I've been coming to Watson Lake to do locums for years now. I keep coming back because it's a great group of people and setting for rural medicine. You just can't find this type of medicine in a city.– Dr. Morgan Brache
Dawson City
Dawson City is a fun, healthy town of about 2,300 (much higher in the summer with tourists and gold miners) with amazingly active outdoors and arts scenes and a vibrant First Nation.
Dawson City is an eclectic and vibrant northern community on the banks of the Yukon River. Dawson boasts a mixture of First Nations Heritage and Gold Rush history blended with an active Gold Mining and Tourism Industry as well as a thriving Arts scene.
Visitors are always stunned by the variety of activites available in Dawson City. For a small, northern town, Dawson has something to see and do for everybody. However long you’ve planned on coming, we assure you, it’s not long enough. They’ve got everything you’re looking for in a Northern town.
Dawson City is home to the Dawson City Medical Clinic and Dawson City Community Hospital.
HOW DO I GET TO DAWSON CITY?
By Road
If you’re travelling by vehicle, you can either journey up the scenic and well-maintained North Klondike Highway (#2), or seasonally over the enchanting Top of the World Highway (#9).
Via Whitehorse: Expect your travel time from Whitehorse to be approximately 5 to 6 hours, depending on the season, road conditions, and regional weather. The distance to your destination is 525 kilometers (or 328 miles), with limited cell and fuel service along the way.
Via Alaska: Access the Top of the World Highway by way of the Taylor Highway (Alaska Highway #5). As most of this road is unpaved, travel time can vary depending on the vehicle you’re using and weather conditions. Please note that the CAN/USA border is opened seasonally from May-September, 9am-9pm Yukon time (8am-8pm Alaska time).
At the end of the road, you’ll approach a ferry landing. Board the free George Black Ferry, which will take you across the Yukon River to downtown Dawson. The ferry operates 24-hours-a-day in the summer months.
By Bus
Don’t have a vehicle? Don’t worry! From late April until the end of September, Husky Bus offers regular and reliable passenger transportation between Whitehorse and Dawson City.
By Plane
Most people fly to Dawson via Whitehorse, but individuals visiting from Old Crow or Inuvik can grab a direct flight with Air North, Yukon’s Airline.
If you’re flying to the Yukon from all other destinations, you can access the Erik Nielson Whitehorse International Airport through Air North, Yukon’s Airline and Air Canada. Westjet also offers flights seasonally (May-September).
The Dawson City Airport (YDA) is approximately 15 minutes from downtown Dawson. To get to your accomodations, call Klondike Experience a call at 867-993-3821.
FUN FACTS ABOUT DAWSON CITY:
- During the gold rush, Dawson City was the largest city north of Seattle and West of Winnipeg.
- The Dawson Historical Complex that makes up much of downtown Dawson City is a designated National Historic Site.
- Dawson City was the Yukon’s capital from 1898 until 1953.
- You'll still see many touches of elegance in this town once known as “The Paris of the North,” but you'll notice a lot more flannel than Chanel.
