Nestled in mountains, Yukon’s capital city offers many outdoor activities nearby. Visits to pristine wilderness are only minutes from your door, along with hiking and mountain biking trails. We have it all – wilderness out the back door, and all the benefits of contemporary life.

Whitehorse surprises many visitors with its cosmopolitan aspect. Despite a population of only 22, 000 the city offers all the comfort and amenities of a much larger southern city: two golf courses, a hot springs, fine dining, museums, and an assortment of spa and salon offerings.

Adventures in the Wilderness City

There is so much to do in and around Whitehorse. Hike the Ibex Valley, explore trails within the city, visit a kennel of friendly Yukon huskies, or take a short bush-plane ride in order to fish from a pristine alpine lake. You can also explore the Whitehorse waterfront, or enjoy the Yukon River by raft, canoe or tour boat.

Whitehorse lies in the traditional territory of two First Nations: the Kwanlin Dun First Nation, and the Ta’an Kwachan Council.

1898 saw thousands of bold gold-seekers battle ice, wind, and churning rapids on their way up the Yukon River. The turbulent waters of the Yukon near Whitehorse gave the city its name because the boiling rapids resembled the flowing mane of a white horse.

A site below the rapids had long been a Kwanlin Dun Fishing encampment, and the settlement grew to become the city of Whitehorse. The city flourished after the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway from Skagway to Whitehorse was completed.

Whitehorse was declared capital of Yukon in 1953, and the 1957 construction of a hydroelectric dam diminished the rapids.

The city has retained its post-WWII aura, and affordable housing and unmatched access to wilderness make Whitehorse one of the best cities in Canada in which to live, work, or visit. It boasts a vibrant arts community, small-town values, a classic Main Street, great shopping, restaurants, and quality visitor services.

Within walking distance of downtown accommodations are street musicians, walking tours, and coffee houses that invite visitors to enjoy our city.

The land of the midnight sun is perfect for golf, and we have two golf courses to be enjoyed until the wee hours. The 18-hole Mountain View Golf Course is 10 minutes north of downtown, and 10 minutes south, you’ll find a 9-hole course: the Meadow Lakes Golf and Country Club. Golfers may also catch glimpses of wildlife like moose and coyotes from the fairway!

Only minutes from Whitehorse, Miles Canyon is where the 1898 stampeders encountered the rapids that gave Whitehorse its name. However, a dam built in 1957 has calmed the water. A suspension bridge now arcs over placid waters below. A 1.5km walk on the opposite shore takes visitors to Canyon City, a community where stampeders would prepare themselves for the harrowing journey through the rapids. Extensive trails beyond Canyon City are popular for mountain biking and hiking.

Seeing the Whitehorse waterfront on a narrow gauge track, the trolley is a delightful way to get to know our city. The trolley operates daily in summer, picking up passengers at the Visitor Reception Centre, the White Pass Building, or at the Train Shed on First Avenue. You can also ride through history on the Copper Belt Railway and visit the museum, five minutes from downtown.

Driving along this 15 km road you will cross the TransCanada Trail, to a beautiful sub-alpine valley and a wetlands viewing gazebo at McIntyre Creek. Watch for the Pueblo Mine Memorial Plaque commemorating the Yukon's worst mining disaster in 1917. At the end of the road are a boat launch, and a trail to one of the most beautiful hiking and riding trails in the Whitehorse area. Look up to see one of our environmentally friendly power sources - wind turbines on the top of Haeckel Hill.

"On the marge of Lake Laberge..." reads Robert Service's famous poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee. Visitors can explore the lake by canoe or boat, go fishing or sailing, camp on its historic shores, or enjoy the secluded beach behind the campground.

The carefully restored S.S. Klondike is the largest sternwheeler to ever ply the Yukon River. It is a downtown Whitehorse landmark downtown on the banks of the River. The boat is a Parks Canada National Historic Site. www.parkscanada.gc.ca

During the last Ice Age, while the rest of North America lay under ice, a vast region called Beringia extended from Siberia across Alaska and northern Yukon. Beringia escaped glaciation and became a refuge for plants and animals like the woolly mammoth, scimitar cat and giant beaver. Visitors can see artifacts from that time, and watch the Beringia era come alive at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre.

Have you ever wanted to see Sam McGee’s cabin? Just walk to the MacBride museum. Exhibits in this log-building complex explain Yukon and Whitehorse history. The excitement of the gold rush, First Nations traditions, and the diversity of Yukon wildlife are showcased here. The museum offers daily presentations and a chance to pan for gold. www.macbridemuseum.com

Much of the Yukon's transportation legacy has been preserved and interpreted for visitors. A good place to start is the Yukon Transpor­tation Museum, which houses an impressive collection of restored trains, planes, boats and other modes of transport. Nearby, you'll see the restored DC-3 airplane on a rotating pedestal that has the distinction of being the world's largest wind vane. www.yukontransportationmuseum.ca/

This modern performance venue features local, national, and international artists. The adjacent gallery showcases the work of professional artists from around the world and here at home. For performance and exhibit schedules, go to: http://www.yukonartscentre.com/

This is where you can hear about the bishop who ate his boots. Built in 1900, this log church is home to exhibits and interactive displays about the early days of missionaries and whalers, explorers and their impact influence on Yukon’s First Nations.

It’s a wild adventure! The Wildlife Preserve offers one-hour guided tours by vehicle to watch and photograph Yukon wildlife in its natural habitat. Woodland caribou, moose, elk, musk ox, mountain goats and Dall sheep live in their natural habitats within this preserve of 750-acres. www.yukonwildlife.ca/

Witness the migration of Yukon River chinook salmon at the longest wooden fish ladder in the world. Underwater viewing windows make certain you catch all the action! www.yukonfga.ca/fishway/index.asp

Musical reviews and stories by Robert Service hit the stage in Whitehorse each night of the summer. Yukon performers present comedic renditions of The Cremation of Sam McGee – and guests are sure to take home a piece of Yukon History home.