Whitehorse
A gold rush river town below rapids that wrecked hundreds of boats, with the last Yukon sternwheeler ashore.
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Whitehorse grew where the Yukon River runs through Miles Canyon and the Whitehorse Rapids, an obstacle that destroyed around one hundred and fifty boats in the summer of 1898 as stampeders tried to run it; Sam Steele of the North-West Mounted Police eventually required boats to be inspected and women and children to walk around. A tramway and then the railway followed and the town became the head of navigation. The SS Klondike, the largest sternwheeler on the river, sits restored on the bank. The rapids themselves are drowned by a hydro dam, but Miles Canyon remains with a suspension bridge across it.
What you actually see
- The SS Klondike - the largest Yukon sternwheeler, restored ashore.
- Miles Canyon - the basalt gorge with a footbridge across it.
- The rapids history - the obstacle that made and nearly broke the stampede route.
- The MacBride Museum - Yukon history including the gold rush and First Nations.
When to go
June to September for long daylight and full services; the SS Klondike is seasonal. Winter brings aurora viewing and the Yukon Quest sled dog race in February.
Honest expectations
The Whitehorse Rapids themselves no longer exist, drowned by the dam. Summer daylight is nearly continuous, which disrupts sleep. Winter temperatures reach minus forty.
Nearby
Takhini Hot Springs lies north; Carcross is south.
What to pack for Whitehorse
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.