The colourful fall season is over very early in the Yukon – much earlier than in my home country, Switzerland. But I found that the month of October is also very attractive for an amateur photographer like me, even if the coloured leaves have almost all fallen to the ground.

Here are some suggestions for day trips or overnight trips to the Kluane National Park with some great photo opportunities.

St. Elias Lake: Awesome Reflections

It’s an easy 7.6 km (4.8 mile) return hiking trip to St. Elias Lake, starting at 60 km (37 miles) south of Haines Junction on the Haines Highway. The sun is coming up late on St. Elias Lake in October, but once it is here the reflections of the surrounding mountains are awesome. On a calm day, stop for a picture of reflecting mountains on Dezadeash Lake on your drive back to Haines Junction.

Kathleen Lake: Sunrays Over the Mountains

Kathleen Lake is located 27 km (17 miles) south of Haines Junction on the Haines Highway. Of course, great shots of the turquoise coloured lake can be captured if you walk to the King’s Throne or part of the Cottonwood Trail. But you can also take special pictures right from the shore close to the parking lot.

In the afternoon in October, the sun is playing hide and seek behind the surrounding mountains, which makes an excellent photo opportunity for catching some sunrays peeking over the mountains.

Kathleen Lake: Reflecting Northern Lights

Fall is my favourite season for taking pictures of Northern Lights. For one thing, it’s not as cold as in the winter. Also, the lakes are not frozen, yet, which makes awesome reflections. Kathleen Lake is easily accessible by car and that’s why it is an ideal lake to capture the northern lights both dancing in the sky and in the lake.

Make it an Overnight Trip

There are several options to spend the night in Haines Junction if you want to make it an overnight trip. In case you are looking for a place even closer to the above-mentioned lakes, Kluane Log Cabin might be the perfect choice for you. The simple log cabin is only a five minutes drive away from Kathleen Lake and sleeps four people.

Leave a Comment

Scroll to Top