In February and March each year, the trail is the initial section of the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road to three diamond mines located 300 km (190 mi) northeast of Yellowknife.

The trail is also known as Yellowknife's cottage country, with the bulk of seasonal and year-round cabins located between Cassidy Point and Prelude Lake Territorial Park.

Although it serves primarily recreational activities and area residences in this lake-dotted country, after the ice break-up on Great Slave Lake, the highway is the only access to Dettah from Yellowknife.

This is shown on the first season of the American reality television series, Ice Road Truckers, which aired on History.

Yellowknife has experienced an aurora borealis tourism boom the last few years and the Ingraham Trail is the prime viewing location.