Forty Mile, First gold mining settlement in Yukon, Canada
Forty Mile is an abandoned gold mining settlement located where the Fortymile and Yukon rivers meet, roughly 88 kilometers north of Dawson City near the Alaska border. The site contains remains of old buildings, structures, and multiple cemeteries that outline the layout of this frontier community.
The settlement began in 1886 when prospectors discovered gold in the region and quickly drew hundreds of residents to the area. Most inhabitants left during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, causing the settlement to decline and eventually empty.
The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in people used this location for fishing and hunting for over 2000 years before prospectors arrived. This deep connection to the land still shapes how people understand the place today.
The site is reached by way of Clinton Road from the Top of the World Highway through remote Yukon terrain. Plan for a lengthy drive on a backcountry route and prepare for conditions typical of this northern landscape.
This was the first gold mining settlement in the Yukon, marking where the northern gold rush began in earnest. The location offers a window into how prospectors and their families actually lived during the early frontier period.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
