Dawson, Yukon

Address:Dawson, Yokon Territory

There may still be gold left for the taking in Dawson City, in the Alaskan Yukon. In the late 1800s, 100,000 people rushed to Daswon City to find the gold in Bonanza Creek, causing one of the world's greatest gold rush stampedes. Interestingly, gold mining is still one of the main industries in Dawson City in addition to tourism, because with the high price of gold nowadays, private mining operations are still profitable. Though visitors can still try their luck at finding gold in the Klondike fields, the best value in Dawson City today is in the breathtaking views, unique excursions and fun night-life. Don't miss the beautiful walk along the boardwalk of the Yukon River day and night, the special view of the northern lights in the winter and the astonishing midnight sun in the summer.

Though 60,000 visitors flock each year to what is known by locals simply as "Dawson," the city has only about 2,000 full-time residents today. Many of them are the descendants of gold miners who refused to leave the town, hopeful for a brighter future after the gold mining craze died out. The town was the capital of Yukon until 1952, and also was originally the home of the Tr'ondek Hwech'in, whose heritage you can learn about at the Tr'ochek National Historic Site. The town grew immensely to a population of 40,000 during the Klondike Gold Rush from 1896 – 1899, but when the gold rush died down, so did the population. With the gold appeal gone, most people likely could not stand the sub-arctic climate anymore, with an average winter temperature of -26.7°C, and an average summer temperature of 15.6 °C. In fact, the highest temperature ever recorded there is 34.7 °C. The entire town is actually built on a layer of ice, and it sees about 164.5 cm of snow every year.

Activities in Dawson City reflect the town's golden history. At Eureka Gold Panning Adventures, tourists can tour the gold fields and pan for gold, with rugged accommodations available in wall tents on the mining claim. At Goldbotton Mine Tours, visitors can tour a more modern operating gold mine, or pan for gold at Gold Bottom or Hunter Creeks, where cabins are also available for rent. At the Trek Over the Top, snowmobile tours lead adventure seekers through the wilderness from Tok to Dawson City. For some sit-down-and-relax entertainment, visitors can go to an event at the Kondyke Fiddle School, or see the Robert Service Show, formerly run by now-retired professional actor Tom Byrds, who has been reciting famous Klondike poems there for 25 years. Shopping is also always an option at local stores, including Dancing Moose Gifts, which is famous for its Northern arts and crafts, paintings, baskets and clothing. If you didn't find any gold during the day, at night, you can always try your luck again at Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall.

Dawson City bustles more than usual each year for three months during the Berton Writers Retreat Program, when Canadian writers enjoy inspirational subsidized residencies surrounded by the former houses of writers Pierre Berton, Jack London and Robert Service. In fact, writing is what has made Dawson City so famous in the first place: during the gold rush, writers tended to hype and exploit the town in local newspapers, books and magazines in order to sell more of their work, which led to a "gold fever," and the popularization of Dawson City.

Accommodations in Daswon range from minimal to cozy. In addition to the abovementioned mining tour options, the Dawson City RV Park and Campground is located one mile away from downtown, and several hotels and bed-and-breakfasts, all very close to the center of town. Another option is to rent a log cabin at Klondike Kate's Cabin and Restaurant. No matter where you plan to stay, it might be a good idea to leave some empty space in your suitcase just in case you find a golden souvenir to take back home with you.

Dawson City is fairly isolated, with the nearest town of Whitehorse at 328 miles away. However, there is a very small Dawson City Airport, and the town is linked by the Klondike Highway to nearby Whitehorse, the Top of The World Highway to the rest of Yukon, and the Taylor Highway to Alaska. When the Yukon River is not frozen, it is also possible to arrive by boat, or the Highway 9 ferry. The Yukon Queen II still makes daily trips from Dawson City to Eagle, Alaska, as part of packaged tourist deals.