Enterprise

Enterprise is a hamlet of 125 people (2017) in Northwest Territories in northern Canada. It is at an important junction of the Mackenzie Highway and the road to Yellowknife.

Understand

Hay River at Enterprise

Enterprise is a significant point on the Northwest Territories highway system, as all traffic originating from Alberta en route to the two largest population centres, Yellowknife and Hay River, must pass through. It was established in the winter of 1948-49 when a service station was opened at the junction of the Mackenzie Highway and the Mills Lake winter road, which connected to the Mills Lake freight staging area on the Mackenzie River below Fort Providence. In 1959-1960, the highway was extended to Yellowknife on the north side of Great Slave Lake, increasing Enterprise junction's importance. The village was totally destroyed by wildfires in August 2023.

Climate

Enterprise has a subarctic climate with the yearly mean temperature being below zero in spite of the relatively warm summers around 22 °C (72 °F) resulting in Enterprise being well below the tree line in the boreal forest. Winter average highs are around −20 °C (−4 °F) with lows being −31 °C (−24 °F), typical of the boreal forests north of the prairies.

Get in

Enterprise is 84 km (52 mi) north of the Alberta border along the Highway 1 (Mackenzie Highway) and 38 km (24 mi) south of Hay River on Highway 2.

See

There are some waterfalls not far from Enterprise.

• 1 Alexandra Falls (10 km south of Enterprise on Hwy 1 in the Alexandra Falls Territorial Park Day Use Area). 32-metre (105 ft) waterfall on the Hay River; 4 km day hike upriver from Louise Falls and Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park. (updated Oct 2018)
• 2 Louise Falls (9 km south of Enterprise on Hwy 1 in Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park). Tiered, 15 m (49 ft) waterfall on the Hay River; 4 km dayhike downriver from Alexandra Falls. (updated Oct 2018)
• 3 McNallie Creek Falls (37 km north of Enterprise on Hwy 1 in the McNallie Creek Falls Territorial Park Day Use Area). (updated Oct 2018)

Buy

• 1 Winnies Dene Art Gallery and Gift Shop, 120 Gateway Drive, ☏ +1 867 984-3211. Tu-Su 11AM-6PM. Specializing in high quality Dene arts and fine crafts. (updated Jul 2019)

Eat and drink

The nearest places to get food and drink are in Hay River.

Sleep

There are more lodgings in Hay River.

Camping

• 1 60th Parallel Territorial Park (84 km south of Enterprise on Hwy 1 at the Alberta/NWT border). (updated Oct 2018)
• 2 Twin Falls Gorge Territorial Park (9 km south of Enterprise on Hwy 1). 28 powered campsites. $28/night. (updated Feb 2024)

Go next

• Yellowknife
• Wood Buffalo National Park
• Great Slave Lake
• Fort Smith
• High Level

Routes through Enterprise

Fort Simpson ← Yellowknife via ←	N  S	→ becomes → High Level → Peace River
END ← Hay River ←	N  S	→ END