Watson Lake Gateway To The Yukon

Tuesday June 19th 2012

Watson Lake was our first stop in the Yukon, much more rugged looking country then British Columbia but  just as beautiful. 

Watson Lake was an important point during construction of the Alaska Highway in 1942.  The airport built in 1941, was one of the major refueling stops along the northwest staging route.

The first thing you see as you drive into Watson Lake is the signpost forest.

  

If your coming to Watson Lake you have to hang a sign with your name and town.  We had come prepared Mike made us a sign a few days ago.  We found a place to hang it, and that was not an easy task, with over 71,000 signs already hung..

 

The signpost forest was started Carl Lindley of Danville Illinois, a U S Army soldier working on the Alaska Highway in 1942.  This is not the original sign, but one he brought in 1992 for the 50th anniversary of the signpost Forest.

Our home base while in Watson Lake was the airport, a few miles out of town, it is on a lake and free. 

 

Mike and I and Steve and Sandy were the only people camping here, worked out for us and Stormy, we let her do a little running around when we are places without a lot of people. She is very good at staying close to the MH.

 

The wildflowers are blooming everywhere up here.

 

The hanger and Terminal at the airport.  The hanger is from the early 40s, the terminal is still used for flights in and out of Watson Lake.  I believe it is just private planes that land and take off here. 

The Canadian people have just been the nicest, every visitor center we stop at they can not do enough to help make your trip enjoyable.