The YukonKeno City is barely a city — about 20 year-round residents at the end of Highway 11, 60 km beyond Mayo. It boomed for silver in the 1920s-30s, hollowed out by the 1980s, and now exists as a quiet cluster of old miners' cabins, one small hotel, a mining museum, and a truly excellent view from the top of Keno Hill (1,650 m). The famous Keno Hill signpost — pointing to Tokyo, London, Vancouver, and dozens more — is the summit photo everyone wants.
Coming here is committing: 460 km from Whitehorse, most of a day of driving, one place to sleep. But it’s magic in the way genuinely remote places are magic. Total dark skies, occasional lynx crossings, and the old mining ruins scattered up the hillsides. Snowdrift Café and the mining museum are the main scheduled activities. Book the Keno City Hotel well ahead in summer — there is no plan B if it’s full.
Where to stay in Keno City
Keno City Hotel is essentially the only option — historic, restored, wood-heated, $120-160. A couple of small cabin rentals operate seasonally. That is the full inventory. Book months ahead for July-August. In winter most services close. Bring supplies — Keno has one small store with limited hours and no reliable food service outside the hotel. This is not somewhere you show up hoping for the best.
Nearest bookable stays
Real, reviewed rooms — booked at the same live rate through app.impt.io, one tonne of carbon removed per stay.
Things to do in Keno City
Drive Keno Hill to the signposts
Rough gravel mining road climbs from the village to the summit of Keno Hill, 1,650 m. The signpost, painted directional signs to cities worldwide, sits at the top. 360-degree view. Best in clear weather; road not maintained for regular cars but passable in dry conditions. Not plowed in winter.
Keno Mining Museum
In the village, in a converted old building. Small but detailed collection of silver mining artifacts and stories. $10, one hour. Open summer only, generally June through August, hours variable. Ask at the hotel if the door is locked.
Snowdrift Café or dinner at the hotel
The Keno City Hotel restaurant is essentially the only food option, and it’s better than it needs to be. Reservations required if you’re not staying. Snowdrift is a seasonal café that comes and goes — check locally. Bring backup snacks either way.
Walk the old mining ruins
Rusted equipment, collapsed shaft houses, and old cabins scattered up the hillsides above the village. Access by foot from the road. Watch your footing — some sites have open shafts. Free, self-guided, and full of atmosphere. Bear spray in summer.
Getting around & the essentials
On foot — Village and lower mining trail (4 km)
From the Keno City Hotel, walk the main road through the village past the miners' cabins, up the lower slope of Keno Hill on the mining access road, past the first cluster of ruins, and back down via the loop that returns to the village. Rolling terrain, some steep sections, gravel. Snowshoes needed in winter. About 90 minutes.
By road
Drive from Whitehorse: 460 km via the Klondike Highway to Stewart Crossing, then Highway 11 (Silver Trail) through Mayo to Keno City. About 5.5-6 hours. Paved most of the way; the last 15 km can be rough gravel. No public transit whatsoever. No fuel in Keno — tank up in Mayo. Cell service is minimal. In winter the road is plowed but expect ice; in summer expect construction and gravel.
Keno City — Questions, answered
Is Keno City worth the drive?
For the right kind of traveller, absolutely — you want end-of-the-road remoteness, old mining history, and the summit signpost photo. It’s a specific taste. If your only Yukon trip is a week, spend it on Whitehorse and Kluane instead. If it’s a second or third trip, Keno rewards the effort.
Can I do Keno as a daytrip from Dawson?
Not comfortably. Dawson to Keno is 300 km one way, most of it via Stewart Crossing, and the last section is slow. You’d be in the car 7+ hours. Break it with a night in Mayo or Keno itself, or don’t go.
Nearby areas
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