Canada’s Most Northern Border Crossing Closes for the Season on September 15

September 9, 2026 Team Contributor

If a Yukon road trip to Alaska is on your bucket list, it’s time to make haste. The Little Gold Creek port of entry, Canada’s northernmost border crossing with the United States, closes for the season on Tuesday, September 15 at 7:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, according to the Canada Border Services Agency.

The Little Gold Creek

If it’s called Little, there must be a Big Gold Creek too. And it’s there. Little Gold Creek sits 105 kilometers west of Dawson City along the Top of the World Highway, one of North America’s most scenic and remote drives.

The shiny “Gold” in the name comes from the discovery of placer gold deposits in its gravels and surrounding bench formations that drain into the Sixtymile River.

The highway runs along the crest of an unglaciated mountain range for much of its length, offering sweeping valley views that regularly draw road trippers, particularly during fall colour season.

Built in 1955, the route connects Dawson City to Alaska’s Taylor Highway, finally linking up with the Alaska Highway near Tok.

Yukon has thousands of creeks and streams branching off its major river systems, especially in the historic gold-mining regions around Dawson City.

The winter ritual of closing down

The crossing operates seasonally, from the Friday of the Victoria Day long weekend through mid-September. It remains shut down in winter because harsh weather makes the remote mountain highway unsafe to maintain and patrol.

The region has followed this rhythm for decades. Little Gold Creek is scheduled to reopen on May 21, 2027.

Before you travel, worth a read here

Anyone attempting this drive should plan carefully. Much of the Top of the World Highway is gravel, narrow, and winds along mountain ridges, so not all rental vehicles are permitted. Before planning, confirm with your rental company.

The route also requires the free George Black Ferry crossing over the Yukon River in Dawson City, which runs continuously except for brief Wednesday morning maintenance windows.

Fuel is limited along the way, with Chicken, Alaska, serving as the only stop for gas on the U.S. side.

Travellers should also note the time change: during the summer season, Yukon time runs one hour ahead of Alaska time, an easy detail to overlook when timing a border crossing.

A quieter season this year

CBSA figures show 6,729 travellers crossed into Canada at Little Gold Creek between May 18 and August 17, 2026, compared to more than 10,400 travellers during the full 2025 season. The port primarily serves miners, tourists, and area residents moving between Alaska and Canada, making it as much a working border crossing as a scenic bucket-list drive.

The other option

Once Little Gold Creek closes, the Beaver Creek port of entry remains open as the year-round alternative for travellers moving between Yukon and Alaska.

For the latest hours and updates, CBSA recommends checking its Directory of Offices and Services or calling 1-800-461-9999 before heading out.

For those already moving ahead, don’t miss the many scenic sights en route.  Stops along the way include Castle Rock, a striking rock outcropping near kilometre 56, and the historic town of Chicken, Alaska, home to a retired gold dredge worth a photo stop. It’s a route that rewards travellers willing to take the scenic way around.

Read here if you’re looking for the best places to visit in Canada this September.

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