Special Places

Throughout Thaidene Nëné, there are many places that have special cultural significance for our people. 

Lockhart River

The headwaters of the Lockhart River flow southeast from MacKay Lake to Artillery Lake and then on to Great Slave Lake. The Lockhart River links the tundra to the boreal forest.

Every summer, the Łutsël K’é Dene gather at a special place called Kache, near an ancient village site at the mouth of the Lockhart River, to share, celebrate, and rejuvenate.
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Today, the Ni Hat’Ni Dene are stationed here and elsewhere throughout Thaidene Nëné to protect and share the rich stories of this area with visitors.

Lockhart River Grave Site

Ts’ąkuı Theda (Lady of the Falls)

Ts’ąkuı Theda (Lady of the Falls) is a spiritual site in Thaidene Nëné, where our people go for healing and to pray.

Snowdrift River

The Snowdrift River is located to the southeast of Łutsël K’é Dene. It feeds into Stark Lake, and then into Tu Nedhé (Great Slave Lake), and continues to be an important place for food gathering, community celebrations, and private cabins.

Along the riverbanks, there are constant reminders of the nomadic history of our ancestors. Homesteads can still be seen, along the river and beside Austin Lake, where many of our grandparents and parents were born. Ancient pathways follow the course of the river to rich hunting grounds upriver.
The lower Snowdrift is particularly magnificent. Legends tell of an old Dene woman referring to the last 30 kilometres of the river as where the water ‘falls down the mountain’. Here, the river tumbles over falls and through canyons over the MacDonald Fault, an ancient rift along the southern boundary of Thaidene Nëné .

During the summer of 2012, the lower Snowdrift was descended by kayak for the first time by John Blyth and Ben Linaker, showing that the lower Snowdrift could be a feasible whitewater kayak trip.
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The river valley is an important area for trapping fur-bearing animals (marten, lynx, wolverine, otters), and a rich area for hunting muskoxen, caribou, bear and moose. Changes in climate and human activity have caused animal populations to fluctuate each year around the river: muskoxen now along the MacDonald Fault were not historically present, and are believed to have migrated southwest from the barrenlands in search of more food.
There are many important fishing areas along the Snowdrift, especially where it flows into Stark Lake, and at the first set of falls. Families set nets, changing the position of nets to catch different species depending on the season. Lake trout, whitefish and ciscoes can be found in the Snowdrift.

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Explore with Local Guides

 ​With world-class fishing and outdoor adventures, Thaidene Nëné is a living legacy for all, where the Łutsël K’é Dene First Nation welcome the world. Join one of our local guides to see the land through the eyes of the people who have lived in this landscape for generations.

Let Us Welcome You

Indigenous Co-Governance

​Thaidene Nëné represents a historic new partnership between Indigenous and public governments to protect natural and cultural heritage and foster local economic development. 

Thaidene Nëné Fund