Carcross

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First Nation peoples have lived here for thousands of years and still play an important role in the community. The Tagish people call this area Todezzane, "wind blowing all the time" and the Tlingit call it Naataase Heen, "water running through the narrows."

Carcross' modern history began 1899 as a stopping point for prospectors heading to the Klondike. J.H. Brownlee surveyed the town site for the White Pass & Yukon Railway in 1899. The railway was completed July 29, 1900 and ran until 1982. The community was called Caribou Crossing, because of the Caribou that crossed the narrows between Nares and Bennett Lake. In 1904 Bishop Bompas, a Church of England clergyman and missionary, requested the town be renamed Carcross and the government approved the change

Carcross grew quickly from a tent town and soon a general store, hotels and restaurants were popping up. The Caribou Hotel, now designated as a Yukon Historic Site, opened in 1898 and is still in operation today.

A major fire destroyed the railway station and the downtown core of Carcross in 1909, but the buildings were quickly rebuilt.

Frederick Trump, grandfather of Donald Trump, made a fortune operating a hotel and bordello in the Carcross area in 1898. He returned to Germany in 1901 and emigrated to the USA soon after.

Visitor info

Visitor Centre is located in the Carcross Commons Commercial Village. Open daily in the summer. 867821-4431 Montana Services and RV Park is a full service park with convenience store and restaurant. Gas, diesel, propane and RV wash are available. 867-821-3708

tHinGs to Do

Carcross Desert Although this is not a desert climate, the 260 hectares of sand dunes is known as the Worlds Smallest Desert. The dunes are what remains of a glacial lake bed and sand carried by wind from nearby Bennett Lake. During the summer the desert is used by locals and visitors for hiking, ATVing and sandboarding. Located 1 km north of Carcross. Montana Mountain in Carcross is a recreational haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Over 40 km of hiking and biking trails are maintained by local youth of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation. These biking trails are considered world-class and have become a major attraction for many visitors to Carcross. Carcross Commons is in the middle of town and is home to local First Nations totem poles, shops and art galleries.