Tourism in the Carcross Area

The people of the Yukon’s Southern Lakes are veterans of the tourism industry. Yukon’s tourism story began when the First Nations people greeted and guided the early explorers, traders and members of the North-West Mounted Police. The Gold Rush drew thousands of goldseekers to the Yukon, many of whom traveled over the coastal passes along traditional trading routes. Many First Nations people worked as guides, packers and in other ways to meet the needs of the Gold Rush travelers.

Four Tagish people helped spark the Klondike Gold Rush with their gold find on Bonanza Creek. Kate Carmack, Skookum Jim, Dawson Charlie and Patsy Henderson gained fame and became important historical figures for their role in the Gold Rush. For years, Henderson met tourists from the train and told gold rush tales and stories about his people’s traditions. In the 1950s he entertained visitors at a show called Uncle Patsy’s Show.

Wealthy, independent and curious tourists were soon drawn to the new northern frontier, joining rail and steamer excursions that offered a comfortable route to the interior. In the years following the Gold Rush, Carcross was a travel hub as the White Pass and Yukon Route railway and Yukon River sternwheelers carried well-heeled, adventuring visitors to once-remote places like Dawson City and Whitehorse or east via Ben-My-Cree for Atlin.

For more than forty years Ben-My-Cree was a fabled garden stop along Tagish Lake for SS Tutshi sternwheeler passengers. The owners offered guided tours of their extensive 2-acre garden, and visitors included the Prince of Wales and President Roosevelt who were entertained with organ music and stories while dining on cakes and rhubarb wine.

The South Klondike Highway opened in 1978, providing an important link to the coast. The train closed in 1982, but the company reopened in 1988 to service the growing Alaska cruise ship industry with tourist excursions to White Pass summit. Over the past thirty years, Canada and the U.S. as a national historic site and backcountry destination have developed the Chilkoot Trail. The trail draws wilderness travelers to the area, though Carcross has been largely excluded from the Chilkoot experience because of limited train access.

The community of Carcross suffered a major blow in 1990 with the burning of the SS Tutshi, the town’s major tourist attraction and one of the few remaining authentic artifacts of the paddlewheel era. In 1991, the train depot in Carcross was opened as the Carcross Visitor Reception Centre, and in the same year Frontierland also opened its doors.

Tourism planning began in the Southern Lakes area in 1990, and a plan was completed in 1994. The South Klondike Highway Interpretive Plan was completed in 1997. The past decade has seen a number of diverse new tourism businesses take root in the Carcross area, joining some well-established businesses and diversifying the area’s tourism offerings.

Recently, the Carcross/Tagish First Nation launched the Four Mountains Resort project and are implementing their self-government agreement. Plans are also underway for the train to return to Carcross. In August 2003, C/TFN and the White Pass & Yukon Route signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on common goals in their efforts to see a more prosperous tourism and business community in the Carcross area.