Life flourishes under the midnight sun. The Arctic summer phenomenon transforms the land into a northern nursery. Tens of thousands of barren-ground caribou and migratory birds return to northern Yukon to bear their young, and the tundra bursts into bloom. By late summer, the landscape is a riot of colour: a changing palette of crimson, orange and gold.

North Yukon's only fly-in community is the traditional and close-knit Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation village of Old Crow. The population of this village is 262. Old Crow is located at the confluence of the Crow and Porcupine rivers on the migration path of the Porcupine caribou herd. Caribou is the primary food source for the Vuntut Gwich’in. Visitors will find limited amenities, but local residents are increasingly offering services like wildlife viewing tours and cultural experiences.

North Yukon is a remote region boasting five large wilderness parks and encompassing much of the range of the Porcupine caribou herd. Here the legendary Dempster Highway leads travelers across a spectacular sub arctic landscape and crosses the Arctic Circle. For centuries, the North Yukon has been the home of the Gwich'in, Han, Inuvialuit and Northern Tutchone peoples.

Local Attractions

One of the world's unique driving routes, the Dempster is famous for its colourful alpine tundra landscapes, wildlife, scenic vistas and memorable driving adventures. Starting near Dawson City, this unpaved 736-km two-lane highway crosses North Yukon and continues north to Inuvik, NWT. The Highway was named in honour of Corporal Dempster, the Mountie who led the search for the "Lost Patrol." The Dempster Highway is the only year-round public road in Canada that crosses the Arctic Circle.

Tombstone Territorial Park naturalists offer local knowledge, park and travel information, special events and tips for wildlife viewing from the highway. Visitors can join an interpretive walk and explore the Centre's natural history displays. This is also the site of Tombstone Territorial Park Campground, nestled in a grove of spruce trees along the North Klondike River.

Crossing the Arctic Circle at 66° 33' north latitude, travelers can stop to enjoy the breathtaking views at the Arctic Circle pullout. On summer solstice, June 21st, the sun doesn't set at the Arctic Circle. The further north one travels, the higher the midnight sun, and this unique condition in nature makes the tundra come alive for a very short, intense, and productive growing season.

Herschel Island is a lush Arctic Eden with carpets of wildflowers and lots of birds and wildlife located off the Yukon’s far north coast. The island has evidence of prehistoric cultures; Inuvialuit hunters and fishers who have frequented this windswept island for centuries. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Americans docked their whaling fleets here and the North-West Mounted Police carried out their legendary dogsled patrols from the island.

A rafting journey down the Firth River in Ivvavik National Park is an enchanting, scenic passage from the British Mountains to the coastal tundra plains. The Porcupine caribou herd, grizzlies, musk ox and wolves thrive in this tundra oasis. A very small number of travelers visit North Yukon's parks each summer, but those who make the journey are rewarded by unparalleled scenery and enriching adventures.

From the pullout overlooking the North Klondike River Valley, the jagged peaks of the Tombstone range dominate the landscape. At the head of the valley, Mount Monolith emerges into sight.

Beyond North Fork Pass lies the Uplands, where wildlife sightings are common and birding opportunities abound. Moose, caribou, foxes, bears and red-throated loons, long-tailed ducks, golden eagles and whimbrels are all frequently spotted in places like Two Moose and Chapman lakes.

Nestled in a pocket of boreal forest, this is the northernmost Yukon Government campground reachable by road. The campground makes a fine base for hiking to the round-topped Richardson Mountains, the northernmost extension of the Rocky Mountains.