Yukon Trip

[Mitchellfried]

Hello,

I am planning a two week trip and am leaving the first week of July. It will be a fair bit of driving for two weeks but I think it should be good. I am wondering if you guys have any pointers of where to camp and what are some great things to see.

We will be leaving from Armstrong and the stops along the way are

Hyder
Telegraph Creek
Jade City
Atlin
Whitehorse
Skagway
Haines
Kluane Lake
Chicken Alaska
Dawson City
Ross River
Liard River
McBride
Armstrong

That gives you a general idea of the route. I wouldn't mind driving a bit out of the way to see things

Thank you for the advice

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Hello,

I am planning a two week trip and am leaving the first week of July. It will be a fair bit of driving for two weeks but I think it should be good. I am wondering if you guys have any pointers of where to camp and what are some great things to see.

We will be leaving from Armstrong and the stops along the way are

Hyder
Telegraph Creek
Jade City
Atlin
Whitehorse
Skagway
Haines
Kluane Lake
Chicken Alaska
Dawson City
Ross River
Liard River
McBride
Armstrong

That gives you a general idea of the route. I wouldn't mind driving a bit out of the way to see things

Thank you for the advice

Welcome to the "cult".
Yes your places to stay are a LONG amount of driving.
Not sure where Armstrong is but the least amount we have done a trip like yours is 3/4/5 weeks.
You really need more time or less places to see.
Look at a map and see where these places are and you will find 2 weeks isn't enough time.
You don't rush a great trip like the one you are planning.
We have made almost your exact trip and used 5 weeks,that's from the Monterey Bay area of California.

I would be glad to give you more info if you want.
You can PM me if you want.
Frank

 

[robbie]

I just did a mileage check and 4, 288 miles. You can not drive skagway to haines direct. need to take a ferry.

You can drive but a long way around.

Easily over 100 hours driving. Without stopping about 7 hours a day. heck no time to even have a beer.

My suggestion Go up to Muncho lake area liard hot springs.. then up to Watson lake and down highway 37 to smithers , prince george area and home.

Then you will have time to enjoy the time and scenery..

Robbie
Watson Lake, Yukon

 

[klahanie]

You'll have a pretty full plate already so I'm reluctant to add to it...

There's much to see along your route and tons of info online about it so you'll probably know about the glacier beyond Hyder but if not it's worth the extra drive (there's next to nothing in Hyder). Also I believe there's little for tourists to see in Ross River except the ferry and old (closed to public) foot bridge (Faro has more) but if you are going that way consider taking #6 south to #1. For sure go into Watson Lake on the way "up", never mind the sign post forest visit the s/b world famous info centre, the staff are excellent.

I count 5, one way in, one out side trips on your itinerary. You're not asking what not to see but obviously some of these side trips might be dropped if you're running out of time. We've done a few 7-8000 km 2 week trips so I have an idea of whats possible for me. I'll just say to you to be aware that google maps can give numbers but they don't always match reality of the day. For eg iirc Telegraph was, for us, a full day side trip rather than the 6 hrs says google. That kind of discrepancy can add up quickly - you may well need those extra hours of daylight. Naturally weather can be also be a factor. On a beautiful day the scenery driving to Skagway is incredible, if it's socked in I wouldn't bother.

As for camping I recommend knowing all the gov camp grounds along your route. Sure there are some bush camp possibilities in some areas but finding them can mop up time you wont have. Plenty of good Provincials etc enroute. I say just pay the money for the convenience.
(btw there's a private cg right on Atlin Lake as you thru town)

If you half the trip distance then you could have the time to poke around and make camp spot notes for next time - then leap frog the area for the next road trip. But that's the gamble, who knows whats around the corner ...

Do what you can and enjoy your trip !


ON EDIT: added a bit

 

[Mitchellfried]

Thank you guys very much for the replies.

Yeah with going to Skagway i was planning on taking the ferry over to Haines then up to kluane lake because I heard that drive is beautiful.

Originally the trip didn't have Telegraph creek, Haines, kluane lake and chicken on the route. But the more I read and the more people I talk to there are always more must see places but now I think I may have added to many stops.

A couple years ago I did a trip to Quebec and back and it was 11,200km in two weeks. A person ends up writing down a lot of places to go back to. I had however spent 4 months travelling across Canada 6 years earlier so a lot I had already seen.

I have spent a lot of time from Terrace south so I'm trying scoot my way North.

Armstrong is about 5 hours north of the US and Canadian border in the okanagan.