If you are planning a trip to Yukon, Canada, you will definitely want to add Dawson City to your itinerary. Like us, you may even find you alter your plans to stay a little longer.
Dawson City is one of the most well known cities in Yukon, as it was the centre of the Klondike Gold Rush in 1896. Gold was found in Rabbit Creek (Now called Bonanza Creek), just south of the city. Once this news spread around the world, 100,000 people flocked to the area in hopes of striking it rich, and Dawson City was born. It remained the capital city of Yukon up until 1952, but as highways were paved around the territory that title was transferred to Whitehorse as it had a more central location.
It’s hard not to be pulled into the magic and excitement that the Gold Rush stories inspire. You are instantly thrown back in time when you set eyes on the town. The streets are compressed dirt and gravel, or paved to look that way. The old and new buildings are built up on stilts to avoid future structural issues due to the permafrost underground. Wooden boardwalks surround the buildings and give pedestrians a safe place to walk.
Our road trip through the Yukon with our toddler took place during the summer month of August. Most of what Dawson City has to offer is only open seasonally from May to September. Once winter hits, all the National Historic sites close for the season.
What to do First
Before you do anything else, go to the Visitor Centre. All activities need to be booked in advance. There are a limited amount of people booked for each activity, and limited time slots. If you are unsure what you want to do while in town, speak to an operator on site and ask for recommendations. The staff are all very knowledgeable and more than willing to help you plan out your perfect stay in Dawson City.
Activities
Most of what Dawson City has to offer focuses around the Gold Rush.
Walking Tour
A great place to start is with a walking tour. The tour starts at the Visitor Centre where a costumed guide walks you through the town and regales you with stories and facts from the Klondike Gold Rush era. The tour lasts about an hour and a half and costs $6.30CAD per person. Young children are free.
The pace of this tour is slow as you make your way through town. It is easily walked by kids of all ages. We did bring a small stroller for our three year old to sit in through most of the tour. If you are planning to use a stroller, just be advised that the streets are gravel, and the wooden boardwalks are made from planks of wood. The ride is bumpy. There were also times that the stroller had to be carried up and down some stairs.
Dredge No. 4
Preserved by Parks Canada, this wooden hulled gold digging machine is located approximately 20 kms south of Dawson City along Bonanza Creek Road. The guided tour of Dredge No. 4 takes about an hour, and will cost you $14.70CAD per person. Young kids are free.
Touring this 4 story machine was one of the highlights of our time in Dawson City. Our 3 year old cried when we had to leave.
Free Claim #6
This free claim is available for all who want to try their hand at gold panning. Claim #6 is located about 18kms south of Dawson City on Bonanza Creek Road and is very close to where the original discovery claim that started the gold rush was located. There are no pans available on site, so you will need to come prepared. The visitor centre signed out pans free of charge at the time of our visit. You will need to provide your name and phone number in order to take the pans.
Pans can also be rented or purchased at Claim 33, which is on the way to Free Claim #6. At the time of our trip into Dawson City, Claim 33 was temporarily closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This claim is a small clearing along Bonanza Creek. There are a couple of picnic tables near the water’s edge, so you could spend some time here and bring some lunch if you desired. There is a large pile of dirt and rock that is dumped near the water’s edge. Take a large portion of the dirt and rock in your gold pan, and head to the water.
The Visitors Centre will provide you with a ‘How To’ sheet with instructions for how to successfully gold pan. They will also give you a small vile to place any gold flakes you find inside. We were told there was a high likelihood of us finding some gold, but for the hour we spent trying, we came home empty handed.
Bear Creek
Managed by Parks Canada, the deserted town of Bear Creek is worth a tour. This once booming town was owned by one of the world’s richest gold mining companies in the world up until it was deserted completely in 1969. The town is now in a stand still, complete with all artefacts left behind when it was abandoned.
Bear Creek was home to the largest, most modern machine shop in all of North America right up until the 1960’s.
Paddlewheel Graveyard
Located across the Yukon River from Dawson CIty, is a dumping ground of seven paddlewheelers. These large ships were abandoned when the construction of roads in the area became a more popular mode of transportation.
To get to the graveyard, you have to head to West Dawson which is located across the Yukon River. A free ferry runs 24 hours a day in the summer months. Once you cross the river on the ferry, drive into the Yukon River Campground, which will be on your first right. Drive all the way to the far end of the campground and park your vehicle. You will need to walk about 350 metres (quarter mile) along the beach of the Yukon River.
The walk along the beach is a nice one. Be safe though, the river is fast moving so keep a close watch on your little ones and pets. You can’t miss the large remains of the first paddlewheeler as you approach it.
There are a total of seven paddlewheelers in this area, but the other six are hard to find amongst the trees and are in a further state of decay, having been eaten away by the elements. Even if you only see the first one, it still made for a neat trek.
The visitor centre can offer you a printout with the details of the ships names and when they were decommissioned.
The Midnight Dome
Located approximately 9kms from Dawson City, this viewpoint is a must do. The windy, gravel road is easily done in any vehicle. The viewpoint will be on your right. Be sure to bring your camera as you will have panoramic views of all of Dawson City, the Yukon River and valley, as well as the Ogilvie Mountain Range.
If you are staying in the area of Dawson City for a few days, be sure to visit the Midnight Dome on a clear day. The view is easily covered by thick clouds and fog.
If you happen to be in Dawson CIty around June 20th for the summer solstice, be sure to head to the Midnight Dome to watch the midnight sun circle the horizon and never set.
Farmers Market and Artisan Market
Every Saturday during the summer months a local market is held from 11:00am-5:00pm on Front Street. If you have time and are in town on a Saturday, this is a great place to stop and browse the locally made goods. We always love attending local markets when we travel, it always gives you a glimpse into the lifestyle and culture of where you are visiting. Plus, you are sure to find a great consumable good or handcrafted item to bring home with you.
S.S. Keno
During the goldrush, paddlewheelers were a vital tool in transporting supplies to remote mining communities along the river. Roads weren’t built and used until the 1950’s. The S.S Keno was the last paddlewheeler to make the trip to Dawson before being retired in 1953. Now it is a National Historic Site, and rests well preserved along the river in Dawson City.
An appointment needs to be made at the Visitor Centre if you want to tour the S.S Keno, as visitors are staggered. We did not have time during our stay in Dawson City to tour this paddlewheeler, but we were able to tour the S.S. Klondike while in Whitehorse.
Museum
A museum is a great place to start if you are interested in the history of the area.
Dawson City Museum
The Dawson City Museum has exhibits and information about the gold rush, but also about the first indigenous inhabitants and early explorers.
The museum is located in downtown Dawson and is easily accessible by foot from anywhere within the city. We were unable to visit the museum during our time in Dawson, as it was closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jack London Museum
If you are a big fan of the White Fang novel perhaps a visit to the Jack London Museum would interest you. This small museum contains a collection of photographs and interpretive exhibits from Jack Londons time in Dawson City during the gold rush. This museum is only open Friday – Sunday, so extra planning will be required to make sure you can book a visit.
Robert Service Cabin
This poet was well known throughout all of the Yukon. Robert Service spent a few years in Dawson City working as a bank teller during the gold rush days. His poems were inspired by stories he heard during this time. If his works or life interest you, you can tour his cabin which is located in Dawson City.
Where to Stay
There are many small hotels, bunk houses and cabins scattered around Dawson City. If camping is what you are after, there is only one campground within the downtown city limits.
Camping
The Gold Rush Campground is privately owned and it is within walking distance of everything in downtown Dawson City. The campground itself is not much to look at. It’s clean and well maintained, but you will be setting up camp in a gravel field next to a picnic table. If you’re camping and being close to town is your priority this is the place for you.
If you don’t mind camping outside of the downtown core, I would recommend heading over to the Yukon River Campground. This government-run site is located in West Dawson, across the Yukon River. To get there you must take the George Black Ferry across the river. This free ferry runs 24 hours a day through the summer months.
The Yukon River Campground is Yukon’s largest campground with more than 100 sites. Each site will cost you $12, and includes firewood. The sites are positioned amongst the trees and complete with picnic tables, fire rings, pit toilets and a playground for the kids.
As mentioned above, the Paddlewheeler Graveyard is a short walk from the west end of the campground. From this same area, there is a nice beach along the Yukon River. The river is fast moving though, so keep a close eye on your little ones and your pets.
Hotels
There are plenty of hotels to choose from in Dawson City. We chose the Downtown Hotel. On Second Avenue in the historic downtown core, the rooms here are spacious, clean and comfortable. The hotel is also home to the Sourdough Saloon and Jack London Grill, so food and drinks are not far away. Added bonus here was the self-serve laundry facility. There is only one washer and one dryer but we didn’t have any issues finding time to use it. Coins can be obtained from the front desk, as well as soap can be purchased.
For the Grown Ups
Although Dawson City is very kid friendly, part of its charm is unfortunately just for adults.
Sourdough Saloon
The Downtown Hotel is home to the Sourdough Saloon, which is well known for the Sourtoe Cocktail. If you’re in Dawson CIty a stop to have one of these world famous cocktails is a must. Or if you are too scared, at least stop in to watch someone else partake.
For those that have not heard of the Sourtoe Cocktail, it is a shot of whiskey with a dehydrated toe inside. Yes, a real toe! Any shot of whiskey can be purchased to add your toe to, but the Yukon Jack is the go to choice. Once you have purchased your shot, you pledge a sourtoe oath, and then a real dehydrated toe is placed in your shot glass.
Once you have downed your drink, you get a certificate of completion to take home. It is cheesy, but well worth a stop in if in town. Unfortunately no minors are allowed inside the saloon at all.
Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall
The oldest casino in Canada, and a well loved institution to locals. This is the place to be at the end of the work week. If you want to steer clear of large crowds of locals, plan your visit earlier in the week. A fee is required to gain entrance. The fee offers a yearly membership, which means you pay to get in once, and from then on for one year you can enter free of charge.
As it is a gambling hall, no minors are allowed on site. A nightly Can Can show is offered to all who are inside when it starts, usually at 9:00pm.
The hall is named after a famous Can Can dancer during the gold rush in Dawson, named Gertie Lovejoy. Gertie had a diamond in the middle of her front two teeth. The locals shortened the name to simply Gerties.
When traveling to Dawson City with kids, you are sure to find something that everyone will love.
