Dawson City Visitor Guide
At the junction of the Yukon and Klondike Rivers, Dawson City is the most visited community outside Whitehorse and the historic capital of the Klondike Gold Rush. It is also the starting point for the Dempster Highway, one of the most remote drives in North America.
Things to Do in Dawson City
- Diamond Tooth GertiesCanada's oldest gambling establishment, open since 1971. Cancan dancers, live music, and a genuine Gold Rush atmosphere. Seasonal — May through September.
- Dredge No. 4 National Historic SiteThe largest wooden-hulled dredge in North America. Parks Canada tours walk visitors through the machinery that processed millions in gold from the Klondike creeks.
- Midnight DomeDrive or hike to the hilltop overlook above town. On the summer solstice the sun never fully sets — the view of the Yukon–Klondike confluence is extraordinary.
- Dawson City MuseumFour floors of Gold Rush artifacts, First Nations heritage, and Klondike social history in the Old Territorial Administration Building — itself a National Historic Site.
- S.S. KenoA restored sternwheeler dry-docked on the Yukon riverbank — one of the last of the riverboats that served as the territory's main transport network.
- Tombstone Territorial Park Day TripTwo hours north on the Dempster Highway — the jagged granite peaks of the Tombstone Range are among the most dramatic landscapes in northern Canada.
Getting There & Practical Info
- Fly into Dawson City Airport (YDA) on Air North from Whitehorse or Vancouver.
- Drive the Klondike Highway from Whitehorse — 535 km, about 5–6 hours in good conditions.
- Best time to visit: late June through August for long days and all services open. September is quieter with fall colours.
- Book accommodation well in advance for July — the Dawson City Music Festival draws large crowds.
- A free vehicle ferry crosses the Yukon River (spring through fall) to access the Top of the World Highway toward Alaska.