Some 25km west of Fort Smith, along the road to Hay River, an unsealed 11km access road branches off toward a viewpoint overlooking the great salt-encrusted expanse of the Salt Plains, punctuated by salt mounds – part of the Wood Buffalo National Park. Steps lead down to the plains; visitors are requested to walk barefoot to preserve the fragile ecology.
Salt Plains Lookout
Northwest Territories
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.08 MILES
Established in 1922 to protect a large, dark and distinctly Northern subspecies of bison, and straddling the Alberta–NWT border, is Wood Buffalo National…
-
25.05 MILES
Twelve kilometers south of Fort Smith, an old road leads east towards the river, with a footpath dipping down to a creek and ascending a bluff overlooking…
-
18.93 MILES
Named after a fatal 19th-century boat accident, these turbulent rapids are the northernmost pelican nesting site in the world. Walk 10 minutes from the…
-
18.11 MILES
This museum has intriguing displays on local history, from the first Dene arrivals 10,000 years ago to the founding of the 19th-century fur-trapping post…
-
29.36 MILES
The Slave River's southernmost rapids are in Fort Fitzgerald, part of Smith's Landing First Nation, 24km south of Fort Smith. Follow the road to the river…
-
23.06 MILES
Eight kilometers south of Fort Smith, towards Fort Fitzgerald, these rapids are accessible via a 2.5km dirt road just past the golf course. There are…
-
Fort Smith Mission Historic Park
18.36 MILES
This park commemorates the days when Fort Smith was Catholicism's beachhead into the North. Self-guided tour maps are available from the visitor center.
Nearby Northwest Territories attractions
17.08 MILES
Established in 1922 to protect a large, dark and distinctly Northern subspecies of bison, and straddling the Alberta–NWT border, is Wood Buffalo National…
18.11 MILES
This museum has intriguing displays on local history, from the first Dene arrivals 10,000 years ago to the founding of the 19th-century fur-trapping post…
3. Fort Smith Mission Historic Park
18.36 MILES
This park commemorates the days when Fort Smith was Catholicism's beachhead into the North. Self-guided tour maps are available from the visitor center.
18.93 MILES
Named after a fatal 19th-century boat accident, these turbulent rapids are the northernmost pelican nesting site in the world. Walk 10 minutes from the…
23.06 MILES
Eight kilometers south of Fort Smith, towards Fort Fitzgerald, these rapids are accessible via a 2.5km dirt road just past the golf course. There are…
25.05 MILES
Twelve kilometers south of Fort Smith, an old road leads east towards the river, with a footpath dipping down to a creek and ascending a bluff overlooking…
29.36 MILES
The Slave River's southernmost rapids are in Fort Fitzgerald, part of Smith's Landing First Nation, 24km south of Fort Smith. Follow the road to the river…