Find relics of the Gold Rush en route and visit the historic dredges near Chicken. In the 1930s, a local mining company abandoned a dredge just east of Chicken; a trail near Mile 68 leads to the old dredge. The Pedro Dredge is at the Chicken Gold Camp in the town of Chicken; check with the operator for tour times. Keep in mind that the Top of the World Highway is a remote northern highway, and be prepared for long distances in between services, tight turns, and washboard conditions in the rain. Fuel is available in either Chicken or Tok. For the drive from Dawson City to Tok allow yourself a minimum of seven hours. The highway is open during May – September (for exact dates call the information centre in Dawson City at (867) 993-5566). The border sets the season: in 2026 the Little Gold Creek–Poker Creek crossing was open May 22 to September 15, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Yukon time (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Alaska time); check the Canada Border Services Agency for current hours. Every vehicle also needs the free George Black ferry across the Yukon River from Dawson City, which runs from mid-May to mid-October.
The highway remains open until snowfall BUT customs closes in mid-September and when it closes there is no crossing the border.
You can drive into Forty Mile or the old town of Clinton Creek until the snow flies if you’re adventurous.
| Length | About 105 km (65 mi), the Dawson City ferry landing to the Alaska border at Little Gold Creek |
|---|---|
| Continues as | Boundary Spur Road and Taylor Highway (Alaska Route 5) to Chicken and the Alaska Highway at Tetlin Junction, about 282 km (175 mi) from Dawson City |
| Highway number | Yukon Highway 9 |
| Ferry | Free George Black ferry across the Yukon River at Dawson City, mid-May to mid-October, 24 hours a day (maintenance Thursdays 5–7 a.m.) |
| Border crossing | Little Gold Creek (Canada) / Poker Creek (U.S.). 2026 season: May 22 to September 15, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Yukon time (8 a.m.–6 p.m. Alaska time). |
| Surface & season | Yukon section seal-coated with potholes and gravel breaks. Not maintained in winter. |
| Fuel | None on the Yukon section. Next fuel in Chicken, Alaska (about 175 km from Dawson City), then Tok. |
| Road conditions | 511 Yukon (Yukon section and ferry) · Alaska 511 (Taylor Highway) |
Always check 511 Yukon before you travel. Last updated: October 2026.
The Yukon’s Top of the World Highway (Highway 9) runs about 105 km (65 miles) from the ferry landing across the river from Dawson City to the Alaska border at Little Gold Creek. In Alaska, the Boundary Spur Road and Taylor Highway continue to Chicken and the Alaska Highway at Tetlin Junction, about 282 km (175 miles) from Dawson City.
Only in summer. Through travel depends on the Little Gold Creek–Poker Creek border crossing, which opens on the Friday of the Victoria Day long weekend in May and closes on September 15. In 2026 it was open from May 22 to September 15. The road is not maintained in winter.
In 2026 the crossing was open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Yukon time (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Alaska time), seven days a week. Alaska is one hour behind the Yukon in summer. If you arrive after closing you cannot cross, so plan your day around these hours. It is the most northerly border crossing in North America.
Yes. The highway starts on the west bank of the Yukon River, across from Dawson City. The free George Black ferry carries vehicles across from about mid-May to mid-October, 24 hours a day, except for maintenance on Thursdays from 5 to 7 a.m.
Not fully. The Yukon section is seal-coated, with potholes and gravel breaks. In Alaska, the Taylor Highway from Jack Wade Junction to Chicken is a narrow, winding gravel road with little or no shoulder. Drive with your headlights on and give large vehicles room on curves.
Fill up in Dawson City. There is no fuel on the Yukon section. The next fuel is in Chicken, Alaska, about 175 km (109 miles) from Dawson City, and then in Tok.
Use 511 Yukon (511yukon.ca) for the Yukon section and the George Black ferry, and Alaska 511 (511.alaska.gov) for the Taylor Highway. For border dates and hours, check the Canada Border Services Agency office directory or call 1-800-461-9999.