Klondike River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Klondike River |
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Klondike River crossing Dempster Highway
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| Country | Canada |
| Territory | Yukon |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Ogilvie Mountains |
| River mouth | Yukon River Dawson City, Yukon, Canada 64°03′08″N 139°26′27″W / 64.05222°N 139.44083°W |
| Length | 160 km (99 mi) |
The Klondike River is a river in Canada that flows into the Yukon River. It became very famous because of the exciting Klondike Gold Rush. This river starts in the Ogilvie Mountains and ends at Dawson City.
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Where is the Klondike River?
The Klondike River is located in the Yukon territory of Canada. It is a tributary of the much larger Yukon River. A tributary is a smaller river or stream that flows into a larger one. The Klondike River is about 160 kilometers (100 miles) long.
The Klondike River begins in the Ogilvie Mountains. It then flows until it meets the Yukon River. The two rivers join together near a town called Dawson City.
What Does "Klondike" Mean?
The name "Klondike" comes from the Hän language. It is a slightly changed version of their words "Tr’ondëk" or "Kl’o ndëk."
"Tr’ondëk" refers to special rocks. These rocks were used to build fishing weirs. Weirs are fences or traps placed in a river to catch fish, especially salmon.
"Kl’o ndëk" means "water flowing through grass." Long ago, the river banks were very green and grassy. However, years of gold mining have changed much of the lower part of the valley.
The Famous Gold Rush
In 1896, gold was found in the smaller streams that flow into the Klondike River. This discovery started the famous Klondike Gold Rush. Thousands of people rushed to the area hoping to find gold and get rich.
The gold rush brought many changes to the Klondike River area. It led to the growth of towns like Dawson City.
Travel and Fun on the River
Before the Klondike Highway was built in the 1950s, the Klondike River was the main way to travel in the valley. When the water was flowing, people used canoes made of birch bark, boats made of moose skin, and rafts.
When the river froze in winter, people traveled on foot. They used snowshoes to walk on the snow and dogs to carry their supplies.
Today, the Klondike River area is still a great place for many activities. In summer, people enjoy canoeing and rafting down the river. In winter, you can go snowshoeing, skiing, and snowmobiling. The Klondike River area is also used for hunting, fishing, picking berries, and, of course, gold mining.
Images for kids
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Klondike River (left) flowing into the Yukon River (top and right) at Dawson City
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Klondike River crossing Dempster Highway (downstream)
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Mouth of the Klondike River to the Yukon River at Dawson City
See also
In Spanish: Río Klondike para niños
