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Mile 1093 Burwash Landing
Location: Milepost 1093 on Alaska Highway
1, 130 km (77 miles) northwest of Haines
Junction. Population: approximately 100.
The village of Burwash Landing predates the
Alaska Highway, having been established as
Jacquot Post in 1904 as a result of a gold strike
on Fourth of July Creek. The community has a
service station, store, laundromat, church, and
nearby hiking trails. The Burwash Landing/
Destruction Bay area is the home of the Southern
Tutchone people of the Kluane First Nation, of
the Athabaskan linguistic group. For thousands
of years, the Southern Tutchone people lived year
round in the Kluane Lake area on the abundant fish
and game.
The present site of Burwash Landing was a
summer gathering place. After a trading post was
built in the early 1900s, the First Nations people
moved close to the post and began to live a less
nomadic life. The site was made the administrative
centre for the Kluane area when the Alaska
Highway was built.
The establishment of Kluane National Park in the
southwest corner of the Yukon Territory, bordered
by Kluane Lake and the Alaska and Haines
highways, created hardship for the First Nations
people of the area. Left with only a narrow margin
of land along the western shores of Kluane Lake,
a significant portion of their hunting and trapping
livelihood was lost, forcing increased reliance on
fishing to make a living from the land.
Today, the Kluane First Nation people (KFN) of
Burwash Landing carry on the traditional ways of
life of their ancestors. They have actively revived
their language, culture, and traditions. Education
has been a priority of the KFN. Secondary and
post-secondary education for members of the
First Nation is actively supported, and Burwash
Landing is the site of the first school in the Yukon
administered by a First Nations group. The KFN
provides education, housing and municipal
services to its membership as well as health care
Mile 1169 White River
Location: Milepost 1169 on Alaska Highway 1.
Located just east of the large bridge over the
White River and adjacent to Kluane Park Preserve,
Discovery Yukon Lodgings and RV Park offers
Kluane was established as a wilderness park, there are JCT. ALASKA HWY 1 & HAINES ROAD cabins, suites, full service RV, and tenting sites in
no major roads into the area and only basic facilities, HWY 3 TO HAINES, ALASKA addition to a variety of outdoor activities, including
including an unserviced campground at Kathleen Lake. guided botanical and wildlife tours.
Special events include Silver Sled Dog Sled Races
in March, Kluane-Chilkat International Bike Relay and Mile 1022 Mile 1202 Beaver Creek
Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival in June, and a Located at Milepost 1022 on Alaska Highway 1, Location: Milepost 1202 on Alaska Highway 1.
Christmas Craft Sale in November. services include a restaurant, motel, and gas. There Population: approximately 125.
are plenty of trails to hike, bike and photograph.
Kluane National Park This westernmost community in Canada is a natural
and Reserve of Canada Mile 1083 Destruction Bay highway stopping point, offering walking, biking, and
Location: Milepost 1083 on Alaska Highway
hiking trails, camping, a variety of travel services,
A gem in the family of Parks Canada’s national 1, approximately 110 km (67 miles) north of and interesting historical displays. The community
treasures, Kluane National Park and Reserve of Haines Junction on the shore of Kluane Lake. has developed a kiosk area with interpretive signs
Canada covers an area of 21,980 km (8490 miles ). devoted to Yukon Centennials, the First Nations and
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It is a land of precipitous high mountains, immense This village of about 50 people has its origin history of Beaver Creek. Beaver Creek is home to
icefields and lush valleys that yield a diverse array from the Alaska Highway construction in 1942. It the White River First Nation and Northern Tutchone.
of plant and wildlife species and provides for a was appropriately named Destruction Bay when Tourism Yukon operates a Visitor Reception
host of outdoor activities. These parklands are the the original Camp 1083 was destroyed by a severe Center which is open daily May through September.
traditional territories of the Southern Tutchone windstorm in that year. Through the years, Destruction Even though the community is small, Beaver Creek
people. The Champagne and Aishihik First Nations Bay Lodge remained as a busy rest stop, one of offers great lodging and food. A special atmosphere
and the Kluane First Nation continue to carry out their several roughly every 50 miles. The original lodge fed has existed here for years and will capture every
traditional activities such as hunting and trapping in weary truckers 24 hours a day, as well as supplying tourist who visits Beaver Creek. Stop in and see how
the Kluane region. mechanical services and overnight accommodation. much fun this community can be.
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