Page 88 - 2026-2027 Travel Guide to Canada

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Special Events
FEBRUARY
• YUKON QUEST SLED DOG RACE, TESLIN
• YUKON RENDEZ-VOUS FESTIVAL,
WHITEHORSE
MARCH
• PERCY DEWOLFE MEMORIAL MAIL RACE,
DAWSON CITY
• THAW DI GRAS SPRING CARNIVAL,
DAWSON CITY
JUNE
• NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY,
TERRITORY-WIDE
• YUKON RIVER QUEST CANOE AND KAYAK
RACE, WHITEHORSE TO DAWSON CITY
JULY
• DAWSON CITY MUSIC FESTIVAL
• YUKON GOLD PANNING CHAMPIONSHIPS,
DAWSON CITY
JULY-AUGUST
• MOOSEHIDE GATHERING, DAWSON CITY
AUGUST
• DISCOVERY DAYS FESTIVAL, DAWSON CITY
• YUKON RIVER TRAIL MARATHON,
WHITEHORSE
SEPTEMBER
• KLONDIKE ROAD RELAY, SKAGWAY,
ALASKA TO WHITEHORSE
• NORTHERN NIGHTS: KLUANE’S DARK SKY
FESTIVAL, HAINES JUNCTION
www.travelyukon.com/en/
things-to-do
by mountain bike, or retrace the prospectors’
footsteps by hiking the challenging Chilkoot
Trail. Angle for trophy fish in a northern
glacier-fed lake or climb a mountain. Go
heli-hiking or heli-skiing, kayaking,
canoeing or rafting part of the Yukon River—
Canada’s second longest.
The Yukon, home to some of the most
renowned rivers in Canada, is a paddler’s
dreamscape. In addition to the Yukon and
Klondike rivers, the territory has four Canadian
Heritage Rivers: the Alsek, Thirty Mile, Tatshen-
shini and Bonnet Plume. These ribbons of water
offer challenging whitewater to flat waters, with
outstanding opportunities to observe wildlife.
Anglers come from around the world to
experience some of Canada’s best fishing for
lake trout, northern pike, Arctic grayling and
rainbow trout in the Yukon’s pristine lakes
and rivers. Experienced guides can create a
day of superb fishing in remote waters where
you can really get away from it all. Fishing
outfitters like Inconnu Lodge offer personal-
ized, small-group packages to introduce
visitors to the northern lights, while enjoying
fishing and viewing glaciers and local
wildlife (www.inconnulodge.com).
Spectators cheer on mushers in the famous
Yukon Quest Sled Dog Race (www.yukon
quest.com). Winter, summer or fall, dog
lovers can paddle, hike, sled or snowmobile
on guided outings with Muktuk Adventures,
where there’s a dog along on every outing
(www.muktuk.com).
DINING ON A MAIN STREET PATIO, WHITEHORSE • ANDREW STRAIN/TRAVEL YUKON
HERITAGE AND CULTURE
The Dawson City Museum is the perfect spot
to learn about the town at the heart of the
Gold Rush (www.dawsonmuseum.ca).
Watch the award-winning film, City of Gold,
narrated by Yukon-native Pierre Berton.
Dawson City likes to show off a rich
literary heritage. Along Writers’ Block
(Eighth Street), stop at the Robert Service
Cabin where visitors are treated to
readings of his poems and some insights
into the more idiosyncratic aspects of the
author’s personality. Next door is the log
cabin that was once home to storyteller
Jack London, author of Yukon classics
such as White Fang and Call of the Wild
(www.dawsoncity.ca).
At the expanded MacBride Museum in
Whitehorse, learn how stampeders once
panned on the Klondike creeks and peer
into prospector Sam McGee’s cabin
(www.macbridemuseum.com).
Many communities have First Nations
cultural centres—Kwanlin Dün Cultural
Centre in Whitehorse, Dänojà Zho Cultural
Centre in Dawson City and Big Jonathan
House at Pelly Crossing are just a few spots
where visitors can learn about the traditions,
crafts and history of the First Nations.
Quick Fact
MOOSE OUTNUMBER YUKONERS 2:1 AND
CARIBOU OUTNUMBER YUKONERS 6:1.
MUST SEE, MUST DO
Rent an RV and take the ultimate road trip along
iconic northern roadways like the Dempster
Highway across the Arctic Circle or the winding
Silver Trail to historic frontier mining towns.
Explore Dawson City, the “heart of the
Klondike Gold Rush,” that bustles with the
history of a wild era when prospectors
rushed to follow dreams of riches.
At Montana Mountain in Carcross, about 40 km
(25 mi.) of trail have been built for the enjoy-
ment of hikers, mountain bikers, snowshoers
and skiers (www.destinationcarcross.ca).
Winter or summer, take a sightseeing flight
by small plane or helicopter over the spectac-
ular Kluane National Park Icefield Ranges,
one of the world’s largest non-polar icefields
(www.kluaneglacierairtours.com).