Haines Junction to Burwash Landing — Kluane Lakeshore Route via Alaska Highway

You’ve driven the Alaska Highway and probably blew through this section doing 90 km/h. Don’t. The 170 km stretch from Haines Junction north to Burwash Landing hugs the eastern shore of Kluane Lake — the largest lake entirely within Yukon — with the Kluane Ranges stacking up to the west and the Saint Elias peaks ghosting the horizon behind them. Kilometre markers here double as backcountry jump-off points: the Slim River Delta at the lake’s south end is rapidly changing due to glacial lake outburst floods from the Kaskawulsh Glacier, and the altered gravel delta is itself worth a walk-in scouting session. Talbot Arm and Burwash Creek to the north offer side roads into legitimate mining country. The old Silver City ghost town site sits between the highway and the lake just north of the Slim River delta.

The Alaska Highway here is fully paved but the side tracks — Talbot Arm Road, Burwash Creek Road, the Silver City pull-offs — require high clearance and 4WD when wet. The pavement section itself is an easy drive. What changes the difficulty is what you do off it. No permit needed for highway travel. Gas at Haines Junction or Burwash Landing — nowhere in between. Best season is May through September. The geology here is wild, the bird and wildlife density around Kluane Lake is genuine, and the glaciological history visible from roadside is unlike anything else in North America’s road network.