This was the first stop on our summer vacation this year. We’ve been travelling to Dawson City for many years, and we never tire of spending time in this picturesque community. In truth, it’s one of my favourite places anywhere because I never have a problem being totally relaxed and at peace when I’m there.
The town itself is located near the mouth of the Klondike River, which flows into the Yukon River and passes by the eastern banks of Dawson City as it continues its journey towards the Bering Sea.
This area is home to the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation, who have lived in the area for many millennia, and they have a wonderful cultural interpretive centre on the waterfront that is very informative. The town of Dawson City itself first came to international attention during the Klondike Gold Rush in 1896, and placer mining has remained an economic staple in this area ever since.
What makes this area unique is that most of the gold rush era buildings have been preserved, and are protected by heritage building legislation and various government agencies. The result is that the town has maintained a very authentic heritage feel, while still remaining a vibrant community. Because of this work the tourism sector has done a very good job of turning Dawson into one of the most popular places to visit in the Yukon.
There are several sites I would recommend if you’re planning a trip. First, take the time to just enjoy walking around the town and looking at all the different buildings, cabins and graveyards. The history of former residents has been well preserved, and worth the time to explore. Robert Service cabin is a popular attraction, as well as the replica of Jack London’s cabin nearby, and it’s worth noting that the famous Canadian journalist Pierre Burton called Dawson home as a child. He wrote some amazing books that capture the essence of the north and Dawson City specifically.
The Palace Grand Theatre is worth the time to take in a Klondike era show. Parks Canada does a great job of weaving some of the more colourful characters of the Gold Rush into their stage performances. Regarding shows, spending an evening visiting Diamond Tooth Gerties Casino is a must. This is a community run casino, and even if you don’t gamble, the entrance fee to watch the three nightly Vaudeville acts is worth the visit.
Although you won’t find evidence visiting the area today, during the gold rush there was a small network of rail lines in the area for mineral transportation and if you’re into trains I suggest checking out the Dawson City Museum, which has a really neat train exhibit of salvaged and restored locomotives from this era.
Gold dredges are impressive machines, and you don’t want to miss the opportunity to tour one. These giant barges excavated the valley floors, separating gravel, pay dirt and gold with ruthless efficiency. A short drive from town, on Bonanza Creek, you can tour Dredge #4, which has been restored by Parks Canada. Seeing one up close is pretty amazing, and helps you to understand how the massive gravel tailing piles that snake the valley floor came to be. To get a birds eye view of the tailings and the surrounding area head up to the Midnight Dome view point. The scenery is spectacular.
One of the reasons I enjoy Dawson City so much is because of the eclectic mix of people who end up there during the summer. It’s a unique mix of locals, tourists, miners and student workers who interact seamlessly in a small town setting. For this reason, I highly recommend taking the time to visit a few of the local drinking establishments in the evening on your way to Gerties. The important stops in my opinion are the Downtown Hotel where you can join the Sour Toe Cocktail club. Yes, it’s a real human toe, and yes it has to touch your lips. From there I would suggest stopping by Bombay Peggy’s for a well made cocktail in what once was a famous brothel. Lastly, you need to end your night at “The Pit”, located in the Westminster Hotel. You can’t miss it, located in a giant pink building on 3rd Avenue. When you walk inside the under height ceilings and warped beams will give you the impression that the building is collapsing in on itself. I will leave you to experience it for yourself, but think dive bar with miles of personality.
Although Dawson City is most visited during the summer months, it also plays host to several winter events like the Yukon Quest sled dog race, the Trek over the Top Snowmobile rally and their own International Movie Festival. Not to mention they get spectacular views of the northern lights during the winter.
If you do make the trip, take a few hours to drive up the Top of the World Highway, that connects Dawson City to United States, via Chicken Alaska. Once you drive beyond the tree line you’ll be rewarded with unbelievable views that extend as far as the eye can see. You truly feel like you’re on top of the world. Perhaps that’s the best analogy for visiting Dawson City, it’s that special.