Tintina Trench facts for kids

The Tintina Trench is a really long valley that stretches through the Yukon in Canada. Think of it like a giant groove in the Earth! It's connected to an even bigger valley called the Northern Rocky Mountain Trench in British Columbia. This huge valley was formed because of something called the Tintina Fault, which is a massive crack in the Earth's crust.

What is the Tintina Trench?

The Tintina Trench is a special kind of valley. It's very long and narrow, almost like a ditch, but on a super-large scale! It was created over millions of years by the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates. This movement caused the land to shift and break along the Tintina Fault, forming the deep valley we see today.

Where is the Tintina Trench Located?

This impressive valley is mostly found in the Yukon, which is a territory in the northwestern part of Canada. It runs for hundreds of kilometers, making it a very important geographical feature of the region. It's part of a larger system of valleys that stretch all the way down through the Rocky Mountains.

Rivers Flowing Through the Trench

Two main rivers flow through different parts of the Tintina Trench:

• The Pelly River flows through the northern part of the valley. It's a major river that eventually joins the mighty Yukon River, which then flows all the way to the Bering Sea.
• The Liard River drains the southern part of the Tintina Trench. This river starts by flowing southeast, then turns eastward. Finally, it meets the huge Mackenzie River near a place called Fort Simpson, NWT. The Mackenzie River is one of the longest rivers in North America, and it carries water north to the Arctic Ocean.

Communities and Features Along the Trench

Even though the Tintina Trench is a wild and vast area, there are several communities and important places located along or near it. These places are often connected by roads and serve as hubs for people living in the area. Some of these include:

• Lower Post, BC: A small community in British Columbia, located on the Liard Plain.
• Watson Lake, Yukon: A town in the Yukon, known as a stopping point for travelers heading further into the Tintina region.
• Ross River, Yukon: A community located right in the heart of the Yukon.
• Faro, Yukon: Another town in the Yukon, known for its mining history.
• Stewart Crossing, Yukon: A small settlement where the Stewart River meets the Yukon River.
• Dawson City, Yukon: While not directly inside the trench, this historic city is just to its west. It was famous during the Klondike Gold Rush!
• Forty Mile, Yukon: A historic site near the Yukon-Alaska border.
• Eagle, Alaska: A small town across the border in Alaska, also near the trench.
• Robert Campbell Highway: An important road that runs through parts of the Yukon, connecting many of these communities.