Canada

Yukon

Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport

Fly into Whitehorse International Airport, where you can take the day to get supplies and take a rest before the drive to Tombstone. it is long, so if you suspect jetlag or have a day to spare, I'd recommend resting in Whitehorse. Otherwise, you can go straight to Tombstone.

Fly into Whitehorse

Tombstone Campground

Whitehorse

Today is a drive day. Make your way up to Tombstone; it is a long, mostly uninteresting drive. Keep an eye on your fuel and fuel frequently if the opportunity arises, as gas stations are sparse. Stay at the campgrounds near the interpretative center in Tombstone since you will need to visit there in the morning and checkout with the staff, and watch a short video before being allowed to hike the park.

Drive to Tombstone Park

Tombstone Interpretive Centre

Grizzly Lake Campground

Visit the interpretative center to checkout with the staff. They will check you have the proper bear can, and you will watch a short safety video.

Grizzly Lake Trailhead

The first day of the hike is one of the hardest as it has the most total ascent. You will start from the Grizzly Lake Trailhead and make your way up the steady ascent to the top of the ridge line of the local mountain peak. From there, you will walk across the ridgeline and round into a valley where you will eventually see Grizzly Lake in the distance as you work your way down to it. Campsites are first come and first serve at all the sites in Tombstone so there is some benefit to arrive early but all the campsites are decent. They are all ontop of these platforms to protect the permaforsted ground which we found it much easier to set up the tents.

Begin hike to Grizzly Lake

Talus Lake Campground

I'd recommend trying to get Talus Lake permits as it is quite beautiful there, but alternatively, if you are staying at Continental Divide camp, you can end your hike there instead. However, the ideal route is to carry all the way to Talus Lake Camp. The hike is straight forward and the only “hard” part is up the ridge pass right off of Grizzly Lake. This part is called Glissade Pass and may be steep for some. Good hiking shoes and balance will be important. Take your time up the pass and down the other side. I feel its fairly safe but requires decent level of fitness. Falling could be dangerous. After getting to the other side, you will have a easy and steady hike to Continental Divide. From there its a last bit of flatish stretch to Talus Lake. The sunsets at Talus Lake camp are amazing.

Hike to Talus or Continental Divide Lake

Tombstone Mountain Viewpoint 

It's an easy and worthwhile hike, especially with nice weather. Make your way over to the base of Tombstone. There is a lake near it, which will be the trail's natural end point.

Today is a free day, take the time to relax, scramble the local mountains, and at the very least wander over to the base of Tombstone Mountain. There is a path that leads there but its not super well defined.

Enjoy the day around Talus Lake

This is an entirely optional day, as you might choose to hike all the way out to your car on this day instead. It is a longer day, but if there is a day to cut from the itinerary, this would be the day. Otherwise, hike back to Grizzly Lake and have a good rest. You will likely want one after climbing the Glissade Pass again.

Hike back to Grizzly Lake

Whether your start point is from Talus to save the day or you are waking up at Grizzly Lake Camp, you made it to the last day! You already know the route since you will return the same path to your car. There are no surprises. Some talus fields can be easier to lose the path on. You should keep an eye out for Cairns Stones and the route is fairly straightforward.

Dawson City

The best news is now you have about an hour's drive to Dawson, and then you can shower and have a nice dinner. Dawson is quite an interesting town. They have preserved their traditional look and field of the town. It looks like it was as it was built for the Yukon Gold Rush. It is a historic town full of interesting things to do and good food.

Hike back to your car and drive to Dawson City

Haines Junction

Sadly, today is not optional if you want to visit Kluane National Park. It is worth the drive, too. It is long, though, with not much to do in between. It is about 6 hours straight with a few places to rest, and not super scenic on the way. Still, bring good company, and you'll be in Haines Junction before you know it.Make it over to the lake at Haines Junction, especially for sunset. The sun setting on the local mountain above the lake is gorgeous. Haines Junction has limited but good places to eat.

Drive to Haines Junction 

Kluane National Park and Reserve

If you made it to Kluane, this experience cannot be missed. Take a plane or a helicopter over to the park, and you won't be disappointed with the beautiful aerial views. Do note, these are weather-dependent and can be canceled. If you have days to spare it might be a good idea to have some hiking days in Kluane where on a day with good weather, you run out to do a flight over Kluane. This was one of the highlights of our trip.

The trip is coming to an end! Make your way back to Whitehorse for your car rental return. Most car rental shops will help transport you to the airport too.

Catch a flight to Kluane and then drive back to Whitehorse 

Looking to explore the Yukon with the intent of hiking? This itinerary is for you. It is focused on taking the Dempster highway up from White Horse, stopping at the lovely town of Dawson City, and ending in Kluon. It is a bit rushed, but all these places are worth the visit. Please add more time to Kluon on Dawson City if you have more time. Fly into White Horse, where you can rent a vehicle and ensure you have needed supplies before your trek. You'll be hiking for four days through the remote northern Canadian Yukon. It is worth noting that in the prime time months to hike Tombstone, the daytime is longer, which gives less probability you will see a strong Aurora Borealis, so it's good not to get your hopes high.You'll spend 5 nights doing the Grizzly Lake to Talus Lake hike in Tombstone and a swing by Haines Junction to fly over Kluane National Park. It will be a grand time!&nbsp;Note that the Grizzly Lake area in Tombstone requires hard and competitive permits to be able to go, so do the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://yukon.ca/en/hike-camp-tombstone#camping-at-tombstone-territorial-park">research and be ready to buy the permits immediately on release once a year</a>, or you'll miss the chance.

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Areas of Travel:

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Fly into Whitehorse

Drive to Tombstone Park

Begin hike to Grizzly Lake

Hike to Talus or Continental Divide Lake

Enjoy the day around Talus Lake

OPTIONAL

OPTIONAL

Hike back to Grizzly Lake

Hike back to your car and drive to Dawson City

Drive to Haines Junction

Catch a flight to Kluane and then drive back to Whitehorse

Hiking Tombstone Park from Whitehorse

9

Title:

Owner:

Areas of Travel:

Seasons:

Updated:

Budget Range:

Fly into Whitehorse

Drive to Tombstone Park

Begin hike to Grizzly Lake

Hike to Talus or Continental Divide Lake

Enjoy the day around Talus Lake

OPTIONAL

OPTIONAL

Hike back to Grizzly Lake

Hike back to your car and drive to Dawson City

Drive to Haines Junction

Catch a flight to Kluane and then drive back to Whitehorse