Caribou Crossing was a fishing and hunting camp for Inland Tlingit and Tagish people. 4,500-year-old artifacts from First Nations people living in the area have been found in the region. Originally known as Naataase Heen, Caribou Crossing was named after the migration of huge numbers of caribou across the natural land bridge between Lake Bennett and Nares Lake. That caribou herd was decimated during the Klondike Gold Rush, but a recovery program raised the number of animals to about 450. The modern village began in 1896, during the Klondike Gold Rush. At the time, Caribou Crossing was a popular stopping place for prospectors going to and from the gold fields of Dawson City. Caribou Crossing was also a station for the Royal Mail and the Dominion Telegraph Line, and it served as a communications point on the Yukon River. In 1904, Caribou Crossing was renamed Carcross as a result of some mail mix-ups with the Cariboo Regional District in nearby British Columbia. Silver mining was promoted nearby in Conrad, Yukon in the early 1900s, but there was little to be found and mining efforts soon ended. Mineral exploration continues today, but tourism is far more important to the economy of the community. In 2016, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge visited Carcross for a day trip.
Population
Climate
Carcross has a dry-summer subarctic climate, typical of this part of Yukon. Summer days are mild to warm with crisp, cool nights due to low humidity during summers. Winters are cold by Canadian standards, but not so much by Yukon standards. Annual snowfall averages 50 inches with peak snowpack reaching 16 inches during March.
Economy
Carcross relies on tourism to support the local economy. It lies on the Klondike Highway between Whitehorse and Skagway, Alaska and offers a variety of historic attractions and outdoor activities. Popular with road traffic including tour buses and RVs, in 2007 the White Pass railway also resumed service to Carcross railway station. Just north of the town is the Carcross Desert, often referred to as the "world's smallest desert." There are two small airports located in the area, Carcross Airport is adjacent to the town and Carcross Water Aerodrome located on Tagish Lake. Alaska cruises stopping in Skagway will offer day tours to Carcross. The day tours offer stops at the Yukon sign, the Caribou Crossing Wildlife Museum, Dog Sledding Zoo and the actual town of Carcross.
Transportation
Carcross lies on the popular Klondike Highway. The city is served by Carcross Airport, which has no scheduled commercial flights. The closest Canadian airport with large airline service is Whitehorse Airport, which has domestic airline service as well as flights to Europe and the United States. Tourist buses serving cruise ships passengers at the port of Skagway, Alaska, USA make day trips to Carcross.
