Things to do
Culture and natural history
Burwash Landing is located on the shores of beautiful Kluane Lake in the shadow of the snow capped mountains of Kluane National Park and Reserve.
For centuries, indigenous people of the area used this strategic place on the bountiful lake as a summer camp. A trading post came up at the site in the early 1900s, and during World War II, the Alaska Highway was hurriedly built through Burwash Landing.
Today, the Kluane First Nation people still maintain many of their ancestors’ traditional way of life, while actively reviving the Southern Tutchone language for future generations.
Museum of natural history
Get glimpses of the Kluane First Nation’s past through the exhibits at the Kluane Museum of History, and shop for beautiful pieces of art, like handcrafted beaded moccasins and jewellery. The museum also features an impressive 3-D topographical map of Kluane National Park, along with dozens of Yukon wildlife species displayed in realistic dioramas. Outside the museum stands the World’s Largest Gold Pan, measuring nearly 6.5 metres in diameter.
Hike, Bike and Fish
In the 1940s, a severe windstorm destroyed many buildings in what was then a Alaska Highway construction camp. The name “Destruction Bay” seemed fitting, and it stuck. Today, Destruction Bay is a convenient stop for travellers on the Alaska Highway. Picnic tables on the lake shore, lake side RV parking, and a spectacular view of the lake and mountains, and a convenient boat launch, make this a pleasant place to spend some time, with or without a boat. You can walk for miles along the lakeshore or enjoy an evening campfire without another person in sight. Pick up a fishing licence and try your hand at catching dinner.
Explore Kluane National Park and Reserve
Kluane National Park and Reserve located insouthwest Yukon is a land of extremes. The park is home to Canada’s highest peak, the 5,959 metre (19,550 feet) high Mount Logan), its largest ice field and North America’s most genetically diverse grizzly bear population. Travellers from around the world come to experience this land of snow, ice and wild, untamed landscape. With exceptional day hikes and highway-side scenery, Kluane Natiobal park is simply awesome. Use Destruction Bay as your base to explore the northern section of the park. Pick up detailed guides from the Park Visitor Centre near Haines Junction and speak to the local experts who will be your best guides.