From the Yellowknife [1] junction, the Mackenzie Highway continues west through a typical northern boreal forest, reaching the largest town in the region, Fort Simpson [2], after 268 kilometers (166 miles). The road is unpaved but well maintained.
Approximately 136 kilometers (84 miles) from the turn-off at Highway 3, the Mackenzie Highway reaches Sambaa Deh Falls on the Trout River. The falls are directly downstream from the road bridge and are easily accessible from the day-use area, on the other side of the road.
Here, the river is forced through a narrow gorge, exploding into the deep pond below. A one-kilometer (0.6-mile) trail upstream leads to a fossil-filled limestone outcrop.
The Sambaa Deh Falls Territorial Park has camping (showers, bug-proof cooking shelters, and well-maintained sites for $17 per night) and a Visitors Centre (daily 8 a.m.–8 p.m. mid-May–mid-Sept.) with a fossil display and TV room where nature videos are shown.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/western-canada/northwest-territories/yellowknife
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/western-canada/northwest-territories/nahanni-country-and-the-mackenzie-valley/fort-simpson