This small, quaint town of log buildings boasts one of the Yukon's most picturesque settings, with spectacular views down Bennett Lake to the snow-capped Coast Mountains that separate British Columbia from southeastern Alaska. The name of this community (43 mi/70 km south of Whitehorse by road) comes from its location at the narrows between Bennett Lake and Tagish Lake, where thousands of caribou used to cross.
Attractions in Carcross include a long sandy beach, the "World's Smallest Desert" (created by retreating glaciers and consisting of approximately 650 acres/260 hectares of cold, windswept sand) and an extensive network of trails that appeal to mountain bikers and hikers alike.
From Carcross, mining buffs can delve into the fascinating story—and relics—from a dramatic silver rush that played out on the slopes of nearby Montana Mountain in the early 1900s. Carcross is the only community in the Yukon still served (in summer months only) by the White Pass & Yukon Route railroad.
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