Silver Trail — Mayo to Keno City Mining District

The Silver Trail — Yukon Highway 11 — runs roughly 110 kilometres from the junction at Stewart Crossing north through Mayo and up into the Keno Hill silver district, which once produced some of the highest-grade silver ore ever pulled from Canadian rock. The drive into Mayo is straightforward on good gravel, but once you push past Mayo toward Elsa and then Keno City, the road tightens, gains elevation aggressively, and the surface gets rougher and looser. The final climb to Keno City sits at around 1,800 metres and frequently delivers washboard that’ll rattle fillings loose. Keno City itself is a near-ghost town with fewer than 20 year-round residents and an excellent mining museum worth the stop. The surrounding hills are honeycombed with old adits and prospect pits.

The Silver Trail is manageable for stock high-clearance vehicles in dry summer conditions, but the upper sections past Elsa demand attention — sharp rocks, steep grades, and minimal guardrails above creek drainages. Tyre sidewalls take a beating. Carry two full-size spares. Fuel in Mayo — there’s limited availability in Keno City so don’t count on it. Best season is late June through September; snow can close the upper road into June and return in early October. No cell service past Mayo. Dispersed camping is possible throughout, and the Yukon government maintains a basic campground at Keno. This road delivers genuine mining history, remote mountain scenery, and a Yukon few visitors ever reach.