Great Slave Lake is the tenth-largest lake in the world, and Yellowknife sits on its north shore. In summer, sandy beaches along the lakeshore attract locals for swimming, while the open water draws kayakers, canoeists, and sport fishers after lake trout, northern pike, and walleye. Charter boat tours run from the Old Town float base. The lake's size and openness mean it creates its own weather; afternoon storms can build quickly, so respect the water.
In winter, the lake freezes to a depth of over a metre, and the ice road across Yellowknife Bay to the Dene community of Dettah becomes one of the more unusual driving experiences in Canada. The road is marked and maintained, but the sensation of driving across several kilometres of frozen lake in a vehicle, with the ice groaning and cracking beneath you, is not easily forgotten. Ice fishing is popular throughout the winter season.