How to Travel Around The Yukon, From The Comfort of Your Home

These past few months, we have been satisfying our travel itch virtually by exploring several destinations around the world. One such destination is the Yukon Territory. 

While travel to this beautiful Canadian territory is still off-limits for the foreseeable future — there are plenty of ways to experience this wild, mountainous land from the comfort of your home.

Virtual travel is a unique way to explore new destinations, so get ready to escape to the land of the mighty Yukon River, towering mountains and dancing lights in the sky… Enjoy virtual Yukon!

Hikes 

One of the main draws to the Yukon is its vast wilderness. And what better way to appreciate its quiet solitude than by hiking the many trails? 

Hiking Project offers virtual routes of popular hikes around the world. The site makes it easy to follow the trail and see the many viewpoints on the way.

Here are some trails to enjoy virtually:

// Observation Mountain Route 
// Grizzly Lake Trail
// Slim’s River West Trail

Luckily, while enjoying the hikes from home, you don’t need to worry about the grizzly- and black-bears that roam around the Yukon forests…

Nature 

Given that it is a sparsely populated Canadian region, the Yukon is home to an abundance of wildlife, epic scenes, wild rivers and boreal forests. 

The Yukon Territory is a haven for people in search of adventures in the wilderness. 

Northern Lights

No need to stand in the cold for hours trying to get a glimpse of the Northern Lights… Just sit back on your comfy couch and admire the lights in these 360 videos!

Miles Canyon

Nine million years ago, a unique landscape was created by basaltic lava on the spot now called Miles Canyon. 

Miles Canyon is located only steps away from Whitehorse but you can now admire the canyon virtually here.

Dempster Highway

The Dempster Highway is a 750 km-long road that leads from the Yukon all the way to the Arctic Circle in the Northwest Territories. On the way, you pass some of the most beautiful scenery in the world making this a bucket list journey.

These 360-degree panoramas offer you a view of North Fork Pass, found near the southern end of Dempster Highway.

More Panoramic Views

Visit some of the most famous sites in the Yukon — from Dawson City (where the Gold Rush frenzy started at Bonanza Creek) to Kluane National Park, the most inaccessible park in Canada. Discover them all here.

Some of our favourites are:

// Five Finger Rapids: During the Gold Rush, in order for the prospectors to reach Dawson City, they had to pass Five Finger Rapids. This proved to be a huge obstacle on their journey.

Related: Check out our Dawson City guide here for more information on the Gold Rush.

// Kluane National Park: Apart from being home to the highest mountain in Canada, Kluane National Park also has the world’s largest non-polar icefield…

Related: Read about our flight over this impressive wilderness.

// Keno City: Keno City is the smallest town in the Yukon; it’s quirky and full of character…

Related: Take a look at our short guide to Keno City.

Activities

You don’t need to physically be in the Yukon to enjoy some of the activities! It’s easy to get into the Yukon spirit through the following experiences…

Travel Yukon Virtual Activities

Travel Yukon has introduced two virtual activities for everyone to enjoy without leaving their homes.

// Yukon Book Club

The Yukon has featured in many classic novels. Books have always had the ability to transport readers to far-flung places and they are a great way to escape everyday life. 

Tourism Yukon has selected classic (as well as contemporary) books for you to enjoy for free! 

Each book will have its own page on the Travel Yukon website, featuring locations, photos and maps to give readers a deeper understanding of the locations encountered in the books.

Start off with a true classic: The Call of the Wild by Jack London.

// Sweatin’ to the Yukon series

Hosted through Instagram live, Travel Yukon offers unique workouts from the Yukon. 

From yoga under the midnight sun; Diamond Tooth Gerties’ Dance Routine; dryland kayaking at Miles Canyon and lumberjack lifting at Fish Lake Road… With these workouts, you are sure to get into the Yukon spirit!

Virtual Yukon Pretend Quest Paddle Race

The Yukon River Quest is an annual race that takes place in June, under the midnight sun. 

It is the world’s longest annual canoe- and kayak-race and sees its participants retracing the steps (or paddles) of the prospectors, as they (would have) travelled from Whitehorse to Dawson City in search of gold. The race is 715 km-long and must be completed in under 85 hours. 

This year the race was cancelled, however, a virtual race, The Yukon Pretend Quest, has been organised so people around the world can still participate. 

The rules have been altered slightly. This includes aspects such as the distance… Now, participants only have to paddle 352 km to finish the race or 150km for the Half-Pretend Race. 

You decide where you paddle, so choose your favourite lake or river in your hometown to complete the race… Click here to find out more and to register.

Yukon Travel Planning

Even though you can’t travel to the Yukon just yet, you can still dream and start planning your trip to this beautiful territory. 

We have travelled to the Yukon on multiple occasions and have a wealth of information and travel guides for you to explore.