6/27/22

After the Sign Post Forest, I continue west on the Alaska Highway towards Carcross. I didn't even know about this place until Ken told me about it way back in Wawa where we first met. The Carcross Desert is the smallest desert in the world at just one square mile.

Since it’s on my way to Whitehorse, I figured I would stop by to check it out. But little did I know that there’s a whole lot more to Carcross than the desert. 

221 miles on Yukon 1W/Alaska highway and then a left turn onto Tagish Road for 33 miles sends me into the town of Carcross. I thought there was just a desert here but instead I find a tiny little town, a town nonetheless. I meander thru some local roads and I end up at the Bennet Beach Lookout. I get off the bike and walk onto this amazing beach!

I'm not really a beach person but even I would want to be on this beach for hours. I go down to the visitor center and find an entire little village of artisan shops and totems.

I speak with the woman at the visitor center and she told me that the town has really tried to generate some tourism and this area call Carcross Crossing has a brewery, restaurant, coffee shop, and artisan shops. However, Covid restrictions has really ravaged the local businesses. So much so that the coffee shop is now closed and many of the artisan shops are closed and the restaurant/brewery has very limited hours. I asked the woman about the future of these shops and she doesn't know if and when they will open again. This is such an amazing little town full of nature and cultural beauty. This place is very quite. They could use some tourism to generate some income and create jobs for the local townspeople. I would love to come back and spend a month here. Perfect place to work on a project and not be too distracted but still have a bit of nature to keep you occupied when you need a break from work.

I ask the woman about the desert and she points me in the right direction. As I exited town, I go by the only gas station in town. Across the street was this amazing view:

What an amazing place! I so glad that Ken told me about this place and I feel honored to have witness its beauty in person. After being bewildered by this view, I get back on the bike and make my way to the desert just a few miles away.

Ken said you can drive on it but with my 80/20 tires I didn't want to risk getting stuck in the sand. I take a few photos and then get back on the bike and ride towards Whitehorse.