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- Tombstone Territorial Park — Jagged granite spires, tundra valleys and near-deserted trails; this is where classic Yukon alpine tundra meets accessible backcountry. Hike to Grizzly Lake or ride out the Tombstone highwayhead for that otherworldly, moonlike landscape you won’t find anywhere else in the same feel — great for day hikes or multi-day treks. (My personal favorite.)
- Kluane National Park & Reserve (viewpoints and day hikes around Haines Junction) — Home to Canada’s tallest peak (Mount Logan) and massive icefields, Kluane’s power is in scale: glacier tongues, sweeping river valleys and frequent Dall sheep sightings. You can’t bag summit expeditions without real mountaineering, but spotting the icefields from road-accessible viewpoints or short trails gives you a taste of truly colossal
- Tombstone Territorial Park — Jagged granite spires, tundra valleys and near-deserted trails; this is where classic Yukon alpine tundra meets accessible backcountry. Hike to Grizzly Lake or ride out the Tombstone highwayhead for that otherworldly, moonlike landscape you won’t find anywhere else in the same feel — great for day hikes or multi-day treks. (My personal favorite.)
- Kluane National Park & Reserve (viewpoints and day hikes around Haines Junction) — Home to Canada’s tallest peak (Mount Logan) and massive icefields, Kluane’s power is in scale: glacier tongues, sweeping river valleys and frequent Dall sheep sightings. You can’t bag summit expeditions without real mountaineering, but spotting the icefields from road-accessible viewpoints or short trails gives you a taste of truly colossal wilderness.
- Dawson City (Klondike historic streets and riverfront) — The gold-rush town that still smells faintly of soot and stories: wooden sidewalks, stovepipe chimneys, riverboats on the Yukon and local characters who keep the gold-rush lore alive. Walkable, gritty, and culturally unique — live music, hands-on local history, and seasonal festivals make it feel lived-in rather than staged.
- Dempster Highway (Yukon stretch to Tombstone and beyond) — One of the few public roads in Canada that crosses Arctic terrain; the Yukon portion slices through rolling tundra, wide-open skies and endless river valleys. Drive it for solitude, wildlife sightings and the way the landscape slowly changes from boreal forest to tundra — proper remote-road magic that’s experiential rather than curated.
- Five Finger Rapids — A dramatic, narrow squeeze in the Yukon River that stopped sternwheelers in their tracks during the gold rush. There’s a little pull-off and viewpoint that gives a visceral sense of how fierce this river can be; historically important and surprisingly photogenic at dawn or dusk.
- Carcross Desert and the Carcross/Tagish region — Tiny sand dunes tucked between mountains and lakes — an odd, photogenic microclimate where you can run down a dune then paddle a lake within minutes. It’s the kind of local curiosity that makes you scratch your head and stay for ice cream in the nearby village.
- Braeburn Lodge (Hidden gem) — A roadside classic north of Whitehorse known for ridiculously oversized cinnamon buns, a warm stove, and that real Yukoner vibe. It’s less about being a polished attraction and more about the kind of stop locals make on a long drive — the kind of place that makes a cold day feel like home.
- Keno City and Keno Hill mining ruins (Hidden gem) — A tiny, remote silver-mining town perched above a mirror lake with skeletal mine structures, old cabins and raw northern scenery. It’s not on the average tourist loop, so you get quiet hikes, vintage mining hardware and a real sense of Yukon mining history without the crowds.
- Miles Canyon and the Yukon River trail system (Hidden gem) — A short drive from Whitehorse turns into dramatic basalt canyons, short cliffside walks and cool swimming holes. Locals flock here for quick escapes — trails, viewpoints and quiet river access that feel much wilder than the proximity to the city suggests.
- Takhini Hot Springs — Soak under big northern skies in naturally heated pools that are open year-round; in winter the steam against the cold makes for a memorable contrast, and in summer the long light stretches the evening. It’s a classic Yukon reset after long drives or long hikes — low fuss, very Yukony.
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Skagway Shore Excursion: Full-Day Tour of the Yukon
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Skagway Shore Excursion: Half-Day Tour to the Yukon Border and Suspension Bridge
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Yukon Suspension Bridge and Summit Tour
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Wild Adventure Yukon Tour into Canada including City and Summit
✓ Free cancellation
Summit Experience & Yukon Suspension Bridge Tour
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Bridge, Puppies, and Summit Triple Combo in Skagway
✓ Free cancellation
Summer Sled Dog Remote Yukon Camp & Summit Tour
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Skagway Shore Excursion: Yukon Discovery Tour
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Yukon Husky Puppy Play Time & Summit Tour
✓ Free cancellation
Half Day Yukon Suspension Bridge & Summit Tour
✓ Free cancellation
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.