Yukon River Facts
- The Yukon River’s total drainage area is more than 800,000 square km.
- The river gives its name to a territory in Canada – the Yukon.
- During the Klondike Gold Rush (late 1800s, early 1900s) the Yukon River was the main means of transportation.
- The Yukon flows past the settlements of Carmacks, Dawson City, Fort Yukon, Russian mission and Pilot station (and many more).
- Fiver Finger Rapids and Rink Rapids are located on the Yukon River.
- Only 4 of the bridges spanning the river can support vehicles. These are: the Lewes Bridge, the Robert Campbell Bridge, the Yukon River Bridge (Carmacks) and the Yukon River Bridge (Dalton Highway)
- In the summer, there is a car ferry across the Yukon River. In winter, when the temperatures plummet, an ice bridge forms on the frozen water.
- On of the longest salmon runs in the world is located in the Yukon River, and salmon continue to be an important food source for communities living near the river.
- Some of the Yukon’s tributaries include: Big Salmon River, Stewart River, White River, Klondike River, Indian River, Beaver Creek, Bering Creek and Reindeer River.
- The name Yukon means ‘white water river’. Glacial silt does make the waters of the Yukon look white.
Yukon River Fact File
Countries: Canada and the United States
Length: About 3190 km (1982 miles)
Source: Llewellyn Glacier (Atlin Lake), British Columbia, Canada.
Mouth:
