It was also the name of a community on the Mackenzie where the river joins, now known as Tsiigehtchic.

The Dempster Highway crosses the Mackenzie at this point.

The Arctic Red River's headwaters are in the Mackenzie Mountains, from where it flows 500 km (310 mi) northwest to its confluence with the Mackenzie.

The lower 200 km (120 mi) of the river are navigable by kayakers and canoers, without requiring portaging.

Measured at a gauge about 90 km (56 mi) from the mouth,[3] the average flow between 1968 and 2011 was 158 m3/s (5,600 cu ft/s).