We kept heading north out of British Columbia, jumped on the Alaska Highway towards Whitehorse, YT on our way to wiggle our toes in the Arctic Ocean. The Dempster Highway was our route in, the last big push to our goal … as far north as we could get on a road in the Northwest Territories. Since we weren’t in a hurry, we stopped … a lot … along the way. Our highlights:
• I’m a sucker for leaving and entering signs. Don’t miss taking a pic at the bright blue Yukon sign. Turn around and get a pic of the entering British Columbia sign too!
• We made a pit stop at the Yukon Hotel. Good thing, the cinnamon rolls are gooey delicious.
• The Provincial campgrounds are great, but most don’t have showers. We overnighted at Caribou RV Park, just outside of Whitehorse, YT. Sandra and Stuart have created a welcoming haven for weary travelers who need a bath!
• We were poking around in Carmachs, YT, checking for the visitor center where we ran into a Royal Canadian Mounted Police reserve officer checking us out. She was brimming with information. She will forever be Yukon Deb to us. You might see her cruising town in the summer months.
• Five Fingers Rapids Recreation Site — stop at the overlook for info and incredible views of the Yukon River, the fourth-longest river in North America. It carried a lot of stampeders in search of gold during the Klondike Gold Rush.
• Capture in one photo the trek north at the Arctic Ocean / Dempster Highway sign at the turn-off junction from the Alaska Highway.
• Don’t miss a guided tour of Goldensides Trail at Tombstone Territorial Park. It’s a hike through 2 billion years of geological history.
• Eagle Plains Hotel for fuel for both you and your vehicle.
• Photo op at the Arctic Circle kiosk, plus spectacular panoramic views.
• Haven’t been on a car ferry in awhile, here’s your chance … at Peel, Mackenzie and Yukon Rivers.
• Stop in and say hi to Nikkia at Western Arctic Regional Visitors Center and pick up your Arctic Circle Adventurer certificate. It makes a great placemat!
• At the end of the road, literally, is Tuktoyaktuk and the Arctic Ocean. Try the mukluk with HP sauce at Grandma’s Kitchen.
• Spend a day in Dawson City. This Iconic gold mining town on the banks of the Yukon River has a easy pace about it. A great place to decompress and regroup.
• What’s a pingo? You’ll find out at Pingo National Monument. Hint: it’s not an animal!
• Be on the lookout for bears, moose, caribou and, the ever present, pika.
• Boondock —just about anywhere. Turn everything off and just enjoy the quiet.
Fun Facts — Canada’s Yukon once was home to the Wooly Mammoth. Today, they’ve vanished but it can now boast it has more moose than people. The Northwest Territory is nearly twice the size of Texas and is home of the midnight sun.
As we prepare to leave Canada for Alaska, it is with a heartfelt appreciation for a country that has been ranked “one of the kindest countries in the world.”
