The Tagish people call this area Todezzane, "blowing all the time" and the Tlingit call it Naataase Heen, "water running through the narrows". In 1899, the community was officially named Caribou Crossing, referring to the spot where the local woodland caribou herd crossed the narrows. Bishop Bompas requested Caribou Crossing be renamed Carcross in 1904, and the government approved the change in 1906.
J.H. Brownlee surveyed the town site in 1899 for the White Pass & Yukon Route (WP&YR). Before the completion of the railway in 1900, Carcross consisted of a North West Mounted Police post and associated reserve on the north side of the narrows and a First Nation community on the south. The town was established by WP&YR to maintain the rail line and connect freight and passengers to Atlin and points around the lake via the sternwheelers.
A major fire completely destroyed the downtown core in 1909, but the town survived. Over the years, buildings were relocated to Carcross from Bennett City, Conrad City, and other abandoned mining communities in the area. Carcross is situated on the South Klondike Highway halfway between Skagway, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon, roughly 1.5 hours from each city.
Information
The Visitor Centre located in the old Railroad depot downtown.
Emergency RCMP 867 821 5555, Ambulance 867 821 4444, Health Center 867 821 4444
Camping
Montana Services and RV Park Full service pull through sites. Store, Restaurant, RV Wash. 867 821 3708
Montana Services and RV Park FasGas and Oil products. Propane.
Things
To Do
Walking the streets of Carcross is like going back in time. You can ride the White Pass Train to Skagway or if you are an adventure enthusiast try out the mountain biking trails on Montana Mountain.
The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad “Scenic Railway of the World” on the Trail of ’98.
Passengers travel across the White Pass on a narrow-gauge railway
that parallels the trail followed by the frantic gold seekers in
1898. Daily service May through September. As you board the train,
you receive a milepost information magazine, which is keyed to point-of-interest
markers beside the track. An onboard Passenger Representative also
gives a commentary about the history and scenery.
In the first 20 miles from Skagway the diesel-powered train climbs
from sea level to nearly 3,000 feet. En route you will see panoramic
views of Skagway and the head of Lynn Canal. Bridal Veil Falls with
as many as 22 cataracts tumbling into a gorge. Tunnel Mountain with
its southern portal on a sheer cliff, and Dead Horse Gulch—named
for 3,000 pack animals, which perished there during the gold rush.
The railroad reaches White Pass Summit at Mile 20.4 (this is where
the Summit Excursion trains reverse directions to go back down to
Skagway). Through trains continue across the barren rock-strewn
Pass to Fraser, BC (also Canadian Customs & Immigration).
