Canada As You Like It Blog
Yukon's National Historic Sites
The Yukon has both a rich historical heritage and valuable wilderness legacy, much of which has been preserved for future generations. Check out our recommenations for some of the National Historic Sites throughout the Territory:

Klondike National Historic Sites of Canada
Strolling down the wooden boardwalks of Dawson City, through the town’s unique architectural gold rush legacy, it’s easy to lose a century and feel the ghosts of another era.
Fort Selkirk Historic Site
Archaeological evidence indicates this area has been in use for at least 8,000 years. In more recent times, around the mid-1800s, it was the site of a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post. Many of the buildings have been restored and it is jointly owned and managed by the Selkirk First Nation and Yukon Government.
S.S. Klondike National Historic Site
Sternwheelers were an integral part of the Yukon’s modern history. During the first half of the twentieth century, in an age before roads, they plied the Yukon River between Whitehorse and Dawson City. The largest of them was the S.S. Klondike. She now sits on the banks of the Yukon River in Whitehorse and has been meticulously restored to her former splendour.
Dredge No. 4 National Historic Site of Canada
After gold was discovered in the Klondike, large dredges began to arrive in the area to increase production. Two thirds the size of a football field and 8 stories high, Dredge No. 4 was the largest wooden hull, bucket-line dredge in North America. It operated between 1913 and 1960.
Discovery Claim National Historic Site of Canada
The spot where it all began. The discovery of gold here on August 17, 1896 sparked one of the biggest gold rushes ever seen.
Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site of Canada
Every step along this trail is a step into history. It was along this mountainous pass that tens of thousands of people struck with gold lust went to seek their fortune in the gold fields of the Klondike. Although they are long gone, evidence of their passing is still apparent. At the end of the trail, the abandoned St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church stands in its silent vigil overlooking Bennett Lake, the last remaining witness to a former gold rush boom town.
Coal River Springs
This unique ecological reserve on the Coal River in southern Yukon features extensive limestone terraces which are the result of cool water springs. The annual temperature of the springs is 130C (550F). A rich diversity of life can be found here due to year-round flowing water. The park is only accessible by experienced whitewater paddlers or helicopter from Watson Lake.






