Whitehorse Travel Guide — Yukon's Capital City
Almost every Yukon journey starts here. The territorial capital is the essential base before the distances get serious — and more interesting than its reputation as a logistics stop suggests.
Things to Do in Whitehorse
- S.S. Klondike National Historic SiteRestored sternwheeler on the Yukon River waterfront. Parks Canada tours run in summer through the hull of the ship that hauled freight between Whitehorse and Dawson City for decades.
- Miles CanyonSeven kilometres south of downtown — the Yukon River squeezes between volcanic basalt walls. A footbridge crosses the canyon with trail networks on both sides.
- MacBride Museum of Yukon HistoryThe essential Whitehorse history museum — First Nations prehistory, gold rush, and Alaska Highway construction. Allow two hours.
- Yukon Wildlife PreserveSixteen kilometres north on the Alaska Highway — the surest way to see caribou, moose, muskox, Dall sheep, wolves, wolverine, and bears in a natural setting.
- Beringia Interpretive CentreAdjacent to the airport. Full-scale woolly mammoth model and genuine Ice Age fossils found in Yukon permafrost — unlike anything else in the territory.
- Whitehorse Waterfront TrailFlat, well-maintained path along the Yukon River through the heart of the city. Connects the S.S. Klondike to the Rotary Centennial Bridge.
Getting There & Practical Info
- Fly into Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport (YXY) on Air Canada or Air North.
- Drivers arrive on the Alaska Highway from Watson Lake (450 km southeast) or via the South Klondike Highway from Skagway (180 km south).
- Best time to visit: July and August for long days and warm temperatures. September for fall colours and no crowds.
- Fill up in Whitehorse before heading north — Carmacks (175 km) is the first reliable fuel stop toward Dawson City.