Transportation & Maps
The remote community of Atlin is actually closer to the Yukon and Alaska than it is to other communities in British Columbia.
It is an easy walk around town, and even along its outskirts, but a personal vehicle is necessary to get to Atlin.
Visitors have several options when heading to Atlin. All, except flying directly there in a private plane or float plane, entail driving at least an hour on Highway 7, also called Atlin Road, the only access road to town.
Vehicle rentals are available in both Whitehorse, Yukon and Skagway, Alaska, but not in Atlin. The only transportation rentals in Atlin are motorboats, houseboats, canoes, and kayaks.
Car Travel
The driving distance from BC is far, no matter where you start. If coming from down south, the total trip could take at least three days. Atlin Road, Highway 7, is only partly paved but should be fully covered within the next few years. It is maintained and fine to navigate in the winter. Four-wheel-drive may be necessary on slippery days. The road is more challenging in spring, when the snow begins to get slushy.
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From Northwest BC, take Highway 37 all the way to Watson Lake, near the Yukon border, then head north on the Alaskan Highway, Highway 1, until you reach Jake's corner. Turn onto Atlin Road. From Northeast BC, head north on Highway 97 until Watson Lake then follow the same directions.
If heading to Atlin from Juneau, Alaska, take a ferry to Skagway, then drive north on the Klondike Highway, Highway 2, until the community of Carcross. From there, drive east along Tagish Road then turn south onto Atlin Road, at Jake's Corner. Follow the signs to not get lost.
Air Service and Public Transportation
Catch a flight to Whitehorse, Yukon. Next, drive about one hour south on the Alaska Highway, Highway 1, then turn west at Jake's corner onto Atlin Road. Drive another hour or so to the town of Atlin and its gorgeous lake. Follow the signs to not get lost.
A bus, the Atlin Express, also travels between Atlin and Whitehorse, three times a week, both ways once a day. It leaves Atlin early in the morning and Whitehorse in the afternoon.
Atlin does have an airport where private planes can land. Floatplanes land at the public marina.
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