge, YES!

Link to Map in “Where We’ve Been”

The Merv Hardee ferry along the MacKenzie River

Do I spy a Deh Cho bridge construction over the MacKenzie River – maybe in a few years

Aboard the Merv Hardee