Paulatuk, or Paulatuuq, (meaning "place where one finds soot of coal") is the nearest community to Tuktut Nogait National Park and the Horton River. It has a population of around 300 people and is known as the Southwind Capital of the Arctic.

In the absence of industrial activities, many of the Inuvialuit who live here still depend on hunting and trapping for a living. However, initial exploration has indicated this area may contain mineral wealth comparable to the Sudbury basin. 

The community received its name from the nearby Smoking Hills, which have burned continuously for centuries due to the autoignition of sulfur-rich lignite deposits.