Road trip season is back!
School is out, the snow is long gone and summer is finally here. Some of my favourite travel memories are from road trips that I went on with my parents and later on that I took by myself. There’s an undeniable sense of adventure and freedom that comes with hitting the open road. Yes, driving leaves a rather large carbon footprint (although if you’re driving with more than two people in the car it’s still less than flying terrapass.com/blog/carbon-footprint-of-driving-vs-flying-whats-best-for-the-earth/) but here in northern Canada there really aren’t many other travel options, unless you’d like to set out on your bicycle or charter a bush plane.
Whether you’re heading out in your car with your family for the weekend, taking an around the world trip on your motorcycle or enjoying the Land Of The Midnight Sun from the comforts of an RV, the following are a few things you’ll need in order to have a truly fantastic Yukon road trip.
Map
Call me old fashioned but I still consider a road atlas or a map a road trip essential.
Pick up a copy of the 2024 edition of The Milepost (a mile by mile guide to northern roads) at Mac’s Fireweed Books. Even a simple foldable paper map from the visitor information centre can be of great help on the long stretches of Yukon roads where you don’t have cell service and you can’t ask Google how far the next gas station or campground is.
If you’re going off the beaten path or travelling in the north for the first time and feeling a bit anxious, consider renting a satellite phone. Check out Total North in Whitehorse if that’s something you’re thinking about.
Music
Podcasts, audio books and playlists of nostalgic hits from when you were in high school are all perfect for road trips. However, in my opinion there’s nothing better than singing along to the radio at the top of your lungs when your favourite song unexpectedly comes on. Support local radio by tuning into CJUC-FM 92.5, CHON-FM 98.1 or CKRW-FM 96.1. Not only will you be able to enjoy great music but you also get to hear local news, road reports and weather updates. Listening to community radio stations, especially when you’re on a long road trip, can give you a glimpse into the local way of life and all the idiosyncratic quirks of a new place.
Gear
Going on a drive here in the north is a little bit different than if you were traveling on highways down south. Towns are much smaller, everything is a bit farther apart, road conditions can change rapidly and there’s a lot more wilderness around. A multitool or Swiss Army knife can always come in handy. Along with having a first aid kit and a spare blanket in your trunk, it’s also a good idea to bring along extra bug spray, a car phone charger and maybe some duct tape (you never know!).
To take full advantage of the Yukon summer, don’t forget your fishing rod and fishing license, a plastic pail for collecting some roadside berries to snack on, a cooler and some matches or a lighter to make a campfire to cook your fish on (always in a designated campsite and only if there isn’t a fire ban). If you’re up for even more adventure, throw your kayak or stand up paddle board on your car’s roof rack or bring along your bike.
A Well Rested Body
Summer days are long in the north and nights are bright. Understandably, it can be tempting to draw out your driving into the late hours of the evening. Maybe you want to make it to the next town to look for a hotel or are trying to get home after a few awesome days away and you convince yourself that you’re not really that tired. Even though there are many long straight sections, not a lot of traffic and roads are much better maintained than years ago, the Alaska Highway can be surprisingly draining to drive and even just the shortest moment of drowsiness can have terrible consequences.
Wildlife activity is especially high during the hours of dawn and dusk. If you’re feeling tired, stop at the next rest stop or a gravel pull out and maybe take a bit of a break. Have a nap, eat a snack or walk around outside and stretch your body a bit with some roadside yoga. Also, sunglasses can be very helpful for those early mornings or late evenings when the sun is low on the horizon.
Food
Good snacks are a quintessential road trip “must”. Yes, sometimes it’s fun to indulge on your favourite junk food staples while filling up on gas but those can get boring fast. Almost all Yukon communities have a local coffee shop or bakery as well as a few restaurants and a general store but there may not be many options or they may have very limited business hours, so you might want to stock up in Whitehorse if you’re passing through.
Along with all the big brands that you might expect to find in a larger city, there are also many delicious local options to try out. Fill up your travel mug with some locally roasted coffee at Midnight Sun Coffee Roasters, The Claim Café, Baked Cafe & Bakery, Java Connection or at Bean North out on the Takhini Hot Springs Road. To go along with your coffee, pick up some Daddy’s Donuts (available at The Coffee Shop in Whitehorse, Caribou Crossing Coffee in Carcross and at the Fireweed Community Market on Thursday afternoons in Whitehorse).
Did you know that the Yukon also has locally made potato chips? A whole plethora of flavours from Cold Snap Chippery can be found at Wykes’ Your Independent Grocer and at Riverdale Super A Foods as well as some other local retailers. Many of their products are made with locally grown potatoes and all are made using 100% locally grown and pressed canola oil.
Trade in your convenience store beef jerky for a Birch Stick or some Pfefferknacker from Tum Tum’s Black Gilt Meats or maybe a bit of chili jerky or a Landjager from Takhini Valley Meats. When in doubt, stock up on a few bags of Klondike Kettle Corn. All these can be found at Shipyards Park in Whitehorse on Thursdays at the outdoor Fireweed Community Market from 3pm to 7pm.
A Reliable and Well Maintained Vehicle
Gravel roads, long distances and dusty conditions can be hard on a vehicle. There aren’t that many auto repair centres and mechanics in the territory and tow trucks are expensive. Check your oil and coolant, top up your windshield wiper fluid and make sure your battery, brake lights, turn signals and headlights are all in good working order. Double check that you have a jack, jumper cables and your car manual with you and get your tires checked (including your spare tire) before heading out.
You might also want to invest in new wipers to clean off all the dead bugs you’ll inevitably have splattered on your windshield within the first few kilometres and a DIY windshield repair kit can help stop a crack from expanding if you get hit with a flying rock on a section of loose gravel.
Time
One of the best things about traveling by car (or motorcycle or RV) is that you can set your own pace. You can slow down, talk to locals and take the time to enjoy the scenery and explore hidden gems. You can be spontaneous. And even if you’re more of a planner and want to stick to a strict schedule, traveling in the north can be unpredictable and you may be forced to become a bit more flexible.
Check on road construction and road conditions at 511yukon.ca/ and get information about local wildfires at wildfires.service.yukon.ca/
If you need some inspiration on where to go, check out Travel Yukon’s “Top 7 Yukon Road Trips” travelyukon.com/en/get-inspired/top-7-yukon-road-trips
Safe travels!
