The Yukon River is the third longest in North America. It flows from northern British Columbia through the Yukon Territory and Alaska and empties into the Bering Sea. During the Klondike gold rush it was the major route to the Dawson gold fields.

The richness of salmon is dependent on the length of the river they travel from the ocean to their spawning grounds. The Yukon, 1,980 miles in length, is home to four varieties of the best salmon in the world.

In order to reach Dawson City from Alaska is is necessary to cross the Yukon. A free ferry affords transportation across the river 24 hours a day in summer. It can be quite a wait during busy times.

The crossing only lasts a few minutes but the loading and unloading is time consuming.