YUKON
The Yukon has given rise to plenty of myths over the years, but there are some things that can’t be denied: It is big – larger than the State of California and larger than Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands combined.
Its human population is outnumbered by Barren Ground caribou (185,000) and moose (50,000) and almost by mountain sheep (25,000). At last count there were 7,000 Black bears, 10,000 Grizzly bears, 254 bird species and 38 fish species.
The Yukon’s two main cities are Whitehorse, the capital, and Dawson City.
In some ways, Dawson City is just as it was at the height of the Gold Rush in 1889. Between the classic wooden boardwalks, the city’s streets are still unpaved, yet the hard-packed gravel stays solid even in the heaviest rain. This isn’t just any gravel. It comes from gold-bearing creek beds. The locals joke that Dawson City’s streets are literally paved with gold.
Whitehorse didn’t even exist during the gold rush days. Today, Whitehorse is the territorial capital (it was moved from Dawson in the 1950s). It’s also a great place to start getting acquainted with the history of the Yukon and its peoples.
In a land with such spectacular scenery and 4,734 kilometres (2,942 mi.) of highway, it’s not surprising that you would come across some truly incredible drives. There are 4,734.8 kilometres (2,942.2 mi.) of highway in Yukon, including some of the most spectacular and unusual drives in the world. The Dempster Highway, the only public road in Canada to cross the Arctic Circle, is an astonishing drive through Arctic tundra. The Klondike Highway roughly follows the route used by the gold seekers of 1898. The Canol Highway is a fabulous trip through pristine wilderness, past whitewater rivers and blue-green lakes.
Yukon First Nations people include the Southern and Northern Tutchone, Tlingit, Tagish, Kaska, Tanana, Han and Gwitchin people.
One of the Yukon’s great treasures, Kluane National Park, is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. It contains the wonders of the St. Elias Mountains and its icefields, glacial lakes, wild rivers and pristine forests.
Northern festivals are times of enthusiasm and release for Yukoners. Visit Yukon during the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous, Dawson Discovery Days, Klondike Outhouse Races, Yukon International Storytelling Festival, Yukon Quest Dog Sled Race, Frostbite Music Festival or Dawson City Music Festival.
On June 21, summer solstice, the sun never sets in some parts of Yukon. All over the Territory you can read a book outdoors all night. The midnight sun makes for long summer days, and wondrous carmine and magenta skyscapes that last for hours, rather than minutes.
The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are caused by huge explosions on the surface of the sun that send out streams of charged particles that interact with the Earth’s upper atmosphere. They are one of the major Yukon attractions.
The Carcross Desert is affectionately known as the world's smallest desert. The dry climate and wind conditions have created sand dunes and forced special vegetation to adapt to the surroundings. This pocket desert is a popular tourist attraction.
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