Yukon Tourism Info links page

updated Dec 2005

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Some Yukon facts:

The floral emblem of the Yukon is the Fireweed.
The official bird is the Raven.
The official tree of the Yukon is the sub-alpine fir.
The Yukon Territory is large enough to hold the states of California, Arizona, Delaware and West Virginia.
The famous Yukon River is 2,200 miles (3,520 km) long. You can canoe 2,050 miles from Whitehorse to the Bering Strait.
The central part of Yukon receives 6.5 inches (165 mm) of rain per year, less than Arizona.
There are approximately 50,000 moose, 10,000 black bear and 4,500 wolves in the Yukon.
The White Pass & Yukon Route is 110.7 miles (178 km) long. Of this, 20.4 miles (32.8 km) are in Alaska; 32.2 miles (51.8 km) in British Columbia, and 58.1 miles (93.5 km) in the Yukon.
Whitehorse is the third largest city in Canada by area.
The Carcross Desert is the world’s smallest at 642 acres (260 hectares)
Whitehorse has the world’s most northern botanical show gardens.
Yukon has a population of just over 31,000 people today, almost identical to that of 1900.
Of our population base, over 22,000 reside in Whitehorse.
Yukon First Nations’ rich culture and history in Yukon dates back as far as the last Ice Age (approx. 50,000 years).
Gold is 19 times heavier than water.
The Dempster is the only public highway in North America to cross the Arctic Circle.
The steamer ‘Seattle’ returned from Dawson City in November 1897 with $800,000 in drafts and securities and 35 lbs. of gold.
In 1898 about 25,000 gold-seekers hiked the Chilkoot Trail for the boomtown of Dawson City.
A gold nugget was unearthed in the Klondike that weighed over 72 ounces. Its value in 1898 was $1,158 - value today is well over $30,000.
One of the first women crossing the Chilkoot Trail in 1897 was Belinda Mulroney from Scranton, PA.
The 1,520 mile (2,446 km) Alaska Highway was constructed in eight months and twelve days in 1942.
Up to 200 people died shooting the Miles Canyon and Whitehorse rapids. The rapids were named because the spray resembled the manes of a herd of white horses. The rapids are now dammed, but the City of Whitehorse retains the name.

TRANSPORTATION

ROAD

AIR

FERRY

TRAIN

RIVER

ROAD

Dempster Highway

Greyhound Bus 1 867 667-2223 or 1 800 661-8747 after hours

Gray Line (tour bus) also bus to Dawson 1 867 668-3225 fax: 1-867-667-4494 runs to/from mid-May to mid-Sept. route; Whitehorse, Tok, Skagway, Fairbanks, Anchorage and Valdez

Daily Road reports : 1-877-456-7623

Info for every milepost/kilometer along Alaska Highway (Bell's)

Info on all the Yukon and Alaska highways

Alaska Highway specifics

THE ROUTE: The Alaska Highway begins in Dawson Creek, in northeastern British Columbia, then winds northwesterly through Canada’s Yukon Territory and into the heartland of Alaska.

Delta Junction, Alaska, 98 miles south of Fairbanks, is the official northern end of the highway, but Fairbanks is the destination for most Alaska Highway motorists. The Richardson highway, in place for decades before the Alaska Highway was opened, is the route north to Fairbanks from Delta Junction.

Driving distance from Dawson Creek to Fairbanks is 1,488 miles. Distance between Seattle and Fairbanks is 2,313 miles.

The western access route to Dawson Creek and the Alaska Highway from Seattle is by way of Interstate 5 to the British Columbia border, then through the Caribou country of British Columbia to Prince George, B.C. From Prince George, the 250 mile long Hart Highway leads to Dawson Creek and milepost 0 of the Alaska Highway.

Distance from Dawson Creek is 817 miles.

Approaching from the east, the access route to Dawson Creek begins in Great Falls, Mont., and extends through Calgary, Edmonton and Grande Prairie, Alberta.
Distance from Great Falls to Dawson Creek is 866 miles.

Canada is metric, so keep kilometers in mind when mapping daily drives.

DRIVING TIME: Unless you are in a hurry, allow at least 7 to 10 days for the trip from the Seattle area to Fairbanks. Double the time to allow for fishing, hiking and camping.

Suggestion: Take some extra days in Canada’s un crowded Yukon. Much of the best mountain scenery alongside the highway is in the Yukon, and the territory has a network of excellent camp grounds.

BEST SEASON: Peak season for highway travelers Is June through August, just as it is with the cruise ships that roam Alaska’s waters. May, although a bit iffy on the weather, is a good time to see wildflowers along the route.

Just the facts. . .
Route numbers: BC Highway 97, Yukon Highway 1, Alaska Route 2

Connects: Dawson Creek, BC, to Delta Junction, AK

Length: 1,390 miles (Historical Mile 1422)

Road surface: Paved

Road conditions: Fair to excellent. Watch for loose gravel, bumps, dips, frost heaves, and sections of narrow, winding road without shoulders. Also watch for road construction in summer.

Season: Open all year

Highest summit: Summit Lake, 4,250 feet

Major attractions: Muncho Lake, Liard Hotsprings, Watson Lake Signforest, SS Klondike, Kluane Lake, Trans-Alaska Pipeline Crossing

Suggestion: Consider early September, when traffic is lighter, mosquitoes are gone and leaves have turned gold.

WEATHER: Summertime weather in Alaska and the Yukon can range from cool to hot. Average high temperatures in Fairbanks, for example, are about 70 degrees in June and 72 in July. But there can be summer days where the temperature passes the 90 degree mark.

Long hours of daylight also surprise visitors. There really is a midnight sun. Fairbanks enjoys almost 24 hours of daylight in late June.

Suggestion: Northland weather, even in summer, can be unpredictable. Carry clothing for chilly, wet days—and for hot, sunny days.

FUEL: Gasoline is available on an average of every 50 miles, a far cry from the old says when motorists needed to bring along extra fuel for between stations. The longest stretch without service (in northern British Columbia) is about 100 miles. As one might expect, the more remote the service station, the higher the price.

Suggestion: Don’t count on gasoline (or diesel) stations being open in early morning or late at night. Fill fuel tanks before pulling off the road each evening.

MECHANICAL HELP: While gas stations may be plentiful along the Alaska Highway these days, mechanics can often be 100 miles away or farther. So be sure that your vehicle is in top shape before leaving home. And a good emergency road service plan is essential, as towing services have been known to charge as much as $5 a mile.

LODGING: RV parks have replaced many of the old time lodges along the Alaska Highway, but there is no shortage of motel-type accommodations. Government-operated campgrounds are available in British Columbia, Yukon Territory and Alaska, as are picnic areas. There are quite a few privately maintained campgrounds, and most lodges have space for campers.

Suggestion: Stay flexible—don’t bother with lodging reservations except in busy visitor centers such as Whitehorse and Fairbanks.

FOOD: Meals can be expensive along the highway. Best food in all 1,390 miles of the Alaska Highway is at Rika’s Roadhouse, just north of Delta Junction, Alaska. Save up an appetite for home made chicken noodle soup and turkey sandwiches . Another good lunch stop is Talbot Arm Motel at Destruction Bay, in the Kluane Lake area of Yukon Territory where the chili is excellent. Also recommended are the Westmark and Fast Eddy’s Restaurant, also in Tok.

Suggestion: Buy groceries from time to time for light breakfasts and picnic lunches. Easier on the budget, and it’s a way of getting an earlier start in the morning.

SAFETY TIPS: Be sure your vehicle -- especially tires -- are in top condition. Check tire pressure frequently.

Install plastic headlight covers or a screen to protect headlights from flying gravel. Consider a wire mesh screen across the front to help prevent damage to radiators and paint.

For those who tow trailers, experts recommend a piece of plywood over the front of the trailer to shield against rocks.

If planning to drive on tributary highways, such as the all gravel Taylor Highway to the Yukon River, you might want to carry a second spare tire. Don’t depend on those little donut spares to get you through long drives between garages.
Don’t overload your pickup or trailer -- hard going on frost heaves which can break axles and springs.

And don’t drive too late and fall asleep at the wheel. The northland’s generous hours of summer daylight can be deceptive.

EMERGENCY KIT: First aid supplies, tire gauge, flares, flashlights with extra batteries, a sturdy tire jack, lug wrench, some traveler’s checks or cash for garages that don’t take credit cards, blankets or sleeping bags for emergencies, rain gear, an extra set of car keys -- and plenty of mosquito repelent. And don’t forget your fishing pole.
Reading up before you go and on the road: The best guide to the Alaska Highway (and other northern highways) is “The Milepost,” which is updated annually. To see the road the front window of an RV via home video, we recommend Bob and Judy Howens "Alaska By RV."

Distances:

Whse to Liard Hotsprings to Muncho Lake : 450 miles

Muncho Lake to Dawson Creek : 442 miles

Dawson creek to Edmonton : 367 miles