The classic approach is the Dempster Highway from Dawson City in the Yukon — 740 kilometres of gravel road across Arctic tundra. Stop at the visitors centre in Dawson before you start for current conditions and advice. The road is mostly coarse gravel that will crack your windshield if you follow another vehicle too closely or drive too fast — 70 km/h is the sensible maximum. Bring spare tyres, spare fuel, and get glass coverage on your rental car. You will be glad you did.
The drive is extraordinary — hundreds of kilometres of open tundra, wild horses, eagles, snow on the ground in July, and the crossing of the Arctic Circle. The only stop between Dawson and Inuvik is Eagle Plains, roughly the midpoint. It has fuel, a restaurant, a mechanic, and a motel — book ahead if you want to stay overnight. In summer, ask for a room on the east side of the building; the midnight sun keeps west-facing rooms uncomfortably warm.
You can also fly — Canadian North operates scheduled flights from Yellowknife and Whitehorse. Since 2017, the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway extends the road system to the Arctic Ocean.