Tombstone

Tombstone Territorial Park encompasses 2,200 square kilometers of spectacular wilderness in central Yukon, approximately 80 kilometers north of Dawson City along the Dempster Highway. The park is named after the dramatic granite spires of Tombstone Mountain, whose jagged peaks resemble weathered gravestones rising above the subarctic landscape. Established in 2000, the park protects the northern Ogilvie Mountains, an ancient range that escaped glaciation during the last ice age, preserving unique ice-free refugia ecosystems. The landscape features deeply incised valleys, alpine tundra, boreal forests, and countless peaks exceeding 2,000 meters in elevation. The park provides critical habitat for wildlife migrations and serves as an outstanding destination for wilderness hiking, backcountry camping, and experiencing the midnight sun in summer.

The park supports healthy populations of large mammals including grizzly bears, black bears, wolves, wolverines, and caribou from the Porcupine herd that migrate through the valleys seasonally. Dall sheep navigate the steep rocky slopes and alpine ridges, while moose browse in willow thickets along valley bottoms and lake margins. The area serves as important habitat for predators including lynx, foxes, and numerous raptors such as golden eagles, rough-legged hawks, and gyrfalcons. Over 160 bird species have been recorded, including Arctic species like hoary redpolls, northern wheatears, and various shorebirds. The ice-free refugia during the last glaciation created unique evolutionary lineages, with some small mammal populations showing genetic distinctiveness from surrounding areas.

The park's vegetation reflects its position in the subarctic zone with transitions from boreal forest valleys through shrub tundra to alpine tundra and sparse fellfield communities at the highest elevations. Valley bottoms support white spruce and balsam poplar forests with dense willow and alder understories, while north-facing slopes often feature open black spruce woodlands. Alpine areas showcase spectacular wildflower displays in July with mountain avens, Arctic poppies, moss campion, and numerous saxifrages carpeting the tundra. The park contains several rare plant species and plant communities characteristic of Beringia, the unglaciated region that served as a refuge during ice ages. Autumn transforms the landscape with brilliant displays of red bearberries, golden willows, and burgundy dwarf birch across the tundra slopes.

Tombstone Mountain and the surrounding peaks consist primarily of Cretaceous granitic plutons that intruded into older sedimentary and metamorphic rocks approximately 90 million years ago. The distinctive spires were carved by weathering and erosion, with frost action and chemical weathering breaking down the granite along joint systems to create the characteristic tombstone shapes. Unlike most of the Canadian north, much of the area remained ice-free during the Pleistocene glaciation, though valley glaciers carved U-shaped troughs and deposited moraines visible throughout the park. The bedrock geology includes diverse formations ranging from Paleozoic sedimentary sequences to Mesozoic intrusive complexes, creating varied landscapes and colorful rock exposures. Periglacial processes including frost heaving, solifluction, and patterned ground formation continue to shape the landscape, creating features like stone circles and frost polygons across the tundra.

The park experiences a continental subarctic climate characterized by long, cold winters and short, cool summers with extended daylight during the growing season. Winter temperatures commonly drop below -40°C, while summer highs typically range from 10-20°C, though the weather can be highly variable with rapid changes. The area receives relatively low precipitation, approximately 300-400mm annually, with most falling as snow that can occur in any month of the year at higher elevations. The midnight sun illuminates the park from late May through mid-July, while winter brings prolonged darkness and opportunities to view aurora borealis. Strong winds are common on exposed ridges and peaks, and summer visitors should be prepared for cold nights, possible snowfall, and variable conditions even during the warmest months.

The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in people have utilized the Tombstone area for thousands of years, traveling through the valleys for hunting caribou, fishing, and gathering berries and medicinal plants. The region holds spiritual significance with traditional stories, place names, and archaeological evidence of seasonal camps and hunting sites throughout the park. The Klondike Gold Rush of 1896-1899 brought prospectors through the region, though the harsh terrain and remote location meant less intensive mining activity compared to areas near Dawson City. Modern use of the area increased following construction of the Dempster Highway in 1978-1979, which provided the first road access to the region. The Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation has maintained strong connections to the land and played a central role in the park's establishment and ongoing management through cooperative agreements with Yukon government.

Tombstone Territorial Park was officially established in 2000 following years of planning and consultation between the Yukon government and Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nation to protect the area's outstanding wilderness values. The park creation balanced conservation objectives with continued traditional use rights and opportunities for sustainable tourism development. Unlike national parks, territorial parks in Yukon allow for continued hunting and harvesting by local Indigenous people, reflecting cooperative management approaches. The Tombstone Interpretive Centre opened in 2010, providing world-class visitor facilities, exhibits, and programming to introduce visitors to the park's natural and cultural heritage. In recent years, the park has seen increasing visitation, particularly from international tourists seeking wilderness experiences and northern landscapes, leading to enhanced management efforts to protect sensitive areas and wildlife.

The Grizzly Lake Trail offers a popular day hike or overnight trip through diverse terrain to a stunning alpine lake surrounded by peaks. The North Klondike Valley presents opportunities for multi-day wilderness backpacking with spectacular mountain scenery, though route-finding skills and self-reliance are essential. The Tombstone Range offers challenging off-trail hiking and scrambling for experienced mountaineers seeking remote summits and ridge traverses. The Tombstone Interpretive Centre serves as the gateway to the park with exhibits, guided hikes, and evening programs during summer months. Talus Lake and smaller accessible day hikes from the highway provide options for those seeking shorter excursions. The Dempster Highway itself offers stunning viewpoints and wildlife viewing opportunities, with numerous pullouts providing access to the park's scenic vistas and photo opportunities.

The Tombstone Interpretive Centre at kilometer 71.5 of the Dempster Highway serves as the park's main visitor facility, offering exhibits, information, interpretive programs, and a small bookstore. Two drive-in campgrounds provide basic camping with tent pads and outhouses but no electrical hookups or showers, operating on a first-come first-served basis during summer months. Backcountry camping is permitted throughout the park with free camping permits available at the interpretive centre, though Leave No Trace principles are essential. The park is accessible only via the Dempster Highway, a gravel road open year-round but requiring careful driving especially during wet conditions or winter. The nearest services, fuel, and accommodations are in Dawson City, 80 kilometers south of the park boundary. Cell phone coverage is non-existent, and visitors must be completely self-sufficient with emergency preparedness, spare tires, and sufficient supplies for their intended stay.

The park protects critical wildlife habitat and migration corridors, particularly for the Porcupine caribou herd which numbers approximately 200,000 animals and travels through the area seasonally. Climate change impacts are evident through permafrost thaw, changing vegetation patterns, and shifts in wildlife distributions, with monitoring programs tracking ecosystem responses. The park management works closely with Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in elders and land users to incorporate traditional ecological knowledge into conservation planning and wildlife management decisions. Increasing visitor numbers require careful management to prevent trail erosion, wildlife disturbance, and impacts on fragile tundra ecosystems that recover very slowly from damage. Research programs study unique ice-free refugia plant communities, monitor grizzly bear populations and movements, and assess the impacts of climate change on permafrost and vegetation. The park participates in broader Yukon conservation initiatives focused on maintaining wilderness values, protecting wildlife corridors, and supporting sustainable Indigenous land use practices.