Moose Creek Mining Road — Dawson City to Moose Creek Airstrip and Gold Camps
Klondike bush country the tourists never see.
Punch north out of Dawson City and peel off the main Dempster corridor onto the Moose Creek drainage, a route that old-timers used to supply outlying placer claims deep in the Ogilvie foothills. The track crosses the Moose Creek several times — rocky, rutted crossings that punish low-slung rigs — and climbs through spruce-covered benches before opening onto the flat airstrip clearing that served bush pilots supplying the camps in the mid-20th century. Remnant sluice boxes and collapsed cabin frames are still visible off the main track. The road is unmaintained past the first few kilometres, and mid-section mudhole fields can swallow a truck to the running boards after rain.
Rated difficult. This is a high-clearance 4WD minimum route, and a locker on the rear axle is strongly recommended for the bog sections. Best window is July through early September. No permits, no services. Fuel in Dawson City before you leave. The Yukon River and Klondike placer country create unpredictable drainage patterns — always scout creek crossings on foot first. No cell service. Dispersed camping along creek benches is excellent and completely undisturbed.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Difficult |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, Technical 4x4 |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | Camping, Historic, Remote, Water Crossings |
| Length (miles) | 34 mi / 54.7 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 2480 ft |
| Best season | July–September |
| Minimum vehicle | High-clearance 4WD with rear locker recommended |
| Nearest town | Dawson City, Yukon |
| Land manager | Yukon Government — Energy, Mines and Resources |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
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Location
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