5 Reasons Dawson City is the Yukon’s Best Summer Destination

The Yukon is Canada’s version of Alaska. Its beautiful mountain peaks, ice fields, expansive forests, and glacier-fed rivers give it that “last frontier” feel, led by standout wilderness areas such as the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, Miles Canyon, and Kluane National Park. With Whitehorse serving as the major hub, the territory is often explored via RV, which offers the flexibility and mobility one needs to fully tackle its terrain.

But those looking for an all-in-one experience should look no farther than Dawson City. Located in the extreme north of the Yukon, a five-hour drive from Whitehorse through untouched wilderness, getting there is part of the adventure. What awaits in Dawson City is a rich combination of adventure, culture, and history.

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It is the Yukon’s Most Historic Town

If you’re a fan of Klondike Gold Rush history—which was immortalized in Pier Berton’s Klondike: The Last Great Gold Rush, 1896-1899—then you’ve probably heard plenty of tales about Dawson City. You don’t even have to enter the town to feel its impact. Lining the road into town are dozens of tailing piles, leftovers from the mining and dredging projects of the past.

Dredge No 4 is perhaps the most famous gold rush machinery in the region and is open for tours during the summer. Learn to pan for gold on Claim 33 or take a ride on a historic paddlewheel ship, where the town’s history of settlement and transportation are revealed. Free tours from the Dawson City Information Center recall the “glory days” of the town’s role in the Gold Rush.

It Still Feels Like It Might Have Back Then

The modern-day joke is that an internet connection is worth more than gold in Dawson City. This, compared with an extreme down-to-earth attitude amongst locals, has a way of freezing Dawson City in time. For all it has changed, maybe it hasn’t changed that much after all.

There’s only one paved road in the town, and locals report that it’s “doing okay,” holding up without too much cracking or warping from the permafrost. The rest of the streets are gravel, lined by mini-boardwalks that substitute for sidewalks. The old wooden buildings still have their charm, with the big letters across the foreheads of the red, blue, and brown storefronts.

While the town has plenty of restaurant options—including a very good cocktail bar—the underlying theme is still that of a wilderness town. At one local restaurant, for example, I overheard a woman from out of town, probably Vancouver, dressed nicely in a fashionable dress, ask for the wine list.

“I’ve got red or white,” the waitress said, “Or I can mix them and make rose.”

Nature is At Its Doorstep

This one may seem obvious given its location in the middle of nowhere, but it is often overlooked in conversations about Dawson City (thanks to all the history and debauchery). It is the start of the Top of the World Highway, which connects Dawson City to Alaska via a scenic, mountain-top road.

Located at the intersection of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers, it is a prime place for fishing and canoeing. Mountain trails leave right from town, traversing the foothills and peaking at a local lookout known as the Dome (also accessible via car).

The Nightlife is Still as Rowdy as Ever

Dawson City was known as a party town for all the miners. It was, in fact, home to Canada’s first casino

(which still operates today) and plenty of naughtiness—beer and burlesque shows and brothels, to be sure. Though the latter has disappeared in modern society, the underbelly of Dawson remains true to its wild roots. It flips the script on your typical mountain town, a bar on seemingly every corner and a Vegas-like attitude towards late-night shenanigans.

Historic watering holes, like The Pit, and annual events like the Dawson City Music Festival, take pride in carrying on the festive legacy.

The Midnight Sun is the Icing on the Cake

During the summer solstice, the “nighttime hours” are so bright that the streetlights never come on. The rest of summer, the streetlights come on at 1 a.m., when it gets “dark.” Around here, “getting dark” means that the sun has gone behind the mountains, casting an opaque shadow over the valley, a temporary twilight. With more than 20 hours of full daylight most of the summer, Dawson City is a prime location to check the Midnight Sun off your bucket list.