The route
Head south from Whitehorse on the South Klondike Highway. First stop 45 minutes in: Emerald Lake — pull over, take the shot, keep going. Ten minutes further: the Carcross Desert, a 260-hectare drainage of glacial sand that is technically not a desert (too much annual precipitation) but functionally does the job. Then into Carcross itself — the Tagish First Nation carving centre, the general store, Matthew Watson General Store which has been there since 1911. Coffee at the Bistro on Bennett.
In Carcross
Walk the boardwalk to the Bennett Lake beach — the Chilkoot Trail ends here at the historic train station. The White Pass and Yukon Route train (in summer only) runs day excursions from Carcross to Skagway and back, $250, one of the great scenic rail journeys in North America. If you’re not doing the train, spend 90 minutes at the Carcross Commons Indigenous art park — totem poles, community carving shed, genuine cultural centre, not a tourist trap. Fry bread and bison chili at the food stand if it's operating.
The way back
Reverse the route with one addition: stop at Bove Island viewpoint for the classic Windy Arm shot, and if you have energy, hike the 4 km trail up to the top of Caribou Mountain from Tagish. Back in Whitehorse by dinner. Total driving: 200 km on paved highway. Best time: June to September for the desert to look right. May and October it's often patchy with snow. If you have kids, expect 7 hours. If you’re moving fast, 5. Do not attempt in a snowstorm.
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