Whatì, Northwest Territories: Lac La Martre History, Tłı̨chǫ Culture and Road Travel Guide
Whatì is a Tłı̨chǫ community on Lac La Martre in the North Slave travel region of the Northwest Territories. The name means “Marten Lake,” the same meaning carried by the older French name Lac La Martre.
The community is known for fishing, bird migration, Tłı̨chǫ language and culture, and the Tłı̨chǫ Highway, which opened in 2021 and gave Whatì all-season road access for the first time.
How Whatì Started
The Lac La Martre area has long been Tłı̨chǫ land and a traditional hunting and fishing area. NWT Bureau of Statistics records that the North West Company established a permanent post at the site in 1793, although trade continued to centre on larger posts elsewhere for long periods.
The community was known publicly as Lac La Martre before the Tłı̨chǫ name became official. Whatì is now one of the Tłı̨chǫ community governments established in the Tłı̨chǫ Agreement era, along with Behchokǫ̀, Gamètì, and Wekweètì.
What Whatì Is Like Today
Whatì sits on a major lake with a strong fishing identity. NWT Tourism highlights Lac La Martre for lake trout, northern pike, waterfowl migration, and wildlife. The community has a school, local government, accommodations, and community services, with road access adding a new practical layer to travel and supply.
That all-season road has changed how visitors reach Whatì. The GNWT describes the Tłı̨chǫ Highway as a 97-kilometre road from Highway 3 west of Yellowknife to Whatì. It opened to the public on November 30, 2021, replacing the older pattern of air and winter-road access for many trips.
The road has made Whatì easier to reach, but the community still feels shaped by lake country. Fishing seasons, weather, local events, and family use of the land remain more important to the community than drive-through travel.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
Lac La Martre is the main visitor focus. Fishing, shoreline views, and bird migration give the community its strongest travel identity, and local lodges or hosts can help visitors understand what is possible by season. NWT Tourism also identifies Whatì Waterfall as a local highlight reached by road from the community. The waterfall, lake, and highway together make Whatì one of the more accessible Tłı̨chǫ community visits for travellers who prepare properly.
The highway connection makes Whatì more accessible from Behchokǫ̀ and the Yellowknife highway system, but visitors should still plan as northern travellers: services are limited, weather can change quickly, and lake travel requires local knowledge.
Quick Facts
- Territory: Northwest Territories
- Region: North Slave
- Community type: Tłı̨chǫ community government
- Population: 612
- Main travel access: Tłı̨chǫ Highway, Whatì Airport, and lake travel by season
- Key visitor themes: Lac La Martre, fishing, Tłı̨chǫ culture, Whatì Waterfall, all-season road access
Travel Notes
Check road conditions, fuel, lodging, and local fishing or touring arrangements before leaving larger service centres. The all-season road improves access, but Whatì remains a small northern community. Visitors should respect private areas, harvesting practices, and community events.