Historic Centre and River Transportation

More than two dozen buildings in the historic centre are part of the Dawson Historical Complex National Historic Site. The scale of the complex offers a different perspective on the town’s history than the S.S. Keno National Historic Site: built in 1922, the ship lies on Dawson City’s scenic waterfront between Front Street and the Yukon River. It helps tell the story of river transportation during the Gold Rush. The buildings and the ship therefore highlight different aspects—the historic architecture of the centre and transportation on the river.

The Tr’ondëk-Klondike serial World Heritage Site comprises eight component parts; Dawson City is one of them. A serial site brings together several component parts under a shared designation. Dawson City is therefore part of the broader UNESCO designation, not the entire World Heritage Site. This context adds an overarching perspective to the view of individual buildings and the ship.

Landscape and Traditional Route

At the northern edge of Dawson City in Yukon lies Moosehide Slide (Ëdhä dädhëchą), a natural and cultural landscape in the traditional territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in and on unsurveyed Commissioner’s Land. The Moosehide Trail crosses the Slide and forms an overland route between Moosehide and Tr’ochëk. It is one of the few traditional routes of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in still in use today. The two names help distinguish the landscape from the route: Slide refers to the landscape, while Trail refers to the route that crosses it.

Cultural Activities and Visitor Information

At the Dänojà Zho Cultural Centre in Dawson City, visitors can take part in river walks, thematic exhibitions, art exhibitions, and film screenings. A river walk differs in format from a thematic or art exhibition and a film screening, so visitors can choose based on their preferred way of engaging. The seasonal program may vary. If a particular program item is a deciding factor, it is advisable to check the current schedule before planning.

The Visitor Information Centre on Front Street helps visitors organize their stay in Dawson City and find out about Parks Canada interpretive programs and special events. Operational details may vary; if a particular offering is part of your plans, it is worth checking for current information. The Parks Canada Dawson City Xplorer Booklet is also available at the Visitor Information Centre. Designed for children, it guides them through the Dawson Historic Complex and the S.S. Keno National Historic Site. It offers children a program clearly focused on these historic places.

Parks Canada has also placed geocaches in Dawson City. They offer another activity, the availability of which may change. If you want to include geocaches in your plans, check their current status.

Discover more destinations: Beaver Creek, Whitehorse, Haines Junction.

For the overview of the wider region: Yukon.