RVing in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories, North of 60

Are you looking for suggestions for exploring Canada this year? Consider RVing to the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
A trip north of the 60th parallel in Canada is an unmatched opportunity to experience the wilderness, the people, the culture, and the history about which so few of us are familiar!

The Wilderness
Discover the wonders of Canada where you can encounter buffalo, mountain sheep, black bears. Feel the sun on your face at two in the morning as you explore ten of Canada’s 217 ecoregions. Embark on a guided boat tour down the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean. Challenge yourself by driving on one of Canada’s most demanding highways.

The People, the Culture, and History
You can experience the vibrant culture, fascinating history, and enduring traditions of Canada’s Indigenous peoples by exploring iconic destinations like Fort McPherson, Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Whitehorse, Dawson City, Yellowknife, and Hay River. Each stop offers unique experiences, and you can also relax and reconnect with nature by camping in the serene and picturesque territorial parks.

My husband Martin and I have travelled twice in our RV to the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. The first time was in 2016 (before the devasting fires) to Yellowknife and Hay River in our Class A and then to the Yukon and Northwest Territories in a Class C last year. Here are some suggestions based on our experiences to help you with your plans!

Planning your North of 60 RV journey
As with every RV trip, having a plan can make a big difference in how your adventure unfolds. This is especially important when travelling on highways with limited services, such as the Alaska, Dempster, and Inuvik to Tuk. We found excellent RV planning guides from the Yukon and the Northwest Territories governments to download.

One of the highlights was a day trip led by a certified guide that started in Inuvik and took us down the Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean and then to Tuktoyaktuk and back. When in Inuvik, please stop by the Inuvialuit Craft Shop to directly support Indigenous artists, many of whom live in remote communities and rely solely on their art as their primary source of income. Check out the art offered in 30+ other communities in the Northwest Territories. We also spent time in Fort McPherson, visiting the Fort McPherson Tent and Canvas Shop and the memorial to the Lost Patrol.

In the Yukon, explore the art of Yukon artists, including the artist’s co-operative in Whitehorse. As a bonus, read Moonshadows: A Yukon-noir climate thriller by Whitehorse resident Keith Halliday before you visit. And of course, when in Dawson City, make sure you have a sourtoe cocktail, which is how Martin celebrated his birthday!

For additional consideration
Here are some tips based on our travels in 2024 to the Yukon and the Northwest Territories:

• • • Maintain your vehicle: Ensure your unit is fully checked out before heading onto the Alaska, Dempster, and/or the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk highways. Services are few and far between, and the road surfaces are brutal to tires and windshields.
    • Be prepared for dirt and dust to get everywhere!
    • Bring extra fuel: Access to fuel may be limited on sections of your trip. Fill your tank at every opportunity, even if you’ll be driving heavier than you would prefer. On our return trip from Inuvik, we experienced a fuel shortage and a power outage in Eagle Plains (the only fuel stop between Dawson City and Inuvik) due to a fast-moving fire that prevented the fuel truck from getting through. Luckily for us, our solar panels were well-fed from the 24-hour daylight, and when the power came back on at Eagle Plains, we were one of the last people able to fill their tanks before the fueling station went dry. We carried two red cans with us, strapped to the basket at the back of the RV.
    • Bring potable water: Potable water may not be readily available, so top up your freshwater tanks when you can. We also carried—and used—a blue water can with us.
    • Bring a spare tire: Although we had a spare tire with us, we were one of the fortunate travellers who did not need to put it into service. We were certainly the exception! The Dempster eats tires regularly.
    • Connectivity services: Before you head out, familiarize yourself with the services provided by your wireless and internet carrier. We were pleasantly surprised to find that we could get four bars on our phones in most communities along the way, thanks to the federal government’s initiative to provide high-speed internet to communities. Access stopped when we were about two kilometres away from these communities. We also had a Starlink satellite, which served us well on the road and in campsites away from serviced communities.
    • Weather and fire apps: Mobile weather apps such as AccuWeather, the Weather Channel, and WeatherCan are invaluable for checking weather and wildfire conditions before heading out. A “Driving the Dempster Highway” Facebook group also provides real-time heads-up weather and wildfire alerts. We’re grateful to the individual who posted about a developing wildfire which threatened the route we were planning to take the next day. As a result of this information, we broke camp early, drove all “night,” and got ahead of the fire before the road was closed. However, mobile weather apps have limitations when travelling in areas with poor cellular service or when the cellular network or power grid fails. That’s why it’s essential to have access to a weather alert radio and Weatheradio as a backup.
    • Emergency Supplies: Keep an emergency kit and a grab-and-go bag for each passenger in case you need to evacuate from your RV due to a wildfire or severe weather emergency. Also, keep a supply of N95 face masks handy when driving through smoky areas.

RVing last summer in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories and through some of Canada’s most remote and beautiful landscapes was an unforgettable adventure for us. With careful planning, a spirit of adventure, and seizing upon opportunities to learn about the culture and history, your trip north of 60 will be nothing short of extraordinary, too. Oh, Canada!