Robert Campbell Highway Guide: Watson Lake to Carmacks

The Robert Campbell Highway (Yukon Highway 4) runs about 583 km (362 mi) across south-central Yukon, from the Alaska Highway at Watson Lake through Ross River and Faro to the North Klondike Highway just north of Carmacks. It is named for Robert Campbell, a Hudson’s Bay Company fur trader who travelled this country in the 1840s.

The road is open all year, but about half of it is gravel and services are far apart. Traffic is light, and the route passes large lakes and some of the best wildlife country in Yukon. Below are planning tips, a road log, side roads, campgrounds, history and FAQs.

Robert Campbell Highway: key facts

Length	About 583 km (362 mi), Watson Lake to the North Klondike Highway junction, about 3 km north of Carmacks
Names and numbers	Robert Campbell Highway, often called the Campbell Highway · Yukon Highway 4
Route	Watson Lake → Simpson Lake → Nahanni Range Road → Frances Lake → Finlayson Lake → South Canol Road → Ross River → Faro → Little Salmon Lake → North Klondike Highway near Carmacks
Driving time	Travel Yukon allows about 7 hours from Watson Lake to Faro and about 5 hours from Faro to Whitehorse by way of Carmacks. Most people take two days or more.
Surface and season	About 300 km of gravel, mostly between km 114 and the Faro turnoff at km 414. The rest is chipseal (BST), with pavement in Watson Lake. Open and maintained all year.
Fuel	Watson Lake · Ross River (11 km off the highway) · Faro (10 km off the highway) · Carmacks
Longest fuel gap	Watson Lake to Ross River, about 376 km. The Government of Yukon says there are no services in between.
Camping	Nine Government of Yukon campgrounds: five on the highway, Johnson Lake on Mitchell Road, Frenchman Lake and Nunatuk on Frenchman Road, and Nahanni Range on the Nahanni Range Road
Connecting roads	Nahanni Range Road (km 108) · South Canol Road (km 355) · Ross River access road to the Pelly Barge and the North Canol Road (km 362) · Mitchell Road to Faro (km 414) · Frenchman Road (km 543)
Road conditions	511 Yukon

Kilometres are approximate and follow the Government of Yukon kilometre posts, which count from Watson Lake. Last updated: November 2026.

Planning your drive

Distance and driving time

The Government of Yukon and Travel Yukon give the length as 583 km. Kilometre posts start at km 0 at the Alaska Highway in Watson Lake. The Faro turnoff is at about km 414, and the junction with the North Klondike Highway is at about km 582, about 3 km north of Carmacks. The Town of Faro gives 423 km from Faro to Watson Lake and 356 km from Faro to Whitehorse.

Most people drive it as a loop with the Alaska Highway from Whitehorse, or as a route from Watson Lake towards Dawson City. Travel Yukon’s Campbell/Canol route itinerary takes three to four days and returns from Faro either through Carmacks (suggested for RVs) or over the South Canol Road.

Fuel stops and gaps

Fill up in Watson Lake. Travel Yukon suggests a full tank and jerry cans on Yukon’s remote roads.

Stop	Where	Distance to next fuel
Watson Lake	Km 0, junction with the Alaska Highway	About 376 km to Ross River
Ross River	About 11 km off the highway from the junction at about km 362	About 72 km to Faro
Faro	About 10 km up Mitchell Road from km 414. A 24-hour card-lock that takes Visa and Mastercard.	About 180 km to Carmacks
Carmacks	About 3 km south of the west end, on the North Klondike Highway	Full services

The Faro card-lock has no attendant; the Town of Faro lists VanGorda Enterprises, 867-689-2251, for details.

Road surface and construction

The Government of Yukon road network shows about 300 km of gravel, about half the highway, from about km 114 to the Faro turnoff at km 414. The rest is chipseal (BST): Watson Lake to about km 114, and Faro to the North Klondike Highway. Expect dust and washboard when dry, mud after rain and soft shoulders.

Parts of the road are being rebuilt under the Yukon Resource Gateway Program, including km 354.9 to 414.4 between Ross River and Faro. A 16-month contract for 3.9 km of new road near Ross River (km 363.6 to 367.5) was tendered in 2026, so expect construction there in 2027.

Best time to go

June to September brings long days and serviced campgrounds (most from mid-May to October 1). In May, sandhill cranes fly along the Tintina Trench and Faro holds its Crane and Sheep Festival. Winter is the best time to see Finlayson caribou near the road.

Winter driving

The Town of Faro says the Carmacks to Ross River section is maintained all year by crews at Drury Creek and Carmacks, and advises checking with the RCMP before driving east of Ross River in winter. Carry winter tires, food, warm clothing, emergency gear and extra fuel. Check 511 Yukon before you leave, and Yukon emergency updates for wildfires in summer.

Wildlife and driving tips

The Government of Yukon says this area has the territory’s highest concentration of moose and wolves. Slow down at dawn and dusk.
Finlayson caribou are seen along the highway mostly in winter, when they are at lower elevations.
Fannin’s sheep, found only in Yukon and the Northwest Territories, live around Faro and are easiest to see from mid-September to June.
Black and grizzly bears live along the whole route. Keep a clean camp and carry bear spray.
Stop, look, leave: pull well off the road, watch from your vehicle, leave after a minute and never feed wildlife.

Cell coverage and emergencies

Cell service is limited to the communities. Travel Yukon suggests a satellite phone and paper maps. Tell someone your plans. The Yukon emergency number for satellite phones is 867-668-9911. To report a forest fire, call 1-888-798-3473.

Robert Campbell Highway road log

This log runs west and north from Watson Lake, the direction the kilometre posts count. All figures are approximate.

Watson Lake to the Nahanni Range Road (km 0 to 108)

Km 0, Watson Lake. The highway starts at the Alaska Highway in Watson Lake, beside the Sign Post Forest and the visitor information centre. Fuel, food and lodging.
Km 57, Frances River bridge. The river is a traditional Kaska travel route.
Km 81, Simpson Lake. A Government of Yukon campground with a boat launch, dock and playground.
About km 108, Nahanni Range Road. Yukon Highway 10 heads northeast from a rest area once called Miner’s Junction.

Nahanni Range Road to Ross River (km 108 to 364)

Km 110, Tuchitua River. A highway maintenance camp; no services for travellers.
Km 171, Frances Lake. A Government of Yukon campground and day-use area. The Kaska name, Tu Cho, means “big water”. Robert Campbell built Yukon’s first trading post on the lake in 1842.
About km 233, Finlayson Lake viewpoint. A large pull-out with a viewing platform and panels about the Finlayson caribou herd. The lake sits on the divide between the Mackenzie and Yukon river systems.
About km 331, Bruce Lake, and km 350, Coffee Lake. Waterbirds can be seen from the road.
About km 355, South Canol Road. The Canol Road runs south about 220 km to Johnson’s Crossing. See side roads below.
About km 362, Ross River turnoff. A chipseal access road leads about 11 km to Ross River, the Pelly Barge and the North Canol Road.
Km 364, Lapie River. Lapie Canyon Campground is beside the bridge, with a trail along the canyon where the rare Yukon goldenweed blooms in May.

Ross River to Faro (km 364 to 414)

West of Ross River the highway follows the Tintina Trench, a long fault valley. The Government of Yukon says more than 250,000 sandhill cranes migrate through the trench every year.

Km 414, Mitchell Road to Faro. A chipseal road leads about 10 km to Faro, with a rest area at the junction. Johnson Lake Campground is about 3.5 km along Mitchell Road.

Faro to the North Klondike Highway (km 414 to 582)

Km 468, Drury Creek. A Government of Yukon campground at the east end of Little Salmon Lake, near a highway maintenance camp.
About km 480 to 506, Little Salmon Lake. The road follows the north shore. The Northern Tutchone name, Chu Cho, means “big water”. Near km 496, slopes across the lake show landslides after a 2009 fire.
Km 501, Little Salmon Lake Campground. A Government of Yukon campground; expect wind and waves.
About km 543, Frenchman Road. A gravel road leads north past Frenchman Lake and Nunatuk campgrounds to Tatchun Lake and the North Klondike Highway.
About km 555, Eagles Nest Bluff. A rest area overlooks the Yukon River. In September 1906, the sternwheeler Columbian exploded near here, killing six crew members.
About km 582, North Klondike Highway. Turn south about 3 km to Carmacks for fuel and Whitehorse, or north for Dawson City.

Side roads and loops

South Canol Road (Yukon Highway 6). About 220 km of narrow gravel from near Ross River to Johnson’s Crossing on the Alaska Highway. No services, open only in summer and not recommended for RVs. See our Canol Road guide.
Pelly Barge and the North Canol Road. The free Pelly Barge at Ross River usually runs from early June to the second Tuesday of October, depending on weather and water levels. Limits are 25,000 kg, 21.3 m (70 ft) long and 3.96 m (13 ft) wide. The North Canol runs about 232 km to Macmillan Pass at the Northwest Territories border, with no services; it is maintained only in summer and may need a 4WD vehicle.
Nahanni Range Road (Yukon Highway 10). A 196 km gravel road built from 1961 to 1963 to the Cantung tungsten mine in the Northwest Territories. The Government of Yukon maintains it to km 134. No services. Nahanni Range Campground is at km 84.
Frenchman Road. About 46 km of winding gravel from km 543 to the North Klondike Highway north of Carmacks, with Frenchman Lake, Nunatuk and Tatchun Lake campgrounds. A good place to see mule deer. Slippery after rain.

Ross River and Faro

Ross River sits where the Ross River meets the Pelly River. It is a Kaska Dena community, home of the Ross River Dena Council. Robert Campbell named the river in 1843 for Hudson’s Bay Company chief trader Donald Ross. A trading post opened here in 1903, and the town moved to its present site in 1964. The 319 m suspension footbridge over the Pelly River reopened after repairs on June 8, 2018. Ross River has fuel and a store. The 67 km Dena Cho Trail follows a traditional Kaska route to Faro.

Faro was built in 1969 to house workers at a lead-zinc mine about 19 km north of town. A forest fire destroyed the new town on June 13, 1969, during construction, and it had to be rebuilt. Faro has a grocery and hardware store, fuel, lodging and the John Connolly RV Park. The Campbell Region Interpretive Centre, open May to September, has regional exhibits and directions to the sheep-viewing sites, such as the Mount Mye sheep cabin and the mineral lick on Blind Creek Road. For town services, see the Town of Faro listing.

Campgrounds on the Robert Campbell Highway

Campground	Location	Details
Simpson Lake	Km 81	10 sites, 1 pull-through. Boat launch, dock, playground. Serviced May 15 to October 1.
Frances Lake	Km 171	24 sites, no pull-throughs. Serviced May 15 to October 1. Can be windy.
Lapie Canyon	Km 364, near Ross River	20 sites, 5 pull-throughs. Serviced May 21 to October 1; gate locked outside the season. Cliff edges.
Johnson Lake	Km 414, then about 3.5 km on Mitchell Road	15 sites, 7 pull-throughs. Serviced May 21 to October 1.
Drury Creek	Km 468	10 sites, 5 pull-throughs. Serviced May 8 to October 1. Boat launch closed in fall 2026.
Little Salmon Lake	Km 501	22 sites, 7 pull-throughs. Serviced May 8 to October 1. Wind and waves.
Frenchman Lake	Km 543, then 7 km on Frenchman Road	11 sites, 2 pull-throughs. Serviced May 15 to October 1.
Nunatuk	Km 543, then 16 km on Frenchman Road	15 sites, 4 pull-throughs. Serviced May 15 to October 1.
Nahanni Range	Km 108, then 84 km on the Nahanni Range Road	10 sites, 3 pull-throughs. Serviced June 4 to October 1.

All are Government of Yukon campgrounds; dates are for 2026. Sites are first come, first served, with self-registration. Gates stay open all year except at Lapie Canyon; off season, bring water, firewood and toilet paper, pack out garbage and still register. Check campground status before you go. Faro also has the John Connolly RV Park.

History of the Robert Campbell Highway

The highway crosses Kaska Dena territory from Watson Lake to Faro and Northern Tutchone territory from Faro to Carmacks. Kaska trails linked Frances Lake, Pelly Banks and the Liard and Hyland rivers long before the fur trade, and Campbell’s routes followed them.

The Hudson’s Bay Company sent Robert Campbell west of the Mackenzie River to find new fur country. In 1840 he reached Frances Lake, named for Frances Simpson, wife of the company’s governor, and crossed to the Pelly River. In 1842 he built a post at Frances Lake, the first in Yukon, used until 1851. In 1843 he went down the Pelly to the river he called the Lewes, now the Yukon. He named Finlayson Lake and Ross River for company officials. Fort Selkirk opened where the rivers meet in 1848.

The modern road was built to reach mines. The Faro lead-zinc discovery of 1965 brought road improvements from Carmacks, a Pelly River bridge and the town of Faro. A Government of Yukon sign at Watson Lake says the highway was completed in 1968, linking Ross River to the rest of the territory by road. Sections are still being rebuilt.

Robert Campbell Highway FAQ

How long is the Robert Campbell Highway?

About 583 km (362 mi), from the Alaska Highway in Watson Lake to the North Klondike Highway about 3 km north of Carmacks. Travel Yukon allows about 7 hours from Watson Lake to Faro and about 5 hours from Faro to Whitehorse by way of Carmacks.

Is the Robert Campbell Highway paved?

Partly. About 300 km is gravel, mostly between km 114 and the Faro turnoff at km 414. The rest is chipseal (BST), with pavement in Watson Lake. Expect dust and washboard when it is dry and mud after rain.

Is the Robert Campbell Highway open in winter?

Yes. It is open and maintained all year. There are no services between Watson Lake and Ross River, so carry winter gear and extra fuel. The Town of Faro suggests checking with the RCMP before driving east of Ross River in winter, and checking 511 Yukon.

Where can I get gas on the Robert Campbell Highway?

In Watson Lake, Ross River (about 11 km off the highway), Faro (about 10 km off the highway, 24-hour card-lock) and Carmacks. The longest gap is about 376 km, from Watson Lake to Ross River.

Can I drive the Robert Campbell Highway in an RV?

Yes. Travel Yukon calls it well maintained, and most campgrounds have pull-through sites. Drive slowly on gravel and plan your fuel stops. The South Canol Road is not recommended for RVs.

Where can I camp on the Robert Campbell Highway?

The Government of Yukon runs Simpson Lake (km 81), Frances Lake (km 171), Lapie Canyon (km 364), Johnson Lake (off Mitchell Road), Drury Creek (km 468) and Little Salmon Lake (km 501). Frenchman Lake and Nunatuk are on Frenchman Road. Faro has the John Connolly RV Park.

Where does the Canol Road meet the Robert Campbell Highway?

The South Canol Road joins at about km 355, near Ross River. To reach the North Canol Road, turn off at about km 362, drive about 11 km into Ross River and cross the Pelly River on the free Pelly Barge, which usually runs from early June to the second Tuesday of October.

What is the Nahanni Range Road?

Yukon Highway 10, a 196 km gravel road that leaves the Robert Campbell Highway at about km 108 and leads to the Cantung mine in the Northwest Territories. The Government of Yukon maintains it to km 134. There are no services. Nahanni Range Campground is at km 84.

What wildlife can I see on the Robert Campbell Highway?

Moose, wolves, black bears and grizzly bears live along the route. Finlayson caribou are seen mostly in winter, and the Finlayson Lake viewpoint at about km 233 has panels about the herd. Fannin’s sheep live near Faro, and sandhill cranes migrate along the Tintina Trench in May.

Who was the highway named after?

Robert Campbell, a Hudson’s Bay Company fur trader and explorer. He reached Frances Lake in 1840 and built a trading post there in 1842. In 1843 he went down the Pelly River to the Yukon River.