Goldensides Hike in Tombstone Territorial Park
One of the great and super accessible hikes to do in Tombstone Territorial Park is the Goldensides hike. It wasn’t even on our radar until a ranger showed up while we were putting up our tent in the campground. He was trying to drum up support for a ranger led hike starting at 7 PM.
The Goldensides hike sure beat sitting around our picnic table so we decided to go. (As a side note, during the summer, there are ranger led hikes most evenings. Check the hiking schedule at the Interpretative Centre.)
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Goldensides hike trailhead location
The hike starts at KM 74.5 on the Dempster Highway. The trailhead is well-signed and easy to find. From the Tombstone Interpretative Centre it is at most, a 10 minute drive north.
The hike itself is only 3.4 km round-trip – the perfect length for an after dinner hike. It climbs a total of 210 m and can be done in about 90 minutes.
If it’s a nice day you’re going to want to give yourself more time to explore and take photos at the top. Even though it’s a short hike, it’s prudent to take warm clothes, rain gear, water and a can of bear spray.
If there is still some daylight at the end of the hike, then a drive to one of the many informal viewpoints along the Dempster Highway would be worthwhile, especially since dusk (and dawn) is when you’re most likely to see wildlife.
Further reading on travel and hiking in the Yukon
- Hiking to Grizzly Lake in the Tombstones
- The Hike to Divide Lake in the Tombstone Mountains
- The Ivvavik National Park Base Camp Experience
- Hiking the Auriol Trail in Kluane National Park
- 4 Arctic Hikes in Ivvavik National Park
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I want to hike in tombstone trail by myself as a independent hiker.
one thing that I do worry about is that I might lose my way in the middle of trail.
Is the trail quite visible?
so I can fine the way easily without GPS?
@Myung The trail is very obvious. You shouldn’t have a problem – but tale a map available at the Visitor’s Centre.
Wow, these photos (and your Grizzly Lake hike ones) really make me want to go back and visit again in late August. The fall colours really are stunning. We wanted to do the guided hike to Goldensides, but we were never in the area on the right day.
@Gemma Sounds like you nee to go back. Did you hike to Grizzly Lake? I thought that was an exceptional landscape as well.
What beautiful photos of a beautiful place. Does anyone know if bear spray actually works? I did a hike next to the Mendenhall Glacier outside Juneau once and our guide seemed quite concerned about bears—or he just did that to get our group to stay together.
@Suzanne Bear spray absolutely works but it can’t be more than two years old and you have to be close – like 6-12 feet sort of close.
With extended daylight and long summer and fall evenings, an after-dinner hike sounds like a nice idea :-). The colors looks gorgeous! (We did some short after-dinner hikes in Jasper over the summer – amazing that you can hike right till 9 pm in the summer!)
I am always so stunned by the gorgeous colors in your photos, I really need to get to Yukon next summer. Such amazing hikes.
I can see why it’s called Goldensides. The wildflowers blooming everywhere are so pretty. This sounds like a hike that even I can do. I’ve always wanted to visit the Yukon, mainly because of Yukon Cornelius from the classic Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer TV show.
@Michele This is totally a family friendly hike. Yukon is wild and beautiful – and an exceptional place to visit with a family. Our first visit with kids was when they were in highschool.
Oh, this looks soooo beautiful! I think I need to get to this part of the world. Thanks for sharing it.
@Cindy I have no doubt that you would love the photography possibilities and this hike in particular was easy.
Wow – what stunning colours! Some of the photos look almost like paintings. Gorgeous!
@Molly Thank you. We also got lucky with the weather.
Wait…a can of bear spray?!?! Is that really a thing?? Haha, amazing! And I just love all your photos, what a gorgeous hike!
@Jess In bear country it’s prudent to carry a can of bear spray but you’d only use it if you got to within about 10 feet of the bear.
No we’ve not been there. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a colourful landscape. Perfect timing with the Ranger. 🙂
@Jan We were very happy to hear about the hike and such sights for little effort.
wow, some of these photos look like chalk drawings. breathtaking. i think i just added a destination to my bucket list.
@Eileen You won’t be disappointed.
Hi Leigh. What an amazing landscape. The colors are out of this world. For some weird reason I’m reminded of an exaggerated paint-by-number! 🙂
@Nancie They would make an amazing jigsaw puzzle too. I’d seen photos of the colours and knew I really had to be up there for the fall colours.
Gorgeous photos, Leigh! This actually looks like a hike I wouldn’t mind doing. The Yukon is at the top of my husband’s wish list so we might be there before long!
@Lisa At last I’ve found something you’d consider. I promise you that you would be in awe. And the drive is magnificent.
Your photos are truly amazing, I hope you don’t mind if I set one of them as my new super wallpaper in the pc 🙂
@Lily I would be very happy if you did that – an honour really.
That’s really an incredible landscape! What a gorgeous park… Can’t wait to visit this time next year!
Thanks for sharing
@Nick I do hope you get there – and try for late August when the colours are at their peak.
What gorgeous colors! I’ll have to keep this on my list for when we make it to the Yukon!
@Adina One of the best short hikes I’ve ever done.