Yukon
Discover Yukon
The Yukon is the westernmost of Canada's three northern territories. It is an area larger than Sweden, but with a population smaller than that of Sweden's 55th largest municipality. It is a wildly beautiful region, with extremely long, warm summer days and extremely short, extremely cold winter days. Exploring this region can be expensive, but very rewarding. Many of the visitors in the Yukon are travelling to Alaska on the Alaska Highway. As this area is sparsely populated, populations that barely register as a "spot on the map" elsewhere are "major towns" in Yukon terminology.
What to Experience in Yukon
Taste of Yukon...
Food has to travel a long way to get to the Yukon, so you will not find quite the variety of fruits and vegetables you would in the south, and the prices are significantly higher. Historically hunting is a way of life in the North and Yukoners still tend to eat a lot more meat, especially wild game, than Southerners. Whitehorse is a major supply centre and therefore despite the small size you will find several chain restaurants, and many very nice local restaurants that have diverse menus. The legal drinking age in the Yukon is 19. The Yukon Liquor Corporation operates 6 liquor stores in the territory. These are in Whitehorse, Watson Lake, Dawson, Haines Junction, Faro, and Mayo. Alcohol is also available from "off-sales" of bars. There is a 30% premium for purchasing from off-sales. The liquor stores in the rural communities also operate as government agents and provide services such as driver licences, fishing licences, motor vehicle registrations, property taxes, business licences and court fines. If you require all of these in a single trip you receive a Yukon Yoddeller award. Some communities in the North are officially "dry" communities. In these communities alcohol is not available and bringing in alcohol may be illegal. From the Yukon you can get to Alaska at either the Beaver Creek border crossing on the Alaska Highway, or the Little Gold border crossing on the Top Of The World Highway west of Dawson City.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Yukon into what it is today.
Long before the arrival of Europeans, central and southern Yukon was populated by First Nations people, and the area escaped glaciation. Sites of archaeological significance in Yukon hold some of the earliest evidence of the presence of human habitation in North America. The sites safeguard the history of the first people and the earliest First Nations of the Yukon. The volcanic eruption of Mount Churchill in approximately 800 AD in what is now the U.S. state of Alaska blanketed southern Yukon with a layer of ash which can still be seen along the Klondike Highway, and which forms part of the oral tradition of First Nations peoples in Yukon and further south in Canada. Coastal and inland First Nations had extensive trading networks. European incursions into the area began early in the 19th century with the fur trade, followed by missionaries. By the 1870s and 1880s, gold miners began to arrive. This drove a population increase that justified the establishment of a police force, just in time for the start of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. The increased population coming with the Gold Rush led to the separation of the Yukon district from the Northwest Territories and the formation of the separate Yukon Territory in 1898. While the average winter temperature in Yukon is mild by Canadian arctic standards, no other place in North America gets as cold as Yukon during extreme cold snaps. The temperature has dropped down to −60 °C (−76 °F) three times, 1947, 1952, and 1968....
Climate
While the average winter temperature in Yukon is mild by Canadian arctic standards, no other place in North America gets as cold as Yukon during extreme cold snaps. The temperature has dropped down to −60 °C (−76 °F) three times, 1947, 1952, and 1968. The most extreme cold snap occurred in February 1947 when the abandoned town of Snag dropped down to −63.0 °C (−81.4 °F). Unlike most of Canada where the most extreme heat waves occur in July, August, and even September, Yukon's extreme heat tends to occur in June and even May. Winter temperatures can be extremely cold, can drop up to -48 °C. The selection of clothes to wear is very important to be able to enjoy the winter season. Some of the must winter clothes recommended to include in your luggage are: English and French are the official languages of the Yukon, though French is the mother tongue of only around 1500 people, under 5% of the population.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsThe only "significant" airport in the Yukon is in Whitehorse (YXY). Air Canada offers daily direct flights from Vancouver. Air North offers flights from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Kelowna, and, seasonally, Ottawa and Yellowknife. Additionally, Air North connects Vancouver, Nanaimo, Kelowna, and Prince George, with both Whitehorse and Watson Lake in the Yukon. In summer, Condor previously offered nonstop flights from Frankfurt airport (FRA), Germany though the route has been suspended until at least 2026. There are also seasonal flights between Juneau in Alaska and Whitehorse offered by Alaska Seaplanes. Most goods arrive in the Yukon by road. However, distances in Yukon are bigger than almost anywhere else in the world. It is not uncommon to go over 200 km between very small towns. The majority of the people travelling through Yukon are driving on their way to Alaska....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
If you are not bothered by driving long distances, exploring the Yukon by road can be a great way to see this territory's natural beauty. The distances between service stations can be vast; make sure your vehicle is in good condition, and prepare for the worst. Drive for the conditions and expect to see large animals in the middle of the highway. Obtain a good highway map of the territory as soon as possible. A free map titled "Canada's Yukon Highway Map", found at visitor centres and some service stations, classifies roads into primary (90-100 km/h), secondary (70-90 km/h), and local (50-80 km/h), as well as paved, dust treated, and untreated. This information will be of great use when selecting a route suitable for you and your vehicle. Be sure to check road conditions at 511 Yukon as seasonal flooding and road construction may delay or disrupt your travel. Gasoline is expensive. Users can save a bit by using "cardlock" gas stations.
Language & Talk
English and French are the official languages of the Yukon, though French is the mother tongue of only around 1500 people, under 5% of the population. The territory's indigenous languages range from Tlingit, spoken by a couple of thousand, to the critically-endangered Hän, with only one native speaker recorded in 2022. The only "significant" airport in the Yukon is in Whitehorse (YXY). Air Canada offers daily direct flights from Vancouver. Air North offers flights from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Victoria, Kelowna, and, seasonally, Ottawa and Yellowknife. Additionally, Air North connects Vancouver, Nanaimo, Kelowna, and Prince George, with both Whitehorse and Watson Lake in the Yukon.