Brewery Creek Road — Dawson City to Bonanza Creek Summit

In 1896, George Carmack and Skookum Jim pulled gold from Bonanza Creek and triggered the last great stampede in North American history. Brewery Creek Road pushes south out of Dawson City on a gravel and dirt track that runs parallel to Bonanza Creek before climbing toward the upper drainage and the old dredge tailings that still litter the valley floor. You’ll pass Dredge No. 4 National Historic Site territory, cross a shallow tributary ford about 8 km in, and work through a stretch of exposed clay benches that turn to greasy hell after any meaningful rain. The view from the upper bench — Dawson below, the Klondike River sweeping wide to the north — is worth the mud on your rig.

This is a moderate route on a dry day, but the clay sections earn it a high-clearance requirement at minimum — a locking differential helps when things get wet. A stock 4WD truck handles it in summer, but soft conditions in spring or fall will humble you. No permit required. Fuel in Dawson before you go — there’s nothing out here. Cell service drops to nothing past the first 5 km. Dispersed camping along the creek benches is possible and the mosquitoes are legendary.