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TOP OF THE WORLD owners. Floods, fires, vandals, neglect, and permafrost
caused many buildings to disappear. Over 100 years
later, visitors can relive those exciting times, see
what the early stampeders saw and experience the
Highways 9 & 5 to Chicken, Alaska & Beyond feeling of Gold Fever. While some buildings have
been restored to their classical splendor, there are just
enough dilapidated relics around to give Dawson the
character of the days of ‘98. The gold mining industry
See Video still flourishes and people flock here drawn by the
excitement of seeing where it all began. Dawson’s
year round population nearly triples in the summer
and the community hosts more than 70,000 visitors.
In the cafés, one can see gold miners straight off the
creeks right next to visitors from all around the world.
Dawson is home to many indelibly colorful
characters who are often more at ease here than in
a conventional cosmopolitan setting. Characterized
as “just another guy in Dawson City,” Caveman
Bill Donaldson occupies three small caves left over
from the gold mining days when miners chipped into
the cliff above the river directly across from town.
When his friends in Vancouver assured him he’d feel
right at home in the eclectic, wide-open atmosphere
of Dawson, he came up hoping to find a somewhat
secluded residence. After being bet that he couldn’t
live in a cave once used for cold storage, Bill made it
through the bitterly cold winter and has resided there
since 1996, raising chickens and using an exercise
Location: Yukon Highway 9 from Dawson City to the Alaska border, where it becomes bike to run the lights, television, radio, computer
Highway 5 to the Alaskan towns of Chicken, Tetlin Junction and Tok. and CD player in his approximately 250 square foot
dwelling. The subject of a documentary by an award-
The Top of the World Highway commences outside Dawson City as Yukon Hwy 9 and is a winning film maker, Bill is an accomplished furniture
seasonally maintained gravel road open in the summer only. From Dawson, cross the Yukon River maker and has worked various odd jobs, including
by government ferry and drive through mountains and valleys until you reach the Yukon/Alaska manning the door at Bombay Peggy’s.
border. From there the road becomes Taylor Highway 5 and leads through the small community of Visitor information on Dawson City events,
Chicken, Alaska and on into Tetlin Junction, nestled at the fork of the Taylor and Alaska Highways activities, attractions and facilities are available at the
approximately 13 miles east of Tok, Alaska. Visitor Reception Centre in the reconstructed 1897
It’s a perfect circle tour—from Whitehorse to Dawson, over the Top of the World/ Taylor Highway Alaska Commercial Company store located on the
through Chicken to Tetlin Junction, southeast along the Alaska Highway, past the magnificent St. corner of Front and King Street. Walking tours with
Elias Mountains, returning to Whitehorse. Open to summer traffic only. turn-of-the-century costumed guides depart from the
The government ferry at Dawson City crosses the Yukon River free of charge. It shuts down VRC on a scheduled basis and video presentations are
briefly for shift change, refueling and servicing, otherwise operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week ongoing. The centre is open from mid-May to mid-
from approximately May 20th to mid-October. Long vehicles with low clearance may experience September.
difficulties; for more information call (406) 667-5644. The Dempster Highway and Northwest Territories
Information Centre is located in the B.Y.N. Building,
across Front Street from the Dawason Visitor Centre.
The building was the former home of the British
Yukon Navigation Company. The infocenter is open
daily from 9 to 9, June to September.
The Dawson City Museum is housed in a beautiful
1901 neo-classical Old Territorial Administration
Building and has the largest historical collection
in the Yukon. The museum tells the story of the
Klondike region from pre-history through the Gold
Rush. There is a reference library with photographs
and records for genealogical research, a gift shop
and theatre presenting award-winning films. On the
grounds, the Locomotive Shelter contains narrow
gauge locomotives from the Klondike Mines Railway
and other steam-powered machinery. The museum
was closed to create new exhibits for the 2021
celebration of Dawson’s 125th year, and will be
DAWSON CITY RV PARK

See Video

The Right Place to Stop for Best Prices!
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Oil Changes • Store • info@dawsoncityrvpark.com
867.993.5142 • www.dawsoncityrvpark.com
Dawson Ferry over the Yukon River
photo by:
VC Travel Guide
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