Driving and sightseeing near Dawson City is a once in a lifetime opportunity you don’t want to miss out on. Pack up and get ready for a bit more history and lots more eye candy!
For a truly picturesque drive, take Dempster Highway to the “Patagonia of the Northern Hemisphere,” where a wide range of flora and fauna are known to grow like no other place in North America. This new phenomenal park, formerly called Tombstone Territorial Park, protects 2,000 square kilometers of subarctic wilderness in the southern part of the Ogilvie Mountains. Many come from all around the world, including sight-seers, bird-watchers, hikers, photographers, wildlife viewers and anyone else who enjoys being surrounded by a stunningly natural setting filled with wondrous landforms, stellar views, and mountainous peaks. A great thing to know about this unique park is that it can be viewed and appreciated right from the luxury of your car/RV; all you have to do to witness its beauty is to literally drive by. Of course stopping, and getting out and exploring the majestic beauty would be well worth the effort too.
Back on Front Street in Dawson City, you can visit the SS Keno Riverboat, a National Historic Site. Built in 1922, it was the last commercial steamboat that operated under its own power on the Yukon River. Another interesting National Historic Site is Dredge No. 4, which was built in 1912. It endured many years of dredging, 24 hours a day, from April until November each year, for over 40 years. While producing upwards of 800 ounces of gold in a single day, it was an extremely efficient way to mine for gold at that time. The electrically-powered dredge is fascinatingly giant at 2/3 the size of a football field and 8 stories high. Take a peek at it in its current location on Claim # 17, below Discovery on Bonanza Creek; near the place its operation ceased back in 1959.
Relax and take a break from the delightfully engaging outdoor attractions and enjoy some captivating indoor entertainment at Canada’s oldest casino, Diamond Tooth Gerties Gambling Hall (shown above). With nightly entertainment from May to September, Dawson City’s world famous gambling hall was named after the epitome of all dance hall queens. Diamond Tooth Gertie, also known as Gertrude Lovejoy, was well-known and famous for wedging a dazzling diamond between her two front teeth during the exhilarating Gold Rush days of 1898.
As you venture through Dawson City and the surrounding area, make sure to take your sweet time and relish in the exquisite beauty of this magical wilderness. The Yukon is one of the most exhilarating, entertaining, and eye-catching places you’ll ever visit. You’ll especially want to take your time at each attraction and not miss out on any of the extraordinary sights along the way.