ALASKA HIGHWAY
Dawson Creek BC
to Delta AK
YUKON HIGHWAYS
- Yukon Map with links
- Campbell Hwy
- Dempster Hwy
- Haines Road
- Klondike Hwy - North
- Klondike Hwy - South
- Nahanni Range Road
- Silver Trail
- South Canol Road
- Top of the World
YUKON LOCATIONS
- Kluane Lake
- Silver City
- Dawson City
- Alsek River
(rafting)
- Lowell Lake & Glacier
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THE ADVENTURES
Living Yukon 2013
Living Yukon 2012
Yukon 2011
Aug & Sept 2010
September 2009
June 2008
September 2007
December 2001
August 2000
December 1998
September 1997
June 1996
September 1995
September 1993
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Top of the World Hwy, Yukon
Alaska/Yukon Border to Dawson City, Yukon
The Top of the World Highway, also known as the 60 Mile, traverses the mountains between the Alaska/Yukon border and Dawson City. On a sunny day it is so very scenic. On a sunny September day, it is amazing!
The Taylor Highway is the the route's name in Alaska, between Tetlin Junction (Alaska Highway) and the Jack Wade Junction where the Taylor Highway turns northward to Eagle. Between the Jack Wade Junction and the Alaska/Yukon border there is a 13 mile (21 km) connector called the Boundary Spur Road.
This page starts at the Alaska/Yukon border and moves east to Dawson City.
For more images of this route, see each day's photologue:
The border station is known as Little Gold Creek on the Canadian side. On the American side, it is called Boundary or Poker Creek. There is also a one hour time difference, 12 noon in Alaska is 1 p.m. in Yukon.
Canada and US Customs ahead - July 2011
For each border crossing, I have all our paperwork on the truck's dash in a folder. A few questions from the Canadian Border Agent and we're back on the road.
Love arriving home to Yukon! - July 2011
Just east of the border crossing there is a good spot to pull in and look over the scenery. I sometimes wonder how cold and miserable this spot would be in winter! The highway is not maintained in winter so is impassable to traffic. It is a "must do" in winter by snowmobile!
Looking back at the buildings at the border crossing - September
2010
From the same spot, look east and see the highway climbing even higher!
Top of the World highway eastbound from the Yukon/Alaska border - September
2010
A little further east there is a good spot off the highway to camp overnight. It used to be a viewpoint many moons ago.
Overnight boondock spot on the Top of the World - July 2011
Further along, there's another good boondock spot, not quite as exposed to the wind!
Overnight camp spot in September 2010
Back on the road heading east to Dawson City ...
Looking to the north approaching Swede Dome eastbound - September
2010
Approaching Swede Dome and a truck at the entrance to the old mining road that goes to Swede Creek.
Trucks exiting from the mining road near Swede Dome - September 2010
A few kilometres later is a junction for the road to Clinton, a closed mining town, and Forty Mile, a historical site in Yukon. A half-century ago (or thereabouts) Clinton was an active asbestos mine. I remember visiting as a kid and being astounded by the HUGE dump trucks moving about the mine.
We visited Clinton Creek and overnighted near Forty Mile in 2012.
Rustic road into Clinton Creek and Forty Mile - September 2012
Back onto the Top of World highway heading towards Dawson City.
Top of the World Highway is gravel - September 2010
View northward from the Top of the World Highway - September 2010
Still, the mountains go on forever.
View from Top of the World Highway - September 2010
Before the long descent to the Yukon River there is a rest area announcing that Dawson City is very near. There are also some trails in the area for stretching the legs.
View from the rest area at the top of the hill approaching Dawson
City - September 2010
Then onward and downward to Dawson City!
View from the highway, looking southward on the Yukon River -
September 2010
During 2010, the road was very quiet due to the construction on the Taylor Highway on the Alaska side of this route so we took the chance of not impeding others so I could take some pictures of the Yukon River and Dawson City from the west side of the river.
View of Dawson City from the west side of the Yukon River -
September 2010
The highway continues downhill to the Yukon River and its ferry crossing.
Signs indicating the Yukon River campground and Dawson City are just
2 km further - September 2010
The highway is paved approaching Dawson City - September 2010
At last! The Yukon River and signs indicating the ferry crossing is just ahead.
Approaching the ferry landing to cross the Yukon River into Dawson
City -
N64 04.616 W139 26.685
The ferry continuously toils across the river ... one way then the next way then back again. When tourist season is at its peak, there can be waits of up to three hours, especially when there are RV caravans waiting to cross.
However, there were few in line in 2010 because of the road troubles on the Taylor Highway. Many travellers were avoiding Dawson City and the Top of the World Highway. Plus mid-September is too late in the season for many ... there were no waits on this day.
Sign on the west side of the Yukon River, at the ferry landing -
September 2010
The "landings" are nothing more than dirt ramps leading down to the river's edge. The ferry drifts a bit downriver then approaches the landings under power, ramming the ramp up onto the dirt. The crossing takes only a few minutes.
George Black ferry on the west side of the Yukon River
To see more of Dawson, visit my page of the historical buildings in the city.