Northern lights in Whitehorse

Where to watch near Whitehorse

Annie Lake

Lake

Tonight: too light

Lake about 50 minutes from Whitehorse with an open north-facing sky, viewable right from the road.

Getting there

50 min drive

Darkness

Very dark: far from town lights

Good to know

Back roads to parts of the lake are unmaintained; a local guide advises against them without a 4x4.

Safety

Cell service is spotty.

Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited

Bennett Beach

Lake

Tonight: too light

Long sandy beach on Bennett Lake at Carcross with an uninterrupted view to the north.

Getting there

67 min drive

Darkness

Dark: little light nearby

Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited

Carcross Desert

Viewpoint

Tonight: too light

Treeless, snow-covered dunes near Carcross giving a completely open view from horizon to horizon.

Getting there

67 min drive

Darkness

Very dark: far from town lights

Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited

Chadburn Lake

Lake

Tonight: too light

Lake in Chadburn Lake Park with minimal light pollution and big northern views, close to the city.

Getting there

25 min drive

Darkness

Dark: little light nearby

Parking

Large parking area, picnic gazebo and dock.

Good to know

Reached by the gravel Chadburn Lake Road from the Riverdale neighbourhood.

Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited

Fish Lake

Lake

Tonight: too light

Lake at the end of Fish Lake Road with wide-open views, far enough out to escape most town light.

Getting there

40 min drive

Darkness

Very dark: far from town lights

Parking

Lots of parking along the road; OSM maps a Fish Lake Parking area at the lake.

Good to know

Map apps may give wrong directions; follow Fish Lake Road to the lake at its end, and switch off car lights on arrival.

Safety

Winding road; drive slowly in the dark and watch for moose. Walk on the lake only once frozen (about December to March), at your own risk, sticking to packed snow and snowmobile tracks. Cell service is spotty.

Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited

Schwatka Lake

Lake

Tonight: too light

Lake just outside town whose calm water can reflect the aurora; day-use area on the east shore.

Getting there

16 min drive

Darkness

Some glow: town glow on the horizon

Good to know

The day-use area is reached by Chadburn Lake Road from the Riverdale neighbourhood.

Directions in Maps · Public sources, not yet visited

Times are typical, from the centre of Whitehorse by road or path rather than in a straight line, and winter conditions can make them longer. Walking times don’t mean a route is lit or safe on foot in winter; check each spot’s notes.

Clear dark nights by month

• 31% Jan
• 33% Feb
• 28% Mar
• 28% Apr
• 25% May
• – Jun
• – Jul
• 17% Aug
• 25% Sep
• 24% Oct
• 22% Nov
• 29% Dec

The share of nights with at least two dark hours under 30% cloud cover, averaged by month over 2016–2025. It describes cloud, not aurora: a clear night still needs activity. A dash means no record for that month, usually because it doesn’t get dark. About this record

Questions

When is the best time to see the northern lights in Whitehorse?

In the dark months. Over 2016–2025, a clear spell after dark was likeliest in February and January, on about 33% of nights. That record is about cloud only: on any one night, the cloud and the activity forecast matter more than the season, so check on the day.

Where can you see the northern lights near Whitehorse?

This page lists 6 viewing spots near Whitehorse; the darkest is Annie Lake (50 min drive). Each has how to get there, parking, winter access and safety notes. Little Aurora picks the best one each night from cloud and darkness.

Aurora data from NOAA and GFZ. Cloud forecasts from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0). Places and travel times from OpenStreetMap contributors. Usual cloud from Copernicus ERA5 and weather-station records from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet, SMHI and the Icelandic Met Office. Forecasts are never guaranteed; conditions can change quickly. How the forecast works