The Tagish Road was part of the original route of the Alaska Highway. It was also the area where the North-West Mounted Police set up a post during the gold rush to monitor the activities of gold-seekers and trappers. It offers excellent opportunities to view wildlife and access the Southern Lakes.
Tagish Bridge Recreation Site
22 km (14 mi.) from Jake’s Corner
32 km (20 mi.) from Carcross
Here Tagish River, also known as the Six Mile River, flows into Marsh Lake. It is one of the first places in the Yukon where swans and other waterfowl appear in March. The bridge can be easily accessed from the campground.
| Length | About 54 km (34 mi) |
|---|---|
| Route | Jake’s Corner on the Alaska Highway (km 1340) to Carcross on the South Klondike Highway (km 108) |
| Highway number | Yukon Highway 8 |
| Along the way | Atlin Road turnoff (about km 2) · Tagish and the Tagish River bridge (about km 22) |
| Services in Tagish | Restaurants, a café, campground, cabin rentals, guided fishing and boat rentals at the Southern Lakes Marina |
| Wildlife | Thousands of Trumpeter and Tundra swans pass through on the spring migration |
| Road conditions | 511 Yukon (official, live) |
| Place | Approx. km |
|---|---|
| Jake’s Corner (Alaska Highway km 1340) | 0 |
| Atlin Road turnoff | 2 |
| Tagish / Tagish River bridge | 22 |
| Carcross (South Klondike Highway) | 52–54 |
Kilometres follow Government of Yukon kilometre posts and are approximate. Always check 511 Yukon before you travel. Last updated: October 2026.
The Tagish Road (Yukon Highway 8) links Jake’s Corner on the Alaska Highway, at about kilometre 1340, with Carcross on the South Klondike Highway. It runs through the Southern Lakes region, about an hour south of Whitehorse.
About 54 km (34 miles). Tagish is at about kilometre 22 from Jake’s Corner, which makes it roughly 30 km from Carcross.
Tagish sits where the Tagish River joins Marsh and Tagish lakes, so swimming, boating and fishing for lake trout and northern pike are popular. There are restaurants, a café, a campground and cabin rentals, and you can rent a boat at the Southern Lakes Marina.
In spring, when thousands of Trumpeter and Tundra swans stop in the Southern Lakes on their migration north. Yukoners see their arrival as a sure sign of spring.
During the Klondike Gold Rush, the North-West Mounted Police ran a post and customs house at Tagish, where they inspected gold seekers’ boats and supplies on their way to Dawson City. The area was also home to Skookum Jim, Dawson Charlie and George Carmack, key figures in the discovery of Klondike gold.
Turn south onto the Atlin Road about 2 km from Jake’s Corner. It leads to Atlin, British Columbia.
Use 511 Yukon (511yukon.ca), the Government of Yukon’s official source for road conditions, closures and construction.