LAKESIDE HAMLET

Tagish

Tagish Bridge and the Six Mile River between Marsh Lake and Tagish Lake

Tagish is barely a village — a store, a bridge, a couple of hundred people spread across cabin subdivisions along Tagish Lake and the Six Mile River. It sits on the Tagish Road (Highway 8), which connects the Alaska Highway near Jake's Corner to the South Klondike Highway near Carcross. Historically the site of a First Nations winter camp and later a gold rush waystation, today it's just a very quiet place to have a cabin.

There's essentially nothing to do in Tagish beyond be by the water. That's the point. Paddle, fish, walk the road, watch the light change on Bove Island out on Tagish Lake. The Tagish General Store sells fuel, ice, bait, and the world's most oversized cinnamon buns. Skip if you need dinner options or nightlife. Come if you’ve earned a few days of doing nothing.

Where to stay

Cabin rentals are the entire market. Look along Taku Boulevard, the Tagish Estates subdivision, and the pullouts on the Six Mile River. Expect $120-180 for a self-contained cabin, less in shoulder season. There's a small lodge or two but they come and go. Bring groceries from Whitehorse — the general store is a general store, not a supermarket. Confirm woodstove and plowing arrangements with the host before you book for winter.

Getting there

No public transit. Drive from Whitehorse: south on the Alaska Highway to Jake's Corner (50 km), then east on Tagish Road (Highway 8) about 22 km to the Tagish Bridge. Total 75 km, just over an hour. Road is plowed but narrow. From Carcross, Tagish Road continues west and joins the South Klondike Highway — a scenic backroute. Fuel at the general store or Jake's Corner; both are pricier than Whitehorse.

Frequently asked questions

Is there any restaurant in Tagish?

No sit-down restaurant. The general store has hot food some hours (breakfast sandwiches, chili in winter) but it's not a dining destination. If you want a proper dinner out, drive 30 minutes to Carcross for the Caribou Hotel, or an hour to Whitehorse.

Is Tagish good for aurora viewing?

Excellent. No light pollution, big open lake sky to the north. September-October and February-March are prime. Pick a cabin with a north-facing lake view and you can watch from the porch with a woodstove behind you.