8 Things You Can Do In The City Of Whitehorse

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Whitehorse is the largest city in Northern Canada and the capital of Yukon. It is located off the Alaska highway on the Yukon River. Whitehorse is a great place to live with all the amenities of a modern metropolis catering to the population of the city.

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Photo by Dancestrokes from Shutterstock

The City of Whitehorse also known as the “Wilderness City” as it has broad valleys, and big lakes and is surrounded by mountains. The city’s easy access to mountains, rivers, trails, and lakes makes it a perfect tourist spot.

8 Amazing Things You Can Do In The City Of Whitehorse

Located on the Yukon (Lewes) River right below Miles Canyon and the former Whitehorse Rapids (now submerged beneath Schwatka Lake, formed after 1958 by a hydroelectric dam known as Whitehorse Dam), Yukon Whitehorse has served as the capital of Yukon, Canada, since 1952.

Whitehorse is filled with natural beauty and offers spectacular scenery, historical sites, and, many options for outdoor adventure.

The city can be reached by flight or road from Alaska Highway from Alberta/BC or the Cassiar Highway from British Columbia. There are a variety of places to stay in and around town including many hotels, cabins, and restaurants.

Let us have a look at the things that visitors can do while there stay in Whitehorse -:

1. SS Klondike National Historic Site

S S Klondike II

S.S. Klondike is one of Canada’s few remaining steam-powered paddle wheelers. The paddle wheelers first arrived in Yukon territory in 1860 and brought massive changes in this area by bringing in new people and their culture and connecting Yukon with the outside world.

The National Historic Site celebrates the history of riverboats in the region of Yukon and is a must-visit place.

How To Reach?

Visitors may reach Whitehorse through a flight from Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, and Vancouver.

Many visitors take the Alaska Highway from B.C., Alberta, or Alaska.

There is a pedestrian trail following the Yukon River from Robert service campground or downtown.

A transit bus facility is also available for people visiting the site.

What To See?

Guided tours are available with prior reservations. The heritage interpreters give in-depth information about the working of the ship and fascinating stories about life on the river.

There are photographs, audio exhibits, new interpretive panels, and visual designs to showcase the life and history of indigenous people who lived and traveled in this area and their culture and traditions.

The Theatre at the site runs the documentary “In the Days of the Riverboats” throughout the day. Visitors can take a look and imagine the lives of passengers, and crew living onboard the ship in the past.

Visitors may also try their hands at locating the geocache or try the game of quoits. The park also has picnic tables where people can sit and relax, enjoying the scenic beauty of the Yukon River.

Nearby Attractions

There are many attractions nearby this National Historic Site-:

  • Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre
  • SS Klondike Guild Hall
  • Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre

2. Emerald Lake

Emerald Lake Yukon Canada (Phantom Flight)

Emerald Lake is surrounded by Surprise Mountain and Mount Gilliam and offers a breathtaking view of its iconic emerald water. This lake is also known as the ‘Rainbow Lake’.

The powdered rocks from the glaciers reflect the blue-green spectrum of sunlight making the water of the lake appear emerald. The color of the lake keeps on varying due to the rock type and the amount of water in it.

How To Reach?

The lake can be reached by traveling south on the South Klondike Highway towards the Southern Lakes community of Carcross in the Yukon territory.

What To See?

Emerald Lake is known as the “Most Photographed Lake in Yukon” due to its green color. There are various informative plaques explaining the natural phenomenon that makes the lake’s water look green.

This picturesque lake is perfect for clicking beautiful photographs with family and friends to make these memories last a lifetime.

The lake is surrounded by many hiking trails and is a perfect place for hiking. Visitors must check the climate around the region before starting hiking.

Nearby Attractions

There are many attractions nearby this National Historic Site-:

Miles Canyon

Takhini Hot Spring

Carcross Desert

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Photo by Tomas Kulaja from Shutterstock

3. Yukon Arts Centre

The Yukon Arts Centre (YAC) opened in 1992 and is a nonprofit charitable organization dedicated to promoting performing art and culture in the community and promoting diversity in Whitehorse.

The center includes a theatre for performing arts and an art museum that has a permanent collection of visual arts from artists throughout Northern Canada.

Many art exhibitions relating to music, visual arts, and performing arts are organized and performed here along with traveling exhibitions.

What To See?

Many exhibitions and events are regularly conducted here. Visitors to the center can be a part of ongoing events like-:

Monsters Parade Through The Winter Garden is an exhibition organized for kids from various schools to enjoy and have fun.

Pauls x Parkin is a collaboration between an illustrator and a music video producer to envision a music cover in motion to bring out a new video that is worth a watch.

Concert was organized by Daniel Janke of his collection of songs known as “Songs of Small Resistance”.

Nearby Attractions

There are many nearby sights and restaurants like -:

Yukon Brewing Company

MacBride Museum

Kopper King Service restaurant

Hilltop Bistro

4. Yukon Beringia Informative Centre

This is a research and exhibition center that opened in 1997. The main focus is on the natural history of Beringia which is a 3200km landmass and offers insight into the fossils found in this region.

Beringia is of great interest to archaeologists as well as paleontologists as it played a very critical part in the migration of humans and animals between Asia and America.

How To Reach?

This center is very near to the airport and can be easily reached even by road.

What To See?

The Center in the Whitehorse explores the time when the Bering Strait was a land bridge and the animals that existed during that period around the region.

The place has various amazing exhibits including stuffed animals and interactive multi-media displays that are very engaging and informative.

There are many unique pieces like a mammoth skull, a Goan beaver, a sloth, a mummified wolf-dog, fossils, and many more amazing things.

Visitors may opt for guided tours and can watch a movie in its theatre related to the pre-historic era, climate changes, and the Bering Strait land bridge.

Nearby Attractions

Visitors may also visit the Yukon Transportation Museum which is interconnected with the center.

Old Log Church Museum

North End Gallery

S S Klondike National Historic Site

5. Watch The Northern Lights

Northern Lights Yukon Canada - Aurora Polaris - Time Lapse Photography

Yukon region is a cold place and a perfect place to watch the Northern Lights in Whitehorse. Visitors can spot these dancing lights (the aurora borealis) throughout the year.

The best time to see these lights are from November to March as the nights are long and dark and that is the perfect time to spot them.

Top Regions To Watch These Lights

  • Watson Lake Region
  • Whitehorse Region
  • Campbell
  • Klondike
  • Kluane

How To Reach?

There are many guided tours available to spot these northern lights. These guides take the visitors to the perfect spot so that these lights are visible.

The tour guides provide shelter, warm outdoor clothes, food, and drinks, organize campfires and make the watch a memorable one.

The organized tours also give an option to the customers to watch these magnificent northern lights either from a dog sled or an outdoor hot tub.

Nearby Attractions

Visitors while enjoying these northern lights in Whitehorse may also indulge in other activities like-:

Dog- Sledding through snow-covered forests

People may opt for a thrilling day flight ride in a helicopter or a plane to see the top of glaciers.

Visitors may also go for winter hiking in snow-covered forests and observe the amazing wildlife of the region.

6. MacBride Museum of Yukon History

MacBride Museum of Yukon History was opened in 1952 and is the oldest museum in the Yukon region. This is a nonprofit museum located in Whitehorse.

The museum throws light on the people and events that shaped the history of this region. There are more than 40000 artifacts that showcase stories of amazing people and unforgettable places in Yukon.

How To Reach?

The museum is a must-visit place in Whitehorse and is easily accessible by road.

To reach the museum a direct bus is also available from the airport.

What To See?

The museum is home to numerous incredible art pieces and Northern Lights icicles.

There are many programs and events conducted throughout the year in the museum along with music and storytelling sessions.

There are detailed exhibits of the history of the gold rush, First Nation’s arts, and photographs in the museum.

Kids visiting this place love the animal exhibition section.

They also have some old dresses and fur coats from the past that visitors can try to get a feel as to how the people of this area dressed in the past.

Nearby Attractions

After completing a tour of the museum the visitors may also visit these nearby attractions and sites-:

  • MacBride Copperbelt Mining Museum
  • Yukon Arts Centre
  • Miles Canyon
  • North End Gallery

7. Yukon Wildlife Preserve

Yukon Wildlife Preserve

Yukon Wildlife Preserve is a nonprofit organization in Whitehorse that is involved in the conservation, and rehabilitation of wildlife, and education about the same to people of the region.

The park is open throughout the year.

The landscape of Yukon supports very diverse wildlife that includes wolves, moose, sheep, grizzly bears, woodpeckers, and marmots. The wildlife preserve is spread over 700 acres with various natural habitats for northern Canadian mammals.

How To Reach?

There are many ways to reach the Yukon Wildlife Preserve which is located on the Takhini hot springs road.

There are options for shuttles, cars, and cabs operated by companies like Driving Force, Grizzly Bear Taxi, Budget Rental Logo, and Standard Bus Yukon.

Many tour packages are also organized for small/large groups by Northern Tales, Arctic Range Adventures, Ruby Range Adventure, and a few others.

What To See?

The visitors are taken near the animal areas through the wildlife bus tour so that they can observe the wildlife and also click some memorable photographs. People can also take a walk through the preserve to observe animals.

The grounds are very well maintained and it’s amazing to see so many animals in a compact drivable area.

The visitors can easily spot Bison, moose, elk, thin horn sheep, mule deer, silver foxes, mountain goats, lynx and muskox, and a few others.

Nearby Attractions

People visiting here might also visit the Yukon Suspension Bridge which is within 10 km of the wildlife preserve.

There are many restaurants around this place where visitors can relax and satiate their hunger like Cosmos Restaurant, Green Garden Restaurant, Smoke And Sow, and a few others.

8. Whitehorse Fish Ladder And Hatchery

The Whitehorse Fish Ladder and Hatchery is a series of ascending pools and has a window that allows visitors to watch a large variety of fishes.

The building has various interpretive displays through which visitors can learn about various Yukon species.

Many underwater cameras and tv monitors are places to watch the fish migrating through the ladder.

The Whitehorse Fish Hatchery just downstream from the ladder is also open to visitors but a prior reservation is required for the same.

How To Reach?

People coming by car or cabs can park their vehicles at the hatchery.

Visitors can also take public transportation or follow the riverside trail from downtown.

Nearby Attractions

  • Attractions near Whitehorse Fish Ladder And Hatchery are-:
  • Yukon Wildlife Preserves
  • Takhini Hot Pools
  • Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre

Closing Thoughts

Whitehorse has a lot of reputations. It was an important supply hub for prospectors and stampeders traveling to Dawson City during the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush. often reachable from Canyon City.

According to legend, Miles Canyon’s raging rapids gave off the impression of charging white horses, giving Whitehorse its name.

Small but fascinating whitehorse yukon has a lot of tourist attractions in the downtown whitehorse and is a must-visit for its natural beauty, climate, and wildlife.

Keep in mind the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Center when you’re there. The Chu Nnkwän, also known as the Yukon River, has been inhabited by the ancestors of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation for countless years. Here, you can view First Nations artwork and cultural exhibitions.

 

Last Updated on by Narayani Bhardwaj

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