The Yukon covers 482,443 square kilometres at the northwestern corner of Canada — a territory larger than California with a population of roughly 43,000. The human footprint is thin: paved roads connect the handful of communities, but most of the land is accessible only by air, river, or overland travel on foot. The wildlife density in many areas is exceptional: Kluane National Park and Reserve has one of the highest concentrations of grizzly bears in Canada; the Porcupine Caribou Herd numbers approximately 218,000 animals and undertakes one of the longest terrestrial migrations in the world.
Kluane National Park and Reserve
Kluane (pronounced “klew-AH-nee”) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering 22,015 km² in the southwestern Yukon, contiguous with Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska. Together they form the largest internationally protected land area in the world — 97,000 km² of mountains, icefields, and sub-Arctic forest.
The park contains the largest non-polar icefields in the world: the Kluane Icefield and St. Elias Mountains support glaciers that drain north to the Yukon River system and south to the Gulf of Alaska. Canada’s highest peak, Mount Logan (5,959 m), sits within the park boundary.
Wildlife in Kluane: The park holds approximately 250–300 grizzly bears, accessible for viewing in the Slims River valley, Alsek River corridor, and along the Haines Road boundary. Dall sheep (Ovis dalli) — all-white wild sheep endemic to the subarctic mountains — are observed on open slopes above the treeline throughout the park. Wolves, wolverines, lynx, and moose are present but less reliably observed.
Access: Kluane’s road-accessible areas are reached via the Alaska Highway (Haines Junction) and the Haines Road. The park’s backcountry is untrailed — routes rather than paths — and requires full wilderness navigation competence. Backcountry registration is mandatory; bear canisters are required in many zones.
The Dempster Highway
The Dempster Highway runs 736 km from Dawson City, Yukon, north across the Arctic Circle to Inuvik, Northwest Territories. It is the only public road in Canada to cross the Arctic Circle.
The Dempster crosses the migration route of the Porcupine Caribou Herd and the Hart River and Mackenzie Delta caribou herds. Migration timing varies by year, but September and October typically bring caribou crossings visible from the road. Grizzly bears are regularly observed in the Tombstone Territorial Park section in the first 70 km north of Dawson.
Road conditions: The Dempster is gravel throughout. River crossings at the Peel and Mackenzie rivers are served by ferries in summer and ice crossings in deep winter; the transition periods (breakup in spring, freeze-up in fall) can close the route for weeks. Two spare tires and full camping capability are essential minimums for the drive.
Fuel: Services at Eagle Plains (km 369) and Fort McPherson (km 542). Fill in Dawson City and do not assume services are operating anywhere else.
Tombstone Territorial Park
Tombstone Territorial Park covers 2,200 km² immediately north of Dawson City on the Dempster Highway. The park is named for the Tombstone Mountains — dramatic granite peaks and ridges of quartzite that rise sharply above the tundra. The Interpretive Centre at km 71 provides information on wildlife movements and trail conditions.
Tombstone is accessible day-hiking territory from the highway. The Grizzly Lake route (7 km one-way) and the Goldensides ridge walks are the most productive for wildlife observation. Dall sheep are commonly observed on the quartzite ridges. Grizzlies are present in berry-producing areas in late summer.
The park sits within the traditional territory of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in First Nation. The park’s management reflects the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in land use plan and places cultural and ecological preservation above recreational development.
Wildlife in the Yukon Interior
Porcupine Caribou Herd: Annual calving grounds are on the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. The herd crosses the Yukon–Alaska border multiple times during its annual cycle. The Dempster Highway and Dawson area see the herd during fall migration south.
Moose: Very high density in the Yukon River tributaries. The Yukon has approximately 70,000 moose — a higher density than any other Canadian jurisdiction. Road encounters are common. Moose-vehicle collisions are a significant safety hazard on the Alaska and Klondike highways.
Wolves: The Yukon has an estimated 4,500–5,000 wolves. Pack territories are large and encounters unpredictable. Wolves are commonly observed following caribou migration routes and in open river valley terrain.
Dall sheep: Present on mountainous terrain throughout southern Yukon. The Yukon’s population is estimated at 22,000, making it one of the most important strongholds for the species.
Logistics for Independent Wilderness Travel
Self-reliant wilderness travel in the Yukon requires preparation that exceeds typical national park backcountry.
Emergency communication: Cell coverage is absent outside Whitehorse, Dawson City, and Haines Junction. A personal locator beacon (PLB) or satellite messenger (Garmin inReach, SPOT) is mandatory.
Bear safety: See the Bear Safety guide for complete protocols. The Yukon does not require bear canisters by regulation outside of some Kluane zones, but the bear density makes proper food storage more important, not less.
River travel: Many Yukon wilderness areas are accessed by canoe or raft on the Yukon, Tatshenshini, Alsek, and Peel rivers. Class II–IV whitewater, remote put-in and take-out logistics, and weather variability require experience and planning beyond typical recreational paddling.
Satellite imagery: The Yukon has no continuous detailed topographic survey for off-trail navigation. Download satellite imagery offline before departure (Maps.me, Gaia GPS, or Avenza Maps with NRCan topos).
For details on Canadian wildlife populations including Yukon grizzly bear numbers and distribution, see the Grizzly Bears guide. For the broader context on Canada’s national parks in the North, see the Canadian Wilderness overview.