Yukon Tourist Map

Description:
This map shows highways, major roads, secondary roads, ferry routes, airports, water aerodromes, heritage trails, glaciers, ice fields, campgrounds, historic sites, day-use areas, museums, heritage rivers, wildlife viewing, interpretive sites, visitor facilities, UNESCO world heritage sites, wildlife sanctuary, cities, towns, and villages in Yukon.

Tourism in Yukon

Tourism represents a significant component of Yukon's economy, contributing approximately 7% of the territory's GDP and employing around 3,000 people directly and indirectly. The territory attracts visitors seeking wilderness experiences, northern lights viewing, gold rush history, and outdoor recreation in a subarctic environment. Annual visitor numbers typically range between 300,000 and 400,000, with most arrivals occurring during the summer months.

Seasonal Patterns

Yukon experiences distinct tourism seasons corresponding to extreme variations in daylight and temperature. The peak summer season extends from June to August, when temperatures are moderate and daylight lasts up to 24 hours in northern areas. This period accounts for approximately 70% of annual visitation. Winter tourism, focused on aurora viewing and winter activities, occurs primarily from December to March. Shoulder seasons in spring and fall see reduced visitor numbers due to unpredictable weather and service limitations.

Natural Attractions

Kluane National Park and Reserve contains Mount Logan, Canada's highest peak at 5,959 meters, and extensive icefields. The park forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site encompassing the largest non-polar icefield in the world. Wildlife viewing opportunities include grizzly bears, caribou, Dall sheep, and moose throughout the territory.

The aurora borealis appears frequently in Yukon skies from late August to April, with peak viewing during winter months. Whitehorse and Dawson City serve as primary bases for aurora tourism, which has grown substantially in recent decades, particularly attracting visitors from Asia and Europe.

Midnight Dome near Dawson City offers views of the midnight sun during summer solstice. Hot springs at Takhini, north of Whitehorse, provide year-round bathing opportunities in natural thermal waters.

Historical and Cultural Tourism

Dawson City preserves the most significant collection of Klondike Gold Rush heritage, with restored buildings, museums, and interpretive programs depicting life during the 1896-1899 gold rush. Parks Canada operates several historic sites including the Dredge No. 4 and the SS Klondike sternwheeler in Whitehorse.

First Nations cultural experiences are available through various programs and facilities. The Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse and similar facilities in other communities present indigenous history, art, and traditions. Fourteen Yukon First Nations maintain cultural centers or offer tourism programs.

Adventure and Recreation Tourism

The Yukon River serves as a primary waterway for canoe and kayak expeditions, following historic trading and gold rush routes. Several outfitters provide multi-day river trips from Whitehorse to Dawson City, a journey of approximately 740 kilometers typically requiring 10-14 days.

Hiking opportunities range from day trails near highways to extended backcountry routes like the Chilkoot Trail, which follows the gold rush stampede route from Alaska to Bennett Lake. Winter activities include dog sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and ice fishing. The Yukon Quest sled dog race, running 1,600 kilometers between Fairbanks, Alaska, and Whitehorse, attracts international attention each February.

Tourism Infrastructure

Accommodation options vary from hotels and bed-and-breakfasts in Whitehorse and larger towns to remote wilderness lodges and government campgrounds. Most tourism services concentrate in Whitehorse, which contains approximately 60% of the territory's accommodation capacity. The cruise ship connection through Skagway, Alaska, brings day visitors via the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad and highway tours.

Tourism Yukon, a territorial government corporation, manages destination marketing and visitor services. Visitor Information Centres operate in major communities during summer months, providing trip planning assistance and interpretive information.