Top of the World Highway

Yukon Highway 9, Running Roughly 105 Kilometres Along Ridge Crests From Dawson City To Poker Creek, The Northernmost Land Border Crossing Between Canada And The United States · Dawson City, Yukon

There is no bridge at Dawson City, so the Top of the World Highway begins with a free ferry across the Yukon River, and then it climbs - and once it is up, it stays up. For about a hundred and five kilometres to the Alaska border the road runs along the crests of the ridges rather than through the valleys between them, mostly above the treeline, so that you drive with the country falling away on both sides and nothing but more ridges to the horizon. The name is not an exaggeration. It is gravel for most of its length, narrow, without guardrails, and frequently in cloud. At the far end sits Poker Creek, the northernmost land border crossing between Canada and the United States, which shares one building with its American counterpart across a line on the floor, opens only in summer and keeps short hours - and if you arrive after it closes, you turn around and drive back.

Yukon Highway 9, Dawson City to the Alaska border, Dawson City, Yukon, Canada

SEASONAL AND DOUBLY GATED. The highway is unmaintained in winter and CLOSED BY SNOW FOR MORE THAN HALF THE YEAR, typically open late May to mid September with dates set annually. THE POKER CREEK BORDER STATION IS ALSO SEASONAL and keeps SHORT DAILY HOURS, closing in the early evening - arrive after closing and you must drive the entire road back. The two border posts share a building and sit in different time zones, so confirm which clock the closing time refers to. The George Black ferry at Dawson City is FREE and runs around the clock in season, but queues in the afternoon. NO FUEL, SERVICES OR CELL COVERAGE between Dawson and the border.

Top of the World Highway on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos