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Klondike Kluane Route
Overview
Print PageRoute - 1368 km / 850 mi
Day | Location | Distance | Duration |
---|---|---|---|
01 | Whitehorse | All day | |
02 | -- | ||
03 | -- | ||
04 | Whitehorse to Dawson City | 533 km / 331 mi | Approx. 6 hours |
05 | Dawson City and Surrounds | All day | |
06 | -- | ||
07 | Dawson City to Haines Junction | 660 km / 410 mi | Approx. 7 hours 15 minutes |
08 | -- | ||
09 | Haines Junction | All day | |
10 | Haines Junction to Whitehorse | 155 km / 96 mi | Approx. 1 hour 45 minutes |
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Whitehorse
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Whitehorse to Dawson City
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Dawson City and Surrounds
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Dawson City to Haines Junction
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Haines Junction
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Haines Junction to Whitehorse
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Trip Extension - Haines Junction to Haines
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Trip Extension - Haines to Skagway
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Trip Extension - Skagway to Whitehorse
Trip Details
Whitehorse offers all the amenities of a big city, with an endearing small-town personality. Sightseeing and outdoor activities are many and we recommend you spend at least two full days here to explore all there is to offer.
Sightseeing | Activities |
S.S. Klondike National Historic Site MacBride Museum of Yukon History Yukon Transportation Museum Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre Old Log Church Museum Waterfront Trolley Whitehorse Fish Ladder Copperbelt Railway and Mining Museum Miles Canyon Yukon Artists at Work Gallery Yukon Wildlife Preserve |
Hiking Dog sled kennel visits and hiking with huskies Mountain Biking Canoe/kayak the Yukon River Play a round of golf at midnight Horseback Riding Fishing Nordic Eclipse Hot Springs |
Once you've explored opportunities within Whitehorse City, maybe consider a day trip to the Southern Lakes Region. Named for the interconnected lakes and rivers that form the headwaters of the mighty Yukon River, this region is also home to diverse landscapes, from desert dunes to snow-capped mountains. Villages to explore include Carcross, Mt Lorne, Tagish, Teslin, Marsh Lake & Atlin.
A soak at the end of the day at the Nordic Eclipse Hot Springs (approx 30 minutes north of Whitehorse) might also be an option for the travel weary.
Dawson City's population was at its peak during the 19th Century Klondike Gold Rush and, while the population now numbers fewer than 2000 people, many of the buildings from that era have been preserved. Other areas have been reconstructed with frontier-style facades, making you feel you've stepped back more than a century in time. Dawson City has three private campgrounds and a Territorial Park campground just across the river so campers have serious choices about where to stay.
Signtseeing
Claim National Historic Site Dredge No. 4 National Historic Site |
Fort Cudahy & Fort Constantine Historic Site |
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Robert Service Cabin | |
Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre | Jack London Museum | |
Forty Mile | Diamond Tooth Gertie’s |
Activities
Parks Canada Tours | Klondike Spirit cruise on the Yukon River |
Gold Panning at Free Claim #6 |
Tours and Further Afield
Tour the Goldfields
Visitors can spend the day exploring the goldfields with a visit to Dredge No.4 National Historic Site and the Discovery Claim National Historic Site. They can also try their hand at panning for gold.
The Stories of Dawson City
Many of Dawson City’s historic buildings are managed by Parks Canada who offer a range of walking tours. From the Commissioner’s Residence to the Palace Grand Theatre, interpretive guides bring to life the stories of Dawson. There are also poetry readings at the Robert Service Cabin or guided hikes that incorporate learning about the bard and listening to some of his poems. The perfect way to finish the day is at Diamond Tooth Gertie’s to take in a can-can show.
Tombstone Territorial Park
Located about an hour north of the Dempster Corner turnoff, Tombstone Territorial Park is one of the Yukon’s premier parks. Its a unique wilderness of rugged peaks, permafrost landforms and abundant wildlife. A good starting point is the Interpretive Centre, where interpreters offer local knowledge, park and travel information, special events and tips for wildlife viewing from the highway. The park is especially beautiful in late August when the fall colours appear.
A free ferry across the Yukon River connects to the Top of the World Highway. The drive loops through Alaska via the Taylor Highway (here you can connect through Tok for a few days in interior Alaska) and then back to the Yukon where travellers will re-enter Canada.
The drive then continues along the Alaska Highway through a breathtaking landscape to Beaver Creek, Canada’s westernmost community for an overnight stop. It continues through Burwash Landing (visit the Kluane Museum of Natural History) and Destruction Bay to Haines Junction.
See and do:
Kluane National Park and Reserve | Kathleen Lake |
Kluane Lake | Dä Ku (Our House) |
Tachäl Dhäl Visitor Centre | St. Elias Convention Centre |
Glacier Flightseeing | Hiking in Kluane National Park & Reserve |
White Water Rafting on the Tatshenshini River | Fishing |
After so much driving between Dawson City and Haines Junction, you might like to chill out for a day in this wilderness town and soak in the scenery. Many people are a little confused between Haines and Haines Junction. Haines Junction is in Canada and lies a point where you can head south to Haines and the Alaskan border, north-west to mainland Alaska or east to Whitehorse. If you're in the mood for swimming or a picnic, Pine Lake is less than 10km from Haines Junction. You may even elect to camp at the Territorial Park campground there. Haines Junction is also a good base from which to explore Kluane National Park, home to Dall sheet, mountain goats, moose, caribou, bears and numerous species of small mammals and birds.
CanaDream Club Partners:
Skagway is home to gold-rush era buildings now preserved as part of a National Historical Park. To familiarize yourself with the town, perhaps a Skagway Street Car City Tour should be considered. This will take you to all points of interest in and around Skagway. A popular choice of tour is also the Yukon & White Pass Railway, these days mainly pulled by a diesel engine, which travels though breathtaking mountain sceneries including glaciers, gorges, waterfalls, tunnels, trestles and historic sites. If you choose to spend more than a day or two in Skagway, a boat trip down the fjords to Juneau, the USA's only capital city not accessible by road.
Whitehorse is a beautiful city where you can enjoy intimate meals, hot and cold drinks and experience Yukon excitement such as mushing excursions in the winter and more viewing of the northern lights if you haven’t squeezed enough in.
Check out some of our other Yukon itineraries.