The YukonOld Crow is the only Yukon community located north of the Arctic Circle, and it's reachable only by scheduled flight from Whitehorse or Dawson City, or by river. There is no road. That isolation shapes everything about the place: it's quiet, close-knit, and profoundly bound to the land and the seasons in a way that's hard to grasp from further south.
Being the territory's only fly-in community has also shaped how the Vuntut Gwitchin have built economic self-sufficiency around that reality. The First Nation holds a 49 percent interest in Air North, Yukon's Airline, the very airline that connects Old Crow to the rest of the territory, a genuine ownership stake rather than just a customer relationship.
The village sits on the Porcupine River, and is the traditional home of a people whose lives have been shaped for millennia by the Porcupine caribou herd migration. Roughly 54 km southwest of the village lie the Bluefish Caves, among the oldest confirmed sites of human habitation in North America, with evidence dating back some 24,000 years. The caves themselves are not accessible to visitors, but the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse has a dedicated exhibit on the find.
Where to stay in Old Crow
Accommodation in Old Crow is limited and best arranged in advance. Porcupine River Lodge or community-arranged accommodation are the main options; check current availability directly rather than expecting to book on arrival.
Things to do in Old Crow
Visit the John Tizya Centre
Named for a respected community elder, this is Old Crow's cultural heart and the natural first stop for any visitor. Exhibits cover Vuntut Gwitchin history and oral tradition, the Porcupine caribou herd, and the surrounding landscape, including Vuntut National Park and Bear Cave Mountain. Among its more unexpected holdings: the oldest whitefish fossil found anywhere in North America, roughly 2.6 million years old. The centre also runs interpretive walking tours for visitors who want a guided introduction to the area.
Take a boat trip on the Porcupine River
The river is the community's main artery, and a boat trip is one of the best ways to see the surrounding landscape and understand how life here connects to the water.
Watch for the Porcupine caribou herd
One of the largest migratory caribou populations on Earth crosses Vuntut Gwitchin traditional territory each year on its way to calving grounds in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In 1977, community members testified at the Berger Inquiry and successfully helped block a proposed pipeline that would have cut across the herd's migration route, and Old Crow has remained a persistent, vocal advocate against oil development in the herd's calving grounds ever since.
Try traditional food, if offered
Caribou and other traditional foods remain central here, not a historical footnote but a living relationship the community actively defends. If you have the chance to try traditional food during your visit, take it.
Culture and land
Nearby Vuntut National Park, established in 1995, protects a vast, roadless wilderness of wetlands and tundra rich in wildlife and archaeology, some of it reaching back to the ice age landscape of Beringia. Fiddling and traditional dance remain an important part of community life too, a tradition going back over a century to when the fiddle was first introduced to the region by Hudson's Bay Company traders. St. Luke's Church, built in 1926, still stands as one of the community's oldest buildings. More recently, in 2021, Old Crow completed a major solar energy project that significantly reduced its reliance on diesel fuel, a practical, forward-looking move for a community this remote.
Getting around & the essentials
Old Crow has no road access. Scheduled flights connect from Whitehorse and Dawson City on Air North; check current schedules before planning your trip, as flights can be limited and weather-dependent this far north. Within the village, everything is walkable.
Old Crow has been a dry community since 1991: the possession, sale, and transportation of alcohol are all prohibited. Do not bring any with you.
Old Crow — Questions, answered
How do I get to Old Crow?
Only by air, scheduled flights from Whitehorse or Dawson City, or by river. There is no road to the community.
Why is Old Crow significant?
It's the Yukon's only community north of the Arctic Circle, home to the Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, and sits near some of the oldest confirmed evidence of human habitation in North America at the nearby Bluefish Caves.
Can tourists visit?
Yes, but respectfully. It's a small, remote living community, so arrange visits in advance, follow local guidance, and travel as a considerate guest.
What is there to see in Old Crow itself?
The John Tizya Centre is the natural starting point, with exhibits on Vuntut Gwitchin culture, the Porcupine caribou herd, and the surrounding landscape, plus interpretive walking tours. St. Luke's Church, built in 1926, is also worth a look.
Is alcohol allowed in Old Crow?
No. Old Crow has been a dry community since 1991, and the possession, sale, and transportation of alcohol are all prohibited. Do not bring any with you.
Nearby areas
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