The YukonRoss River is a Kaska First Nation community of about 300 people at the junction of the Ross and Pelly Rivers, 60 km east of Faro on the Robert Campbell Highway. Historically it was a fur trade post and the terminus of the Canol Road (which continues north to the Northwest Territories, though the Yukon section beyond Ross River is a rough summer-only route best treated with caution).
Facilities are limited — a general store, a school, a health centre, one small motel. This is the kind of place where you go because you’re driving through, not because you set out for it. The setting at the river confluence is striking, and the Canol Trail (the old wartime road, now a challenging hiking route) starts here. For most visitors, an overnight or a fuel stop. For adventurers with a real 4x4 and self-sufficiency, the Canol north is legendary.
Where to stay in Ross River
Ross River has essentially one small motel/lodge operation and a couple of cabin rentals that come and go. Expect $110-160. Availability is limited — call ahead. This is not somewhere you show up in July hoping for a room. Bring supplies; the general store carries basics but you’re paying remote-community prices. Winter service is limited but the community operates year-round.
Things to do in Ross River
Confluence of Ross and Pelly viewpoint
Access from the main road through the village. The two rivers meet here in a wide, quiet junction. Old sternwheeler and trapping era artifacts scattered along the shore. Free, always accessible.
Canol Road historic drive south
The southern Canol Road (Highway 6) runs from Ross River south back to the Alaska Highway at Johnson’s Crossing. Rough gravel, wilderness driving, spectacular scenery. Summer only. Do not attempt without proper vehicle, spare tire, and supplies.
Fishing on the Pelly
Arctic grayling, pike, whitefish. Access from the bridge or via the boat launch. Yukon licence required. Very few other anglers — you’ll have long stretches of river to yourself. Bear spray essential.
Suspension footbridge over the Pelly
Historic suspension footbridge in the village, still in use. Photogenic, worth the walk across. Not for the fear-of-heights crowd — it sways in wind and the deck planks are spaced.
Getting around & the essentials
On foot — Village to confluence and footbridge (3 km)
From the general store, walk down through the village toward the Pelly River, cross the suspension footbridge (or view it from below if heights aren’t your thing), follow the shore to the Ross-Pelly confluence, and return via the community road. Flat, gravel and dirt track, mosquitoes brutal in summer. About 45 minutes.
By road
Drive from Whitehorse: 410 km via the Robert Campbell Highway. About 5.5 hours. From Faro 60 km, about 45 minutes. From Watson Lake it’s 380 km northwest — a very long, gravel-heavy drive. No public transit. Fuel in Ross River is available but limited hours; top up wherever you can. The village itself is walkable. The Canol Road north from Ross River is not recommended for regular vehicles.
Ross River — Questions, answered
Is Ross River accessible in winter?
Yes, the Robert Campbell Highway is plowed and Ross River operates year-round. However, services are thinner in winter and fuel hours may be shorter. Phone ahead and carry a full winter kit — this is remote driving where a breakdown at -35°C is genuinely dangerous.
Can I drive the Canol Road all the way to Norman Wells?
The Yukon section (Canol Road south of Ross River, Highway 6) is drivable in summer with a proper vehicle. The NWT section north of Ross River — the Canol Trail — is not a road anymore, it’s a rugged hiking route across old bridges and washouts. Do not attempt to drive it.
Nearby areas
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