Yikes! I'm Not Coddiwompling Anymore?

Charlottesville

May 27, 2026

Sunday I leave on my Alaska wanderabout. I will fly from Charlottesville to Dulles and then nonstop (hopefully!) to Anchorage. After a few days in Anchorage, I have a ticket on a train through Denali to Fairbanks. From Fairbanks, I will drive to Chicken where I have a cabin for two nights; it will serve as my home base for my trip into Canada to visit the no-longer-there Paris, Yukon and Dawson City which is known as "the Paris of the North." (The fact that Dawson City has that nickname was revealed to me by my brother in law Ken who until today had done more research on my trip than I had. So it seems that I will now add a 72nd Paris to my list of Paris'. Three times as many Paris' as I thought when I began my wandering. More chances to find answers to the questions that bother me so!

It looks like from the above Google Map that the drive from Fairbanks to Chicken should be straight forward and give me time to walk around the area.

The route from Chicken to Dawson City and then Paris looks to be a bit more ... depending on your perspective ... challenging or interesting.

From a Google search:

The Top of the World Highway is a spectacular, 79-mile (127 km) mostly-gravel route connecting Dawson City, Yukon, to the Taylor Highway in Alaska. Named for the fact that the road follows high mountain ridgelines, it is famous for its panoramic views and operates only during the summer months.

Route & Logistics

• Route: The highway runs from a junction with the Taylor Highway near Jack Wade, Alaska, eastward to the Yukon River in West Dawson, Yukon.

• Border Crossing: The route features the Poker Creek border crossing (the northernmost U.S.-Canada border crossing). The station is typically open daily from mid-May through mid-September.

• Dawson City Access: There is no bridge to Dawson City. Drivers must take the free, 10-minute George Black Ferry across the Yukon River to complete their journey.

• Seasonality & Weather: The road is closed in winter. Even in summer, conditions can change rapidly from dust to mud, and services (like fuel) are extremely sparse between Chicken, Alaska, and Dawson City.

  
  

What to Expect

• Driving Conditions: The drive takes roughly 6 to 9 hours depending on road conditions, weather, and stops. A mix of paved and gravel surfaces, steep drops without guardrails, and occasional heavy truck traffic require an experienced driver.

• Points of Interest: Travelers can stop at natural rock outcroppings like Castle Rock (km 56), enjoy sweeping alpine views, and visit the historic gold rush town of Dawson City at the end of the journey.

My intent is to make it a one-day round trip from Chicken to Dawson City to Paris and back to Chicken. It's going to be a long day. The border crossing is only open from 9 AM to 9 PM. In addition, there appears to be a ferry boat required to pass over the Yukon River from Dawson City to Paris.

Hey, it wouldn't be an adventure if everything were easy (I tell myself).

I know Paris, Yukon is no longer there. Thanks to Google I have the coordinates of where it was:

And since I am breaking my "rules" and researching ahead of time, here is some information I found about Paris, Yukon.