While Jack London arrived in Dawson City, Yukon, Canada, in pursuit of gold, he struck literary wealth instead, penning classics such as White Fang and The Call of the Wild after he returned to California. Both books were favorites of mine, and The Sea-Wolf, while in school, so it was a great opportunity to see where the ideas of these books were conceived. Similarly, Robert Spencer, celebrated as one of the most successful poets ever, channeled his Yukon experiences into many poems and books.

During my recent Dawson City trip, I glimpsed the inspiring landscapes, human experiences, and rugged remoteness behind their writings. Yet, it wasn't London's or Spencer's cabins that brought me to the Yukon, but Tombstone Territorial Park. Spanning a vast 543k acres / 220k hectares, this park, roughly an hour's drive from Dawson City, is a haven of untouched wilderness, devoid of cell service or any other amenities.

Getting to Dawson City takes some effort since Whitehorse, Canada took over as the transportation center of the Yukon in the early 50s after it was connected to the Alaska Highway during World War II. My journey started in Columbus, Ohio, at 6 am on a Sunday, with flights to Toronto, then Vancouver, and finally Whitehorse. I wasn’t able to find any rental cars in Dawson City, so I decided to rent one in Whitehorse and make the 6 hour drive north from there. Driving long distances in areas like this is also a great way to get a general sense for the country. One thing you’ll need to be prepared for is that on most of this trip, whether driving or running, you will be out of cell phone range and in lightly traveled areas. Also, be prepared for a mix of paved and gravel roads, and have a full tank of gas. There are only a couple of stops with services along the way.

A frustrating aspect of this trip was my inability to drive the rental car where I had initially planned. I intended to drive up the Dempster Highway, but when I picked up my rental from Budget, I was informed of a $1500 fine for traveling there. Ironically, although the Dempster Highway is a gravel road in many sections, it was in better condition than both the main highway to Dawson City and the Highway at the Top of the World, on which I took a brief sightseeing trip.

The longest maintained trail in Tombstone Territorial Park is the Grizzly Lake Trail that continues on to Divide Lake and Talus Lake. My original plan was to run an out and back on the full trail, about 50k of trail running, in one day. However, since I couldn’t drive the rental car up the Dempster Highway, I had to arrange separate transport. The best option I could find on short notice was to ride in on a tourist bus with the Klondike Experience. Since the tour bus had a fixed schedule, it only gave me about 4 hours on the trail. I thought this would be just enough time to get to Grizzly Lake and back. Alas, it wasn’t quite enough time, as I had to turn around within about a half mile of the lake. This was OK though, since I made it to an excellent vantage point in the valley to appreciate the lake and the towering mountains surrounding it.

The run to Grizzly Lake starts with a gradual ascent through a forested landscape that transitions to much rockier and steeper footing at about 1.5 miles in. Over the next 2.5 miles, you will climb to the highest point of the run with an excellent 360 degree view of the valleys below. From there, it is mostly a two-mile descent that is very runnable. I was fortunate to do this run on a dry day since the footing is likely very tricky when wet. Near the high point you weave across the ridgeline and across many rock falls, so I was thankful for dry rock to step on. The trail also skirts the edge of some steep drop offs where solid footing makes things easier if you are trying to move fast. While I know this trail could be done in less than ideal conditions, you’d want to change your expectations for how quick you can make it if the conditions are not good.

In 2023, smoke from Canadian wildfires was so thick that even in Columbus, Ohio, one could see and smell the smoke. On the drive up to Dawson, I saw burning trees, and the spur road to Mayo, Canada was closed. The smoke obscured the views during my run on The Heritage Ridge Trail. However, I was fortunate that even though the Dempster Highway was closed down the day before my run; the smoke didn’t affect the views.

Dawson City is a great base for a trail or ultrarunner because of the many trails close to the town. In addition, the growth of tourism means there are nice hotels and plenty of food options. Highlights of my time in Dawson City were:

Joining the Sourtoe Cocktail Club - At the Sourdough Saloon hotel and restaurant, for just $10 more than the cost of a shot of your preferred beverage, you get to have this iconic drink where the garnish is a human toe.
Enjoying breakfast at Red Mammoth Bistro - It was a surprise when I bit into one of their chocolate croissants. It was one of the best I’ve ever had. They also make breakfast sandwiches with their finely flaked croissants and also have perfectly baked apple fritters.
Touring the Dredge No. 4 National Historic Site - A massive machine that dug for gold for over 50 years and transformed the Dawson City landscape by scooping up river rocks and placing them in ordered rows. I took the tour, and it was fun to learn that most of the massive castings on this boat came from Marion, Ohio. It’s a wonder how these massive parts were transported to this remote place.
Visiting the Robert Service Cabin and Jack London Cabin. These historical sites are located side by side. The Jack London cabin is a recreation of the one he lived in while in the Yukon, but the Robert Spencer cabin is where he lived and wrote many of his poems.
Exploring the Paddle-wheeler Graveyard. This site seems somewhat unofficial since it’s on the edge of a campground and you need to walk down the river shore to get there. The graveyard is on the other side of the Yukon River, so take the free ferry to get there. Watching the ferry drive across the river is a sight unto itself given how skillful the captain is to use the current to swing the boat around into each landing.
Seeing where all the gold rush fever started at the Discovery Claim. Just a quick drive from Dredge No. 4 is a short walking path to the river where that first gold was found.

Running wise around Dawson, I also explored the surrounding area by foot. The trails I explored were the Midnight Dome and the Ridge Road Heritage Trail. I covered about 28 miles (45k) and 7000 feet (2133 meters) in three days, making it a fun trail and ultrarunning getaway.

Dawson City Trail and Ultraruns

Grizzly Trail - Tombstone Territorial Park

Track

Start and End: Grizzly Lake Trailhead
Distance: 11.7 miles / 19 kilometers
Elevation Gain: 4000 feet / 1219 meters

Gallery

Midnight Dome Trail - Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

Track

This run starts directly from town and heads up a steep trail through an old rock fall. On the way up the trail are many vantage points to get great views of the city.

Start and End: Triple J Hotel
Distance: 3.9 miles / 6.3 kilometers
Elevation Gain: 1886 feet / 575 meters

Gallery

Ridge Road Heritage Trail

It is about a 40 minute drive to the trailhead, so you’ll need to secure transport to get there. I asked the folks at the Klondike Experience and they gave me the number of a local who was free in the morning to shuttle me to the top.

Track

Start: Ridge Road Heritage Trail Trailhead
End: S.S. Keno National Historic Site
Distance: 22.2 miles / 36 kilometers
Elevation Gain: 900 feet / 274 meters (Descent: 3481 feet / 1061 meters)