Road tripping through Canada’s north-western Yukon Territory during summer under the spectacular midnight sun might just be the road trip of a lifetime. Easy driving on uncrowded highways takes Australian travellers through some of the most jaw-dropping scenery on the planet.
Along the way, you’ll find full-service welcoming communities and unmissable stopovers. Read on for eight essential pit stops in the Yukon.
SS Klondike National Historic Site
Before you depart the capital city of Whitehorse, be sure to check out the historic SS Klondike, on the banks of the Yukon River. The SS Klondike was the largest sternwheeler of the British Yukon Navigation (BYN) Company sternwheeler fleet in the early twentieth century. Built in 1929, the ship sank in 1936, was rebuilt and launched as the S.S. Klondike II in spring 1937.
Now restored to its original 1937-40 appearance, the S.S. Klondike pays tribute to the inland water transportation system that linked the Yukon to the outside world before the advent of roads.
World’s smallest desert
Just 72 kilometres from Whitehorse, the historic town of Carcross is well worth a pit-stop. Check out some incredible First Nations’ artwork and stop for photos at the staggering totem poles towering overhead. A couple of kilometres outside the village, you’ll find the Carcross Desert, affectionately known as the world’s smallest desert. 10,000 years ago, this was the bottom of a large glacial lake. Today, the sand dunes run to the shore of Bennett Lake, known for its beautiful beach covered in fine, white sand. Take a walk along the lake shores and discover the fascinating tales of Klondike gold stampeders who carved a treacherous trail on their way to Dawson City 125 years ago.
Haines Junction
Haines Junction, surrounded by the magnificent Saint Elias Mountains, is the gateway to UNESCO site Kluane National Park and home to abundant wildlife, including the highest concentration of grizzly bears in North America. Check out the Da Kų Cultural Centre in the village and join a ‘campfire talk’ at nearby Kathleen Lake campground to learn more about the rich culture of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations.
Hike Montana Mountain
A remarkable stratavolcano boasting incredible views, Montana Mountain is the perfect place to stretch your legs, just south of Carcross on the South Klondike Highway. Hike part of the 15-kilometre trail and be rewarded with breathtaking vistas of the surrounding mountains. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife, including caribou and grizzly bears. Stop nearby at Carcross for an ‘apres’ espresso at Caribou Coffee or a frosty pint at the Surly Bird Saloon in the newly renovated historic Caribou Hotel.
Kluane National Park
Being half the size of Switzerland, Kluane National Park deserves more than a pit-stop to fully appreciate its splendour. Hundreds of hiking trails beckon, abundant lakes offer wonderful canoeing, and the Tatshenshini-Alsek river system, fed by ancient glaciers, is the ultimate white-water destination for thrill seekers. A flightseeing tour over Kluane’s St Elias Icefield (the largest non-polar icefield in the world) is an absolute must-do on any vacation to the Yukon.
Sign Post Forest
East of Whitehorse, Watson Lake is home to one of the Yukon’s quirkiest attractions, known as Sign Post Forest, featuring a road-side collection of more than 77,000 signs from around the world. This unique time capsule dates back to 1942 when US Soldier, Carl K. Lindley erected a sign marking the direction and distance to his hometown, Illinois. The trend caught on, with locals and visitors from across the globe continuing to add their own sign posts. You can BYO or make one at the Watson Lake Visitor Information Centre to contribute to this peculiar, colourful collection. Take a hike to the frothy Liard River and cool off afterwards on the Lucky Lake waterslides.
Dawson City
One of the country’s most historic and unusual townships, Dawson City looks like a movie set with its gold-rush era buildings and boardwalks. With 2023 marking the 125th anniversary of the Klondike Gold Rush, there’s never been a better time to learn more about this significant era, when thousands of miners struggled across the Chilkoot Pass and floated the Yukon River to Dawson City, surviving on stories of riches found in the creek. Gold Bottom Mine Tours offers the only authentic operating placer gold mine tour in the Klondike. Learn the art of panning in the creek and listen to the incredible stories about life in the goldfields. Take the ferry across the river and visit the Sternwheeler Graveyard, a collection of long-retired sternwheelers resting on the riverbank.
Tombstone Territorial Park
Just 55 kilometres from Dawson City lies one of the Yukon’s most striking natural phenomena and a world-class hiking destination, Tombstone Territorial Park. With its dramatic wind-carved alps, including the craggy granite peak of Tombstone Mountain, the Park features rainbows of striking, windswept tundra in a treeless landscape, ground-hugging plants and unusual permafrost landforms. Take a walk on one of the trails and watch for caribou, moose, Dall’s sheep, grizzly and black bears, wolves, hoary marmots, pikas, shrews, voles and more than 148 species of birds. In late August, the ground vegetation creates a beautiful tapestry of gold, red and green, and the night sky brings views of stunning northern lights. Solar activity is reaching its peak in the 11-year cycle, creating ideal conditions for displays of the aurora when the skies are clear.
Want more? Choose from one of these seven iconic road trips or loop a few favourite drives together. With breathtaking vistas and inviting detours, you won’t want the journey to end.
GETTING THERE
Air Canada offers daily direct flights to Vancouver from Sydney and direct flights between Brisbane and Vancouver four times per week. Direct flights from Sydney to Vancouver are also available on Qantas. Internal flights to Whitehorse and Dawson City are available on Air North and Air Canada.
For more information about Yukon visit www.travelyukon.com.
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