from the museum (about the Canol trail)

In WWII, the American government unilaterally built both a road to the Wells from Yukon, and started pumping oil. Canada never protested, and Dene were never consulted. Thus, the town of oil and gas was born. The highway is long deteriorated, even the pipeline is gone. Now the old highway is a hiking trail and part of "heritage" that you can even spot on a map.

I apologize for the really crappiness of the photo.