The Yukon embodies Canada perfectly. It is vast and wild. It is filled with the friendliest people you will ever meet. And it is remote. Located in the Northwestern corner of Canada, bordering Alaska to the West, British Columbia to the South and the Northwest Territories to the East, it is no easy feat to get there.
This past Summer I was lucky enough to spend four days exploring what The Yukon had to offer. Although my time there was short, it was filled with the most amazing memories. Our time was spent in three distinct locations, each one different and each one filled with beauty. Whether you are looking for a small city, a surreal mountain experience or a road trip filled with various landscapes, there is something for everyone in The Yukon.
Looking for a great Canadian Winter destination? Visit The Canadian Rockies in Alberta & British Columbia!
Table of Contents
Whitehorse, The Yukon
The territory’s biggest city has a population numbering around 25,000. The city center is small, and the real attraction runs right through the city. The Yukon River is what put this area on the map many years ago, during the Klondike Gold Rush.

The SS Klondike, overlooking the Yukon River
One cool attraction is the SS Klondike, one of the steamwheelers that carried cargo to and from Whitehorse. You can climb aboard the ship that overlooks the river today, and be transported back in time to the gold rush. One of our favorite things we did while in the Whitehorse area was to visit Miles Canyon. It is a part of the Yukon River that is fast moving, surrounded by deep canyon walls. In the Summer, the Yukon Conservation Society runs free hikes twice a day from Tuesday to Thursday. On our two hour walk we learned about the ecology and history of the area. The walk alongside the river is beautiful!

Looking down at Miles Canyon
Truthful Travel Tip: Buy local!
One thing I like to do while visiting a place is to support the local economy, buying local made goods and visiting markets. For handmade crafts, yummy food and local produce you can check out Fireweed Community Market, which runs from May to September on Thursday evenings.

On our hike beside Miles Canyon
Kluane National Park, The Yukon
For more amazing views of Kluane National Park, check out my post on Beautiful Canadian Landscapes
This was the highlight of our trip. Kluane National Park is home to Canada’s tallest mountains, with Mt. Logan topping out at 19,551 feet. Upon research we realized that driving out to the mountains is like only seeing the tip of the iceberg, and upon recommendation we booked a tour on a ski plane with Icefield Discovery. Traveling over the mountains, seeing glaciers, crevasses, and mountain peaks from above was something that I still find indescribable. Although the weather did not cooperate and we did not get a chance to land on the icefield, the views were incredible for the entire hour and a half.

Aerial view entering the St Elias Mountain Range

Completely snow covered mountain peak
Views surrounding the mountains are amazing too. We drove around Kluane Lake and later visited Kathleen Lake, both of which have beautiful mountain backdrops. Our time in this area ended with a salmon bake at Haines Junction, which gave us a true feel for the sense of community in The Yukon. Everyone sat together at picnic tables listening to live music and eating fresh grilled salmon and yummy sides!

View of Kluane National Park mountains from the highway

Kluane Lake
Truthful Travel Tip: Splurge on the ski plane tour!
Initially we did not plan on going on the ski plane tour, mainly because of the extravagant cost. It is worth saving up for! There is no other way in which you will see the extent of Kluane National Park, as there are no roads that travel through the park and the views you get from the highway do not even begin to compare. It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see such a fragile area, with glaciers that are receding at a rapid rate as of lately.

Aerial view of the mountains. You can see avalanche paths coming down this mountain!
Carcross Area, The Yukon
This area of The Yukon is filled with lakes and beautiful scenery. We traveled down the Klondike Highway leaving from Whitehorse. Some of our favorite stops on the way to Carcross included Emerald Lake and the Carcross Desert. If you are visiting Emerald Lake, hope for sun! The vibrant colors of the lake only appear when the sun is out. The Carcross Desert is the world’s smallest desert, the remains of a glacial lake left after the last Ice Age.

Overlooking Emerald Lake

Carcross Desert
Carcross is a beautiful tiny town. It is home to the Carcross/Tagish First Nations, and their culture is prevalent throughout the town. Buildings are painted with murals, totem poles stand tall and statues of orcas and other animals local to this region of the world are scattered throughout.

Carcross First Nations

Views driving on the highway past Carcross
Traveling past Carcross, we headed on towards the border of The Yukon and British Columbia. As we traveled further, the mountain ranges became higher and more snow-capped. Our day ended by staying in a traditional Mongolian yurt overlooking a lake. The views were incredible, and since the sun doesn’t completely set during the Summer months in The Yukon, we were able to stay out late and capture some beautiful shots of the scenery.

Our yurt, and the view!
Is glamping your thing? Check out my review of the yurts at Camp Olowalu in Maui
Truthful Travel Tip: Be bear aware!
Yukon is bear country. Estimates put the grizzly population at 6000-7000, and the black bear population at around 10,000. That’s almost as much as the population of Whitehorse! Bears can be found on any trail, on the side of the highway or even sometimes in Whitehorse. We had three encounters from a distance. The best way to protect yourself is know what to do if you encounter a bear, and carry bear spray. You can pick bear spray up at many different locations in town. A tip I wish I would have known? Ask at the airport when you land if they have any unused canisters. You cannot fly with bear spray, and many tourists (ourselves included) leave it behind at the check-in counters.

The first black bear we encountered, driving down the highway

A bear that was strolling down the highway on the border of The Yukon and British Columbia
Spending four days in The Yukon was beautiful, but not enough time. We celebrated Canada Day (Canada’s birthday) at Shipyards Park in Whitehorse, eating cake and watching performances by First Nations groups. Had we had more time, there are many other activities we would have loved to have done. Visiting Dawson City, the center of the gold rush in the North, as well as venturing into Tombstone Territorial Park were high on our list of things we wish we could have seen.
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There is no doubt that The Yukon is one of Canada’s most beautiful locations, and one of the few remaining unspoiled locations left in the world. If you’re looking for an exciting new Summer destination, give The Yukon a try. I doubt you’ll regret your choice!
Thanks for reading!
Samantha,
A Truthful Traveler
Amazing pictures and a great post. My husband and I are planning to visit Canada this summer. Would love to visit The Yukon, Canada. I am saving your post right now. Thank you!!!
Thank you so much! It is a bit hard to get to but well worth it 🙂
Lovely post and stunning pics! I haven’t been to Canada so love reading every bit of your post. Seeing a bear strolling on the highway is an experience in itself. Loved that yurt too. Thanks for sharing .
Canada has so much to offer! You’re right- it was super special to see bears and stay in a yurt!!!
I love the photos you took! The water in the lake looks surreal, I can’t imagine how cold it must’ve been! I definitely need to spend some time in canada, it looks incredible 🙂
Thanks so much, it was too cold to go in and it was late June, I don’t think the lakes up there ever heat up that much. Canada is a gem!!!
Wonderful post ! I am Canadian ..have lived in the US many years now..and have never been to the Yukon..I was born in Alberta, raised in BC.. Yes the rockies are truly amazing and your one pic with the green water reminds me of Banff so much!
I am also a Canadian who lives in the US! Banff & The Rockies are still my favorite, but Yukon is a close second!
I’d love to go to Canada one day, theres such so much to do and perfect for hikers! I would have been terrified of that bear though!
It is a huge country and has so much wilderness to offer! It wasn’t too terrifying because we were in the car; up close would have been a different story!
Lovely post! I was sooo close to end up in Yukon on my one year in Canada, but settled down in Calgary instead. But it’s still on my to go list for sure!
Both spots are amazing! I’m sure you got to see some pretty unreal landscapes living near The Rockies!
oh my, look at that bear strolling on the highway!! I really do hope to explore western Canada some day, been to the Eastern side a few times.
I’ve heard the two sides are drastically different, although Quebec is as far East as I have been. The bear(s) were super cool to see!
Oh my GOD. I have always wanted to go to the Yukon, it just seems like the coolest last frontier out there. I appreciate how you respect nature in this guide also!
Thanks so much for that comment, I love sharing places with people but also love sharing how to take care of those places! It is honestly the wildest place I’ve ever been!
This is a huge bucket list for me. I’ve visited most of the provinces, but none of the territories. Did you fly into the Yukon or do a road trip?
AHH this is SO cool!! I live in Ontario but have been lucky to visit much of Canada’s east and west – the part I have yet to visit is the north. It’s so high on my list, and these photos and places make me want to go even more!! Ski touring would be epic, hiking sounds incredible, and those mountains are simply awesome.
Those lakes and wildflowers are beautiful, but I’m most curious to visit Carcross! What an incredible place.