Yukon Sights by Sue Thomas

North Klondike Highway, Whitehorse to Dawson City

map of Klondike Highway

For more images of this route, visit pages with details of the day:

Also see my page dedicated to
Dawson City.

Just a bit north of Whitehorse is the turn to the right to head to Dawson City.
From Lake Laberge to Braeburn be alert for the Braeburn elk herd.

Braeburn Elk on the Klondike Highway in Yukon
Elk don't mind being on the highway even with traffic close by - May 2013

Distance sign
Kilometres on the distance sign beside the North Klondike Highway - May 2013

Braeburn Lodge sign
Braeburn Lodge has very good cinnamon buns

Montague Roadhouse at km 322 was built in 1900 but burned down. This replacement was built in 1915 and was a roadhouse until the 1950s. Some preservation work has been done.

Montague House, Klondike Highway, Yukon
September 1996

Montague House, Yukon
September 1996

North Klondike Hwy
Northbound near km 334 - September 2012

Welcome to Carmacks
Sign at the edge of Carmacks - May 2013

The Klondike and Campbell Highway junction is north of "downtown" Carmacks and the
Yukon River. The Coal Mine RV Park is located at this junction, seen below on the right.

Campbell Highway junction
Turn right to take the Campbell Highway to Faro, Ross River & Watson Lake - September 2012

Five Finger Rapids on the Yukon River is about 40 km north of Carmacks. The river is split by four small rocky islands. There is a large rest area by the highway above the rapids at km 380. If you feel ambitious, take the stairs down and hike to the viewing platform near the islands.

The two pictures below were taken from the same location: one in fall and one in spring.

Five Finger Rapids, Klondike Highway, Yukon
Five Finger Rapids - September 1993

Five Finger Rapids in summer
Showing the stairs down for the trail to Five Finger Rapids - June 2015

Yukon River - Five Finger Rapids
View of Five Finger Rapids from near the lookout platform - July 2012

The Pelly River flows 530 kilometres through south central Yukon to join the Yukon River. 

Pelly Crossing, Yukon
Pelly River at Pelly Crossing - September 1993

Sign for Pelly River, Yukon
Roadside sign at Pelly River - September 1993

Ethel Lake Yukon Gov't campground is a long drive on a rough road. We tried to make it in with the fifth wheel in 2011. In 2012 we got there. The road was slippy when it was wet. Drive carefully!

Ethel Lake Road sign, Yukon
Sign at the start of the Ethel Lake Road - July 2011

Ethel Lake Road in Yukon
The road into Ethel Lake Yukon Gov't campground - September 2012

Ethel Lake Campground in Yukon
Ethel Lake Yukon Gov't campground - September 2012

For more images of the Ethel Lake area, see my 3 September 2012 page.

Just north of the Ethel Lake turn-off is the small community of Stewart. After crossing the Stewart River bridge northbound, you can choose to turn left for Dawson City or turn right towards May and Keno City on the Silver Trail.

The Silver Trail is a nice drive. Keno City is an interesting historical location. It would take a day to drive in and another to drive out. We stayed two nights at the Five Mile Lake Yukon Gov't campground near Mayo and drove without the fifth wheel to Keno.

Stewart Crossing sign, Yukon
Sign at the north end of the Stewart River bridge

Continuing northwest towards Dawson City, the highway is beside the Stewart River.

Stewart River, Yukon
The Stewart River north of Stewart Crossing - June 2008

North Klondike Hwy in Yukon
North Klondike Highway between Stewart and Dawson City - June 2008

Distance sign to Dawson City
Northbound on the North Klondike Highway - September 2012

There is a rest area by the Tintina Trench. This linear valley extends into Alaska and south across the Yukon. Beneath the Tintina Trench is a fault line along which the bedrock has shifted a minimum of 450 km laterally.  It is a popular route with migrating birds too.

Tintina Trench, Yukon
Tintina Trench - September 1993

Tintina Trench in Yukon
Tintina Trench - July 2011

Tintina Trench sign, Yukon
Roadside sign at Tintina Trench - September 1993

The Klondike Highway is beside the Klondike River near the Dempster Highway junction.

North Klondike Highway and Klondike River in Yukon
Klondike River on the right approaching the Dempster Highway junction - September 2012

North Klondike Hwy sign
Approaching the Dempster Highway - June 2008

Junction Dempster
The junction of the North Klondike and Dempster Highways - June 2015

Please visit my Dawson City page for more info about this grand historical town!