The Campbell region offers a quiet, more remote alternative to the popular Alaska Highway corridor. Here, you'll find fewer people, plenty of wildlife, and many scenic campgrounds. The region is crossed east/west by the Campbell Highway - paralleling the route of the Hudson's Bay pioneer, Robert Campbell. The Canol road travels north/south. Visitors to this area should watch for moose, caribou, bear, lynx, wolf, red fox and Faro's own rare species of thin-horned sheep, the Fannin.

Our Communities

Faro was established in 1968 as a hard rock mining town supporting one of the largest lead-zinc mines in the world. No longer a booming mining town, Faro has reinvented itself for residents, artists and visitors who seek wilderness and rural experiences. 360 people now call Faro home. Wildlife is a major draw to the region, and Faro has a main attraction: a herd of Fannin sheep that resides near the community. Faro offers the full range of visitor services and amenities, including an impressive visitor facility, the Campbell Region Interpretive Centre.

Ross River is a Kaska First Nation community of 327 at the confluence of the Ross and Pelly rivers and near the junction of the Campbell Highway and Canol Road. Ross River was a trading post and is now the gateway to the North and South Canol roads. It offers the only service station on the Canol. A summer ferry in Ross River provides service to the North Canol.

Local Attractions

Explore this classic log building in downtown Faro. Regular walks and talks are presented on the nature, geology, history and people of the area. Visitors can borrow golf clubs from the interpretive centre for free golfing at Faro's "urban" 9-hole golf course.

A sheep viewing deck and the Mount Mye Sheep Centre viewing cabin with interpretive displays, picnic tables and wall of windows are just a short drive from Faro. The facility is near a sheep mineral lick along a bluff. From June to September the sheep are in their summer grounds high on Mount Mye. In August, watch chinook salmon spawning in nearby Blind Creek.

Quiet Lake is a favourite destination for canoe and boat trips, including those heading down the Big Salmon River. You’ll find a series of idyllic lakes and crystal-clear rivers along the Canol Road. Rose and Lapie Lakes are beautiful water bodies located along a scenic, winding stretch of road between Quiet Lake (Km 99) and the Campbell Highway (Km 217).

The U.S. government launched the CANOL Project in 1942. This expensive oil pipeline was used for one year before World War II ended and the line was dismantled. Now a National Historic Site, the Canol Road is used by tourists, hunters and mining companies. After crossing Ross River by cable ferry, this rugged road carries travelers all the way to Macmillan Pass at the Yukon/NWT border. The fishing and canoeing in roadside lakes are excellent. Further north, the road passes beneath the ice-capped Itsi Range and the spectacular Hess Mountains. The North Canol Road is a seasonal route that may require a four-wheel drive vehicle.

This trail retraces an historic 65-km route between Ross River and Faro used by gold prospectors and First Nation hunters. The Dena Cho is a multi-day backcountry hike, but day trips are possible, and it features a number of warm-up cabins.

The Campbell corridor is lined with sparkling lakes and rivers and expansive wilderness. The eastern end of the Campbell Highway passes near Frances Lake, a long slender ribbon of blue where there's a campground and boat launch. Local hikes around Faro feature the Van Gorder Falls Trail, the Faro Arboretum and a network of well-marked trails. At the west end of the Campbell Highway, campgrounds and boat launches invite exploration of narrow, shimmering Little Salmon Lake.

Faro is situated along the Tintina Trench, a broad rift in the earth's surface that acts as a major corridor for bird and wildlife migrations. This geographic feature makes the area an excellent destination for birders and naturalists, particularly in spring and fall. A herd of about 100 distinctly coloured Fannin sheep lives near Faro. In summer, the sheep are usually at higher elevations. Wildlife viewing decks are dotted around the region.

Stocked with rainbow trout and kokanee, Fisheye is an excellent fishing hole only 15 km from Faro on the Campbell Highway. This day-use area has a boat ramp, change rooms, fire pits and picnic facilities. Go for a quiet paddle and watch for diving ducks and loons. It’s oOn the Campbell Highway just 15 km from Faro.

The Canol footbridge in Ross River is over 600 feet long. This cable and wood bridge is the longest suspension bridge in the Yukon. A fascinating piece of engineering, this World War II-era bridge was built by the Canol Oil Project. Today, pedestrians cross the wide Pelly River as they overlook the small cable ferry transporting vehicles to the North Canol Road.