Explore Kluane National Park and Reserve in the Yukon

The World's Largest Non-Polar Icefields and Canada's Highest Peak in the Yukon

In the southwest corner of the Yukon, where the Saint Elias Mountains crowd against the Alaska border, Kluane National Park and Reserve protects a landscape of superlatives that most Canadians and the majority of international travelers have never seen. The park covers approximately 21,980 square kilometres of the most massive mountain terrain in Canada, and 83 percent of that area consists of mountains and glaciers, including the largest non-polar icefields in the world. Mount Logan, rising to 5,959 metres, is the highest peak in Canada and the second-highest on the North American continent. Seventeen of Canada’s 20 tallest mountains stand within these boundaries. Together with adjacent parks in Alaska and British Columbia, Kluane forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site designated in 1979, one of the most significant transboundary protected landscapes on Earth.

The Alaska Highway and Haines Highway run along the park’s eastern edge, providing access to trailheads, visitor centres, and the gateway town of Haines Junction, 160 kilometres west of Whitehorse. The park’s interior, defined by those vast icefields and the glaciers that flow from them, is accessible only by chartered floatplane, helicopter, or multi-day backcountry expedition. For most visitors, the experience begins at the treeline, where a collection of excellent day and multi-day hiking trails deliver increasingly dramatic encounters with the Saint Elias landscape. The King’s Throne Trail climbs from Kathleen Lake Campground to a cirque high above the lake, with summit views that justify every step. The Rock Glacier Trail, one of the most accessible routes in the park, leads to a viewpoint over a massive active rock glacier in 5 kilometres round trip. Kathleen Lake itself, accessible from the Haines Highway, is the most beloved focal point for camping, paddling, and short hiking, with the Alsek and Saint Elias ranges reflecting in its clear waters.

For those wanting to penetrate deeper, flightseeing tours from Haines Junction carry passengers over and sometimes down onto the icefields, with some tours touching down on glacial surfaces for guided walks. Multi-day river rafting expeditions on the Alsek River, a Canadian Heritage River, navigate through glacier-carved valleys and past calving icebergs before entering Alaska. These are genuinely challenging adventures that require outfitter booking well in advance.

Multi-generational groups find the highway corridor’s roadside wildlife viewing, interpretive programs at the Tachäl Dhäl Visitor Centre, and the accessible Kathleen Lake area a compelling introduction to the park without demanding backcountry experience. Families with children enjoy the national park Xplorers program at visitor centres. Pet-first travelers should check current Parks Canada regulations on trails and campgrounds before bringing dogs.

Haines Junction, the gateway community, offers basic services and local accommodation. Whitehorse, 160 kilometres east, provides a broader range of vacation rental options, from comfortable multi-bedroom homes to luxury properties that serve as bases for exploring both the park and the broader Yukon. Properties with beautiful mountain views, relaxing outdoor spaces, and full kitchens accommodate groups arriving for multi-day Kluane adventures comfortably. Book your accommodations near Kluane National Park through Lake.com.