In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Fort McPherson
Teetł'it Zheh
Stop for fuel and one night on the Dempster Highway, not as a destination: 1 night, Jun–Aug by road, or fly in during river break-up and freeze-up.
Fort McPherson is a Gwich'in community of about 650 people on the Peel River and the only settlement of any size between the Yukon border and Inuvik. It exists for travellers as a fuel stop, a bed and a look at the Lost Patrol graves; two hours covers the sights, and the road in is the real trip.
- Country
- Canada
- Local name
- Teetł'it Zheh
- Best months
- Jun–Aug (road open, ferries running)
- Avoid
- Apr–May and Oct–Nov (break-up and freeze-up: no road access)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$60–120 excl. bed (camping, self-catering) · Mid C$150–250 excl. bed (hotel restaurant meals, fuel) · High C$350+ excl. bed (hotel room plus charters and tours) (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police (RCMP) +1 867 952-1111 · Fire +1 867 377-0080 · Ambulance / health centre +1 867 377-0074 · All emergencies 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Campsite, Nitainlii Territorial Park | C$30 per day |
| Hotel room, Peel River Inn | about C$349 per night |
| Burgers and fries, food truck | C$15–25 |
| Coffee | C$3–5 |
| Fuel, per litre | C$1.80–2.20 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$25–50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ZFM · Fort McPherson Airport
- Aklak Air from Inuvik, about 30 min, weekdays; scheduled mainly during break-up and freeze-up
- YEV · Inuvik (Mike Zubko) Airport
- Nearest major airport; drive south on the Dempster or arrange a charter
Typical fares
- Aklak Air Inuvik → Fort McPherson
- about 30 min, weekdays; fare on request
- Dempster Highway, Fort McPherson → Inuvik
- about 2.5 h by road, ferries in summer
- Ice road Fort McPherson → Aklavik
- about 2.5 h, winter only
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The hamlet is small enough to walk; there is no public transport and no taxi. Fuel at the Co-op gas bar or the Northern gas bar before leaving — the next stations are Inuvik and Eagle Plains, each about 3 hours away. In winter a community ice road runs to Aklavik in about 2.5 hours.
See and do
Known for
- Dempster Highway fuel stop
- Lost Patrol gravesite
- Teetł'it Gwich'in First Nation
- Hudson's Bay Company post remains
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Tsiigehtchic | Dempster Highway north, then the Mackenzie River ferry in summer | About 45 min |
| Inuvik | Dempster Highway north, ferries at the Peel and Mackenzie rivers in summer | About 2.5 h |
| Aklavik | Community-maintained ice road in winter only | About 2.5 h |
| Eagle Plains and Dawson City | Dempster Highway south to the Klondike Highway | Eagle Plains about 3 h; Dawson City a long day |
Sleep
- Peel River Inn area (Tetlit Gwich'in Rd)
- The only hotel, next to the Co-op gas bar and its restaurant; walk to everything in town.
- Nitainlii Territorial Park
- Campground 11 km (6.8 mi) south of town on the Dempster; 23 non-powered sites, late May to early September.Campground 6.8 mi (11 km) south of town on the Dempster; 23 non-powered sites, late May to early September.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Mahsi'mah-see |
| Hello | Nakhwatail'ehcheck pronunciation |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- No road access during spring break-up and fall freeze-up; check DriveNWT for ferry and ice-crossing status before you commit.
- The Dempster is unpaved gravel: expect chips, dust and slow going, and carry a spare tyre and fuel.
- Alcohol limits apply: about 2,280 mL of liquor per person, or 4,560 mL per vehicle with two or more people.
- Dining is limited to a food truck and the hotel restaurant, both mostly fast food; bring supplies.
- Summer mosquitoes are heavy near the river; winter means extreme cold and short daylight.
A small, quiet community and generally safe for visitors. The real risks are the road and the weather: gravel-highway breakdowns, no fuel for three hours in either direction, extreme winter cold, and closed river crossings in break-up and freeze-up.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Fort McPherson yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Dempster Highway fuel stop
- Lost Patrol gravesite
- Teetł'it Gwich'in First Nation
- Hudson's Bay Company post remains
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Northwest Territories Tourism: spectacularnwt.com/
- DriveNWT — ferries and ice crossings: drivenwt.ca/
- Parks Canada — Fort McPherson National Historic Site: www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=324
- NWT Parks — Nitainlii Territorial Park: www.nwtparks.ca/find-a-park/nataiinlaii-territorial-park
- Wikivoyage: Fort McPherson, revision 5326460 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5326460
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Fort McPhersonTeetł'it Zheh
check
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police (RCMP)+1 867 952-1111
- Fire+1 867 377-0080
- Ambulance / health centre+1 867 377-0074
- All emergencies911
No consulates in Fort McPherson. The nearest consular help is in Yellowknife or Edmonton; US citizens can contact the US consulate general in Calgary or Edmonton.
Fuel up here: the next gas stations are Inuvik and Eagle Plains, each about 3 hours away.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/fort-mcpherson). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.