Sheep Mountain & Thechàl Dhâl Visitor Centre
Thechàl Dhâl
A visitor centre at the southern end of Kluane Lake, with high-powered telescopes for spotting white Dall sheep on the mountainside. Nearby are Slims River Valley and Sheep Creek Trail.
The Thechàl Dhâl (Southern Tutchone for 'sheep mountain') visitor centre lies beside the Alaska Highway about 70 km northwest of Haines Junction, facing Sheep Mountain. In summer it is staffed by national park personnel, who provide powerful telescopes to help visitors find herds of white Dall sheep on the slopes. The centre also explains the glaciers and wildlife of the area. The nearby Sheep Creek Trail climbs to a lookout partway up the mountainside. The Slims River valley was once fed by meltwater from the Kaskawulsh Glacier. When the glacier retreated in 2016, the river was diverted and the valley nearly dried up, becoming a well-known example of river capture. The centre has interpretive displays on this. Grizzly bears are common in the area, so carry bear spray when hiking.
Opening hours
Summer approx. 09:00–16:00 (approx. mid-May to early Sep)
Nearby sights
- Soldier's Summit
- Kaskawulsh Glacier
- Kluane Lake
- Alsek River Valley Trail
- Kluane Icefield Flightseeing
- Dä Kų Cultural Centre & Kluane National Park Visitor Centre
- Haines Junction Village
- Auriol Trail