Yukon Territory is a thinly populated wilderness, home to Canada’s tallest mountains and the world’s largest ice fields below the Arctic. It’s the place where animals outnumber humans. Tiny towns, villages, and unique places in Yukon are scattered across the land, but they are wide and far apart.
Yukon residents have inhabited these regions for generations and many of Yukon’s communities have a majority of Aboriginal populations. Locals are welcoming to tourists and like to share their traditions.
There are long distances between towns in Yukon Territory but most communities can be reached by road all year round. Many roads and highways are gravel. Therefore, make sure your car and tires are up to traversing the Yukon roads. Please do your research and be prepared before heading out. Read more: Road Trip Planner for the Wilderness
Table of Contents
Towns and places in Yukon are so different from the rest of Canada. I’m sure that it has to do with the Northern people that make visiting the Yukon towns and places so special.
Old Crow is another tiny place in Yukon that should be included on this list. You need to fly or charter a boat to get to Old Crow during summer, so I have not visited it yet. Once I do, I will add Old Crow to this list.
Dawson City just has to be on top of my list. If you haven’t been to Dawson yet then of course you have no idea what you have missed. When you first arrive it is like stepping into another world. A world that has gone by a long time ago. Still, in Dawson City, the Klondike theme is fully alive today.
As you wander the dusty streets of Dawson, keep your eyes peeled. You might run into your favourite Gold Rush star you watched on the Discovery Channel. Discovery Channel’s Gold Rush TV show is filmed in the Klondike.
There is plenty to do and see in Dawson City and the surrounding area.
Read more:
Bucket List Dawson City:
Access: Via North Klondike Highway
Tombstone Territorial Park is a magical wilderness wonderland of rugged peaks and Arctic Tundra. If you make the effort of getting there and do some hiking, this place will stick in your memory forever.
When driving the Dempster, plan at least an overnight stop at the park. If you are skipping the Dempster Highway to Inuvik, take a drive to Tombstone when you’re in Dawson City. You not only will discover an amazing place, but you also will get a taste of driving the iconic Dempster.
Read more:
Bucket list Tombstone:
Access: Via Dempster Highway
Mayo is a small town on the Silver Trail and Stewart River and is known as the coldest and hottest spot in Yukon.
It’s a special place where I got to experience the local hospitality firsthand and got to spend a great day on River. During that trip, one of many highlights was the sight of a mother bear with two cubs swimming to shore. No good picture to brag about it, unfortunately.
Definitely visit the Binet House and Interpretive Centre for information on local history.
Read more: Silver Trail Travel Guide
Bucket List Mayo:
Access: Via The Silver Trail
You will reach Keno City, a weathered collection of wooden buildings at the remote end of The Silver Trail. Keno City is the smallest community in the Yukon but has one of the most colourful histories. I visited this magical place a few times already and I want to go back.
Read more:
Bucket List Keno City:
Access: Via The Silver Trail
Pelly Crossing became a settlement when the Klondike Highway was built in 1950. A ferry transported people and vehicles across the Pelly River, where the road eventually continued to Dawson City.
The Heritage Center at Pelly Crossing is housed in a replica of Fort Selkirk’s Big Jonathan House. The Centre has a permanent exhibition of works by local artists, as well as locally made beaded clothing, birch bark baskets, traditional baby bunting bag, tools, and more.
Pelly Crossing is a friendly Northern Community and the Selkirk First Nation people are happy to see tourists stopping by. They also have one of the best free campgrounds where I have stopped many times.
Read more: Klondike Yukon Travel Guide
Bucket List Pelly Crossing:
Access: North Klondike Highway
The small village of Carmacks is the home of the Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation. The river town is named for George Washington Carmack, credited with the Bonanza Creek strike that triggered the famous Klondike gold rush.
Pick up a walking tour brochure at the Carmacks Visitor Centre, located at the Old Telegraph Office, or download here. The Telegraph Office also contains a mini-museum and a display of area geology.
Read more: Klondike Yukon Travel Guide
Bucket List Carmacks:
Access: North Klondike Highway
Faro, on the Pelly River, is one of the two settlements along the Campbell Highway. You will find yourself deep into Yukon’s wild landscape on the way there. Faro once was the Yukon’s largest mining community.
Today, Faro is a delightful friendly community that makes a genuine effort to make visitors feel welcome.
Upon arrival, stop in at the beautiful Visitor and Interpretive Centre, meet the friendly staff and pick up information about the area.
Read more: Robert Campbell Highway Route
Bucket List:
Access: Via Robert Campbell Highway 4
Ross River, where one of the Hudson’s Bay trading posts was established in the 1840s, is another small community on the Campbell Highway wilderness route.
With the building of the Canol pipeline service road in WWII and the completion of the Robert Campbell in 1843 Ross River was linked to the rest of the Territory by road.
It’s an interesting small town to explore. Definitely head down to Pelly River to walk across the longest Suspension Bridge in the Yukon (182 m) that takes you to North Canol Road.
On the way to Ross River you will pass deepwater lakes, mountain views, and roadside streams full of Arctic grayling.
Read more: Campbell Highway Route
Bucket List Ross River:
Access: Via Robert Campbell Highway
Watson Lake is a typical road town, long and narrow, spread out along the Alaska Highway. The town came into life as a staging area for the construction of the Alaska Highway in 1943.
Wander around the famous Watson Lake Signpost Forest and search for a sign of home town or country. Watson Bay is also the perfect base for exploring the backcountry beyond the town. It’s also a good place to stock up on supplies before heading out on the Campbell Highway route.
Read more:
Bucker List Watson Lake:
Access: Via Alaska Highway
The village of Teslin is the home to the Tlingit First Nation, one of the largest places in Yukon Territory. Many here still add to their livelihood by trapping, fishing, and hunting, as well as through woodworking crafts, such as canoes, snowshoes, and sleds.
Teslin Tlingit Heritage Centre features exhibits of Tlingit art, traditional demonstrations, and workshops.
Stop in at the George Johnston Museum to learn about John Johnston, whom the museum was named after, and about the area’s history.
Read more: Alaska Highway Travel Guide
Bucket List Teslin:
Access: Via Alaska Highway
This tiny town is a place you don’t want to miss. It’s a place full of First Nation and gold rush history taking you back in time.
Check out the Railway Station built in 1910. The Cariboo Hotel is one of the oldest buildings in the Southern Lake Region. Stop in at the Matthew Watson General Store. There is so much to see and do in this unique small Yukon town.
Read more:
Bucket List Carcross:
Access: South on the Klondike Highway 2
Carcross, Desert, known as the world’s smallest desert is a must-stop. Here you can climb sand dunes surrounded by majestic mountains. The sand dunes are leftovers from a glacial lake, but the climate is too humid for it to be an ‘official’ desert.
Read more: Carcross and surrounding Area Guide
Bucket List Carcross Sand Dunes:
Access: South on the Klondike Highway 2
Located on the shores of the Yukon River, Whitehorse was once a sleepy village of 500. Not anymore. Today, as Yukon’s capital city, it is a fascinating place with a mixture of modern and pioneer spirit. There is plenty to do here. Stay a few days in Whitehorse and get to know its unique northern character and appeal.
Read more: Whitehorse Travel Guide
Bucket List Whitehorse:
The highway community of Haines Junction is nestled at the base of the St. Elias Mountains, surrounded by breathtaking scenery and amazing landscapes. Home to approximately 800 residents, “the Junktion” offers a wilderness adventure playground right in its backyard.
Here you find restaurants and accommodations, guides and a large selection of tours, and whatever other services you need. The huge Kluane Park Visitor Reception Centre is open all year round and its staff can supply you with heaps of information.
Bucket List Haines Junction:
Kluane National Park and Reserve in the southwestern corner of the Yukon Territory contains Mt. Logan (5959 m/19,545 ft), Canada’s highest peak. Kluane is joined by Wrangell-St. Elias, Glacier Bay, and Tatshenshini, the parks that make up this World Heritage Site. Here you also find some of North America’s finest wildlife population.
Hiking is Kluane’s most popular activity. Opportunities range from short strolls to multi-day route-finding adventures. Whether you get out for an hour, a day, or a week, there is much to explore in Kluane.
Trailheads can be difficult to get to without a vehicle since there is no public transportation.
Read more: Alaska Highway Travel Guide
Bucket List Kluane Park:
Access: Alaska Highway
One of the oldest settlements in the Yukon, Burwash Landing is now home to the Kluane First Nation a Southern Tutchone people who have lived in the Kluane area for countless generations. Before the Jacquot brothers built a trading post in the early 1900s, the current site of Burwash Landing was a traditional summer camp location for the First Nation people.
Following the construction of the Alaska Highway, Burwash became the administrative centre for the Kluane First Nation.
Read more: Alaska Highway Travel Guide
Bucket List Burwash Landing:
Access: Alaska Highway
Let me know in the comments what you think about my collection of the 16 best places in Yukon.
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Yrene lives in the Okanagan, British Columbia, Canada, and is the founder of BackcountryCanadaTravel.com. She was born in Switzerland, lived and worked on different continents and has travelled the world. Yes, that's me, an Entrepreneur, wilderness nut and animal lover who prefers off-the-beaten-track places. I write about things I love. Mostely.