Emerald Lake (Yukon)
Emerald Lake
A small turquoise lake beside the South Klondike Highway. Layers of green and blue shimmer over its marl-covered bed, making it the most photogenic lake in Yukon.
The lake's color comes from the white marl on its bed, a deposit of calcium carbonate and shell fragments. In sunlight, the water shifts from emerald green to deep blue. Roadside viewpoints offer the best perspective from above, and a few minutes is enough for photos. The lake is about 75 km from Whitehorse, roughly an hour's drive. It is often combined with the Carcross Desert and the village of Carcross into a day trip along the South Klondike Highway, or you can keep driving toward Skagway.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Carcross Desert
- Grey Mountain
- Miles Canyon
- Schwatka Lake
- Whitehorse Rapids Fishway
- SS Klondike National Historic Site
- Log Skyscrapers
- Old Log Church Museum