Visiting Dawson City, Yukon – Capital of the Klondike, Dawson City, Yukon

No city or town in Canada boasts as much character and quirk quite like Dawson, Yukon. Built on the back of the Klondike Gold Rush, Dawson was a boom town that saw its population balloon to 40,000+ and prospered along those that made their fortune. Along with those riches came hotels, brothels, bars, and gambling halls. Yes, life was good in Dawson City…for two whole years. Even though the gold rush was short-lived, visiting Dawson City today is much like it was during its prime. With a fascinating history that has been well-preserved, there is no place like it.

The slanty historic buildings of Dawson are worth the trip north alone. Many of the wooden structures arehave been designated as Federal Heritage Buildings. Many more have been left derelict and abandoned. All of it cool, eerie, and unlike anything else you will find in Canada.

Downtown Dawson is comprised of dirt roads and uneven boardwalks, all in an effort to keep its character intact. The 5 x 5 block (or so) “downtown core” can be easily explored on your own, however, I recommend taking a guided tour. Departing from the Yukon tourism office, Parks Canada offers one hour tours that give insight into the city’s many historic buildings and businesses. I took the Doors Open Dawson tour for an added peek behind the scenes. Highlights included putting on protective gloves and snooping around the original post office and the Dawson Daily Newspaper office. At the latter, you can flip through old newspapers and read the sometimes comical stories from 100+ years ago including headlines from the day of your tour and visit in 1899! ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).