The town of Watson Lake is known as the Gateway to the Yukon as the Alaska Highway brings thousands of visitors through Watson Lake to the North each year.

Watson Lake is just inside the Yukon border. This regional and transportation centre is the Yukon's third largest community with 1,553 people living there. What began as a fish camp and small airstrip at Watson Lake boomed during the construction of the Alaska Highway.

The town offers a variety of visitor services, amenities and attractions, and is known for its Alaska Highway heritage and northern lights viewing. Southeast Yukon is traversed by wild rivers and few roads. Its boreal forests are lush by Yukon standards. This region is home to the Liard First Nation and is the traditional territory of the Kaska people.

Local Attractions

With over 53,000 signs and counting, Watson Lake's Sign Post Forest grows by hundreds of signs each year. The adjacent Visitor Reception Centre has an excellent interpretive display about the construction of the Alaska Highway.

Watson Lake is home to the North's only visitor facility dedicated to the science and folklore of the aurora borealis. A multimedia show titled Myths and Mysteries of the Northern Lights is shown daily in the summer at the centre's theatre. This region enjoys exceptional winter viewing of the aurora borealis, and the science centre provides summer visitors with an opportunity to experience and learn about this remarkable phenomenon.

The British Columbia - Yukon air service terminal and tower at the Watson Lake Airport is the only Yukon terminal that still stands as a reminder of the days of the great Northwest Staging Route program in the 1940s. A historic log structure, the building is located next to the lake at the airport. A permanent display has been developed that depicts the rich aviation history in Yukon.

Located in the middle of town, Wye Lake Park, with its placid lake, is surrounded by a trail, boardwalk and picnic area. This is an ideal place to spot an old beaver lodge, waterfowl hiding in the reeds and wildflowers blooming throughout the summer