Northern lights in Yellowknife – Mother nature’s magnificent light show

A city located in the middle of vast wilderness, Yellowknife is home to the exclusive northern lights.  – The ‘yellow’ in Yellowknife refers to gold, the original reason to build a city in this frigid zone. The main street runs from the old town to the new town.

Listed below are a few important pointers for anyone planning a trip to northern lights in Yellowknife to witness the magical light show by mother nature:

You can witness the northern lights in Yellowknife anytime

During the summer time, the Yellowknife sky is too bright for aurora/ northern light viewing. Yellowknife is located at a high latitude due to which in summer with almost 24 hrs of daylight, it is impossible to view the northern lights.

What is the best time to see the northern lights in Yellowknife?

For up to 240 days a year, the sky turns into a dark canvas. This is the time when you can see the lights shimming bright and crisp. In the middle of August to the end of September and again from mid-November until mid-April, it is the best time to spot these alluring lights.

If you visit mid-May, you will notice that the sky doesn’t get dark at all and the Sun rises after 3 am and sets at 11 pm.

The northern lights in Yellowknife are unpredictable

Usually, the aurora appears on a dark and clear night, anytime from 6 pm to 6 am. The northern lights, resulting from forms of electromagnetic energy drawn to the earth’s poles, change the atmosphere and cause the glow.

The colors of the northern lights in Yellowknife

The northern lights put up a fascinating show, displaying an array of indulging colours. Pale green and pink are the most common, although if you are lucky, the shades of red, yellow, green, blue, and violet can captivate your vision too!

This delightful lumière disco is created by the Earth’s spread of gasses and the height in the atmosphere resulting in a collision of particles from the sun.

The best northern light viewing spots in Yellowknife

Although there are many companies who claim to provide you the experience, there is no doubt that you can view it on your own too.

The farther you get from city light; the higher chance you have to spot the northern lights in Yellowknife.

Here is a list of places to view northern lights in Yellowknife:

• Dettah Ice road – When you get to School Draw Avenue, you will come across an entrance to the Dettah Ice Road.

(Please note that the Ice Road is only open in the winter and usually from January to March)

• Pilots Monument – Situated in the middle of Old Town, Yellowknife up the hill is often called as the rock.

(You will find a parking lot at the top of the road where the stairs will lead you to the top of the monument. This spot will give you an excellent 360 view of Yellowknife)

• Parker Park – Located right off of Finlayson Drive in Yellowknife South, Parker Park is a big open area; a great place to spot the northern lights in Yellowknife.
• Prelude Lake – Prelude Lake Territorial Park is about 45 minutes from Yellowknife along the Ingraham Trail.
• End of Ingraham Trail – During winters, it becomes the start of the ice road to the Diamond Mines. At the end of the Ingraham Trail, you’ll find Tibbitt Lake.

All the best to the explorers and travelers out there! Hope this blog was helpful to you. Comment down below what colors did the northern lights show you!

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