Southern Lakes, Yukon, Canada

The Southern Lakes region of the Yukon is a wilderness destination, surrounded by lakes and mountains - and full of adventure and history. The communities of Carcross, Teslin, Tagish in the Yukon Territory and the Northern British Columbia community of Atlin are all villages located in the Southern Lakes region.

Each community is unique in its own way. The services they provide and activities enjoyed varies per village. Carcross is the largest village in the Southern Lakes. Teslin is west. Tagish is central. Atlin is south in British Columbia. All villages have accommodations, tours, guides and attractions.

The region consists of a network of lakes and mountain ranges. Some are very historic like the lakes and mountain passes traveled by miners during the Klondike Gold Rush days. In fact the Southern Lakes region was the Yukon entry point for many miners and trappers who were departing from Skagway, Alaska, USA.

Some miners would backpack the Chilkoot Trail over the alpine mountains to the shores of Bennett Lake in Carcross, Yukon. From Bennett Lake miners would paddle a chain of lakes to the Yukon River. Then there were some miners who would arrive on the shores of Atlin Lake in Atlin, BC or Tagish Lake in Tagish, Yukon and paddle north from there.

Today the Southern Lakes region is the cottage country of the Yukon Territory. There are homes, lodges, inns, cottages and cabins perched on the shores of some of the lakes in the region like Marsh, Tagish and Teslin Lakes.

The many waterways and mountain peaks provide an ideal landscape for year round adventures. In the summer months some of the activities enjoyed include canoeing, fishing, boating, kayaking, birdwatching, horseback riding, swimming, mountain biking, picnicking, camping, sightseeing, backpacking, hiking, hunting and houseboating.

During the months of falling snow and lakes freezing over there are winter activities to enjoy. In the winter months the snow covered roads, trails, mountain valleys and lakes become snowmobile, dog sledding, snowshoeing, cross country routes and ice fishing and heli skiing destinations.