When planning a trip to Yukon, you can choose from different areas of focus: the mountain and glacier landscape of Kluane National Park and Reserve, the cultural history of Dawson City, and the nature and hiking opportunities in Tombstone Territorial Park. The themes you choose to focus on can therefore also guide your search for a suitable base for your trip.

Mountain Landscapes and Outdoor Activities

In southwestern Yukon, Kluane National Park and Reserve protects a landscape of high mountain peaks and immense valley glaciers. Visitors can paddle on Kathleen Lake. This means that within the same protected area, a defining landscape and a specific water-based activity go hand in hand. If mountains and glaciers are your main focus for the trip, you’ll find a clear thematic focus here.

Tombstone Territorial Park offers a different range of experiences: wilderness camping and drive-in camping, hiking trails and viewpoints, wildlife and birdwatching, as well as winter activities. Before your trip, check the operational details and conditions. The Tombstone Interpretive Centre on the Dempster Highway explores the region’s natural and cultural history through its exhibits; visitors can also take part in a guided hike.

Dawson City: Gold Rush and Cultural Heritage

At the Dawson City Museum, visitors can explore different perspectives on the history of the Klondike Gold Rush. The museum has collections, exhibits, a research library, and interpretive programs; program availability may vary. The Gold Rush is presented through the experiences of prospectors, entrepreneurs, and the demimonde. The Yukon’s First Peoples and explorers are also among the museum’s topics.

The Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre on the banks of the Yukon River in Dawson City offers another perspective. It presents the heritage of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation. Visitors can take part in interactive programs or choose a tour of the Hammerstone Gallery. Check the tour’s availability before your trip. The museum and cultural centre have different emphases: the museum focuses, among other things, on the history of the Gold Rush, while the Cultural Centre focuses on the heritage of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in.

Historic Sites and Trip Planning

The Yukon Walking Tours App offers self-guided tours of historic sites in Yukon communities. Its coverage may be expanded or revised. The Yukon Sights and Sites App helps with planning drives along Yukon’s main highways; its content and highway coverage may also be updated. The two resources therefore address different planning needs: historic sites in communities on the one hand, and drives along the highways on the other.

The area surrounding Yukon also includes Herschel Island–Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park, off Yukon’s northern coast in the Beaufort Sea region. It protects significant natural and cultural heritage and is home to Arctic plants, animals, and marine life, including the western Arctic’s largest colony of black-legged kittiwakes. The Inuvialuit have used the area for millennia; traces of former dwellings are visible on the island. At Pauline Cove, American whalers established a station in the late 1800s, and several historic buildings remain.

From mid-June to mid-September, visitors can charter aircraft from Inuvik in the Northwest Territories. Boat charters to the park may depart from various communities in the Mackenzie Delta. These seasonal options may change; confirm current operators and departure details before your trip.

Choose a Focus for Your Hotel Search

These are different thematic focuses, not a prescribed route. When making specific plans, check the location of your accommodation and the conditions and availability of the activities that matter for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Whitehorse, Dawson City, Beaver Creek, Haines Junction, Yukon

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