Day 2: Out on the Land
Breakfast –
- Baked Café & Bakery – This bakery and café serves high end coffee and counter-service breakfast. It’s located at the end of Main Street in the Horwoods Mall, and the outdoor seating is great for people watching. Just like a good café should be, this place is a little busy and a little loud.
- The Java Connection – This little gourmet coffee house is on 3rd Avenue and features hot coffee and homemade baked goods. For a friendly smile and a quick bite, this is your spot.
- Tonimoes – Located across from Baked Café & Bakery and inside the Edgewater Hotel. Their friendly staff have a great reputation for quick reliable service. If you’re looking for a classic diner-style breakfast, Tonimoes will have you covered.
~ 10:00am – S.S. Klondike National Historic Site
The S.S. Klondike parked on the shores of the Yukon River, is a symbol of pioneer spirit that built Whitehorse. This paddle wheeler was the largest of the British Yukon Navigation Company fleet travelling between Whitehorse and Dawson for the first half of the twentieth century. Open May 19th to September 4th from 9:30am – 5:00pm, take time to tour this historical site, visit the gift shop, and reminisce on the rush of the Klondike Gold Rush.
~11:00am –Fish ladder & Whitehorse Dam
Yesterday, you saw Miles Canyon on the West side of the Yukon River. Today, cross the bridge at Rotary Peace Park and drive along the East side of the river to visit the Fish Ladder and the Whitehorse Dam.
The Whitehorse Rapids Fish Ladder is the longest wooden fish ladder in the world. When you visit the attached interpretive centre, you can peer at salmon and other local species through the underwater windows, cameras, and TV Monitors. Their interpretive displays and helpful staff will help you understand the incredible migratory patterns of these animals, as well as the effects of climate change on the delicate eco-system.
Immediately adjacent to the Fish ladder is the Whitehorse Dam. Though there is no interpretive centre, you can get a birds-eye view of the incredible power of the Yukon River coursing through the dam. The construction of this dam in 1956 created the 250km Schwatka Lake behind it, to name just a single transformation this dam generated. This truly is a piece of Yukon history that you won’t want to miss.
~11:45am – Copper Belt Railway and Mining Museum
Though Yukon is known the worldwide for its gold mining, few people know how vital copper mining was to its history. Very few pioneers who reached the Yukon actually struck gold in the Klondike; copper was a sure-fire way to sooth the pioneer spirit while making bank to send back home. This quiet museum focusses solely on Yukon copper mining history and the railways that made it possible. After perusing the interactive displays and talking to the staff at McIntyre station, ride their railway around the 2.5km track and see the massive machinery necessary for this type of mining.
~ 12:30pm – Fish Lake Road
Rightfully deemed one of the most beautiful drives in the Yukon, Fish Lake is lined with northern wildlife, sightseeing stops, fishing opportunities, and copper mining history. This was once the road to historic copper mines including the Pueblo Mine. This famous copper mine caved-in in 1971, entombing 3 miners for 86 hours. If you find the right local to guide you, you can still see the mine’s entrance today.
For a painless but impressive venture, you can drive down this 18km road and admire the changing landscape around you as your reach Fish Lake at an elevation of 323metres. If you are a more active tourist there are countless hiking and biking trails along the ridges and around the lake. These trails are well-signed but definitely not for the novice!
Keep your camera at the ready as this is a favorite spot for wildlife including eagles, bears, wolves, lynx, coyote, moose, deer, and more.
2:00 pm Lunch – After your venture up Fish Lake Road, you will undoubtedly be ready for lunch! And you still have some exploring to do, so fill yourself up now! Unfortunately, you are no longer in the downtown core. Rather than returning downtown, I’ve compiled a list of places to eat that are along the route to your next stop:
- Talk of the Town Restaurant – This Asian Fusion restaurant doesn’t look like much from the outside, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised with your meal! Enjoy homemade, prepared-to-order fusion dishes like Tom Yum Soup, and Pad Thai, as well as simple burgers and sandwiches. Feel like a local when you visit this diamond in the rough!
- Trail’s North – Talk about comfort food! This classic gas station diner has all the greasy spoon specials you’ll love: giant burgers, crispy fries, toasted BLT, Beef Dip, and more. This one-stop shop will have you fueled up as your car is filled!
- Takhini Gas – Another classic gas-station combo, Takhini Gas is located in an old log cabin on the corner of Takhini Hot Springs Road and the Klondike Highway. If you’re a little less hungry and just looking for a quick bite on the road, their small attached café will be perfect. You can get ready-made bison sausage rolls, burgers, hot soup, and meat pies that will be warmed up upon order.
~2:45 pm– Yukon Wildlife Preserve
Even with all of this driving you’ve been doing, you probably haven’t seen much of the Yukon wildlife you’ve heard about. Check out the Yukon Wildlife Preserve to see these animals in their natural habitats, while supporting a good cause! Take the 2.5 or 5km self-guided walking tour, or hop on the 75-90 minute bus tour to view and learn about the woodland caribou, Canada lynx, Rocky Mountain elk, mountain goats, Alaska Yukon moose, mule deer, muskoxen, wood bison, two varieties of thinhorn sheep (Dall’s sheep and stone sheep), red foxes and arctic foxes, as well as over 90 species of wild birds! Note that during the summer the last recommended entry time is 4:00pm.
~5:00 pm– Takhini Hot Pools
You’ve had a busy few days: you deserve a rest! Visit Yukon’s only natural hot springs collected in outdoor pools in the Yukon wilderness. With two pools, one hotter and one cooler, you can set your comfort level accordingly. In the summer you can rest along the sides of the pools in the complimentary pool chairs.
If you’re not quite ready to soak when you first arrive, take advantage of the other amenities here:
- Go for a hike in the Yukon wilderness – the Pools are surrounded by numerous hiking trails of varying difficulty.
- Have a campfire – There is an attached day and overnight use campground, so bring the marshmallows and sit around the campfire while the day is young!
- Escape – Takhini Hot Pools is happy to also be home to the Yukon Escape Games. Choose from one of two escape rooms: A Klondike themed room for beginners or a kidnapping adventure for more experienced escapers!
7:00pm – Café Balsam – Finally, after all is said and done you’ll be ready for a soothing meal and a comfortable drink. The Balsam Café is attached to the Takhini Hot Pools. ‘Café’ is definitely a misnomer for this impressive restaurant. The menu features French inspired dishes based on local and sustainable products, consistently incorporating local flavors like spruce tips, fireweed syrup, and morel mushrooms. Whether you enjoy the classic poutine or a sophisticated savory crepe, Café Balsam is sure to meet your needs. And after a day like today, you’ll be hungry!
This is great information planning a road trip in 2024 probably late June early July this is fantastic information. Thank you.