[1] The site has great cultural and spiritual significance for the Sahtu people,[2] as it is considered sacred land and it features prominently in their oral histories.

[3] Saoyú-ʔehdacho is 5,587 square kilometres (2,157 sq mi) in size, approximately the size of the province of Prince Edward Island,[2] and consists of two peninsulas: Saoyú (Grizzly Bear Mountain) and ʔehdacho (Scented Grass Hills).

[3] The peninsulas are both characterized by flat summits, approximately 725 and 650 metres (2,379 and 2,133 ft) above sea level respectively.

The perimeters of both promontories feature a series of raised beaches, formed by the post-glacial rebound, which contain the majority of the known evidence of human occupation of the lands, including archaeological resources related to pre-contact occupation from over 5000 years ago.

[4] Saoyú-ʔehdacho was designated a National Historic Site in 1997, on the basis that the landscape, its cultural resources (including graves, trails and cabins) and its associated oral histories contribute to an understanding of the origin, spiritual values, lifestyle and land-use of the Sahtu Dene.