Yellow Yeti ADV

Motorcycle Touring Destinations, Tours, Rentals & More

MENUMENU
  • About
    • About Us
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Website Terms of Use
  • Yellow Yeti Travel
  • 0 Items
MENUMENU
  • Tours & Services
    • Guided Motorcycle Tours
      • Costa Rica
      • Eastern Europe
      • Europe
        • Iceland
        • UK
      • South America
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Self-Guided Motorcycle Tours
      • Costa Rica
      • Europe
        • Iceland
        • UK
      • Eastern Europe
      • South America
      • Thailand
      • Vietnam
    • Motorcycle Rentals
      • Ecuador
      • Iceland
      • Thailand
      • Mongolia
      • Scotland
      • UK
    • Rider Training
    • Motorcycle Shipping & Transport
    • Workshops & Parts
  • Routes & Destinations
    • Africa
      • Botswana
      • Ethiopia
      • Kenya
      • Lesotho
      • Morocco
      • Namibia
      • South Africa
    • Asia
      • Central Asia
        • Georgia
        • Kazakhstan
        • Mongolia
        • Tajikistan
      • Southeast Asia
        • Thailand
        • Vietnam
      • India
      • Mongolia
      • Nepal
      • Pakistan
      • Turkey
    • Australasia
      • Australia
      • New Zealand
    • Western Europe
      • France
      • Germany
      • Iceland
      • Italy
      • Norway
      • Portugal
      • Spain
      • Scotland
      • UK
    • Eastern Europe
      • Bosnia & Herzegovina
      • Bulgaria
      • Czech Republic
      • Hungary
      • Kosovo
      • Romania
    • Central America
      • Costa Rica
    • South America
      • Argentina
      • Bolivia
      • Brazil
      • Chile
      • Colombia
      • Ecuador
      • French Guiana
      • Guyana
    • North America
      • Canada
      • USA
    • Popular Routes
      • Adriatic Highway - Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro
      • Continental Divide Motorcycle Route - USA
      • North Coast 500 - Scotland
      • Ring Road - Iceland
      • Route 40 - Argentina
      • Route des Grandes Alpes (Great Alpine Road) - France
      • Simpson Desert - Australia
      • Trans Canada Adventure Trail - Canada
      • Transfagarasan Highway - Romania
  • Advice & Inspiration
    • Latest Articles / Blog
    • Adventure Bike Reviews
      • BMW F650GS
      • BMW F800GS
      • BMW R1200GS Adventure
      • Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin
      • Kawasaki KLR650
      • KTM 640 Adventure
      • KTM 1190 Adventure R
      • Suzuki DL650 V-Strom
      • Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
      • Suzuki DR650SE
      • Triumph Tiger 800XCx
      • Buying a motorcycle in Southeast Asia
    • Adventure Motorcycle Touring Guide
    • Gear & Equipment
      • Motorcycle GPS Units
      • Choosing a Tent
      • Flying with Motorcycle Gear
      • Emergency Transmitters
    • Trip Planning and Preparation
      • Open Source GPS Maps
      • GT Rider Maps for Southeast Asia
    • Shipping & Transport
    • Motorcycle Insurance for Overlanders
    • Travel Insurance

Robert Campbell Highway

Canada, North America
Routes & Destinations
North AmericaCanada
0 Reviews
Add Photos

Video

Description

The Robert Campbell Highway was constructed in 1960s and early-1970s to serve a lead and zinc mine that had recently opened near the town of Faro in the Yukon. Since then, it’s become a somewhat popular (though still largely overlooked) route for adventure motorcycle riders. There aren’t many major sights along the road, but it passes through remote terrain with few other vehicles and plenty of time to take in the scenery and enjoy the peace and quiet.

Coming from British Columbia, the route provides an alternative route to the Yukon settlement of Dawson City while bypassing the capital of Whitehorse. The Robert Campbell Highway is twenty miles shorter than the route through the capital, but it’s not as well maintained and much of it is gravel (hence part of the appeal).

Planning Your Ride on the Robert Campbell Highway

The Robert Campbell Highway is pretty straightforward, running 362 miles from Watson Lake, Yukon through the towns of Ross River and Faro, and then on to Carmacks, where it reconnects with the Klondike Highway. Most of the route is packed gravel, though the final hundred miles from Faro to Carmacks is paved. In Ross River is a turnoff for the Canol Road, and it’s an off-road adventure that should not be missed if you’re in the area.

As with most roads in this part of the country, commercial traffic dominates. Large trucks hauling timber, mining equipment, or just foodstuffs for remote towns rule the road, and you’ll want to be extremely cautious whenever approaching one. They drive down the center of the road as its shoulders are soft and dangerous, and the rocks they spew can be painful if you’re driving at full speed.

Fuel

Between Carmacks and Watson Lake, a distance of 362 miles, there are only two places to stop for fuel: Ross River and Faro. As it’s 260 miles from Watson Lake to Ross River, you’ll need to carry a jerry can of extra fuel.

Accommodations and Food

Most riders complete the trip in a single day, but you can make it a two-day trip if you prefer to stop and enjoy nature for a little while. It’s possible to stay overnight in Faro, which has three small motels, or you can also camp there or near Ross River.

For accommodations before and after the ride, Watson Lake has a number of hotels and restaurants, and Carmacks also has a couple of options. Don’t expect them to come cheap, though; you’re in a remote territory, and there’s little competition.

Sights

Watson Lake has a peculiar “art display” called the Sign Post Forest, where residents have placed have signs from their hometowns. There are now 100,000, and visitors can even add their own sign. The town is also home to the Northern Lights Space and Science Center, a planetarium with shows about the Northern Lights and the Canadian space program.

In Faro, the Campbell Region Interpretive Center has some information about the area, including exhibits on its wildlife and history. It’s not particularly informative compared to some other museums in the Yukon, but it’s worth stopping in if you want to give yourself a rest.

At the other end of the road, in Carmacks, is the Tago Cho Hudan Cultural Center, which has some pretty interesting exhibits regarding the First Nations People who live in the area.

Robert Campbell Highway - Canada - Sign Post Forest at Watston Lake
Sign Post Forest at Watson Lake – Photo Credit: Eli Duke / CC BY
Robert Campbell Highway - Canada - Ross River Sign
Ross River Sign – Photo Credit: Brigachtal / Pixabay
Robert Campbell Highway - Canada - Permafrost and Forest near Highway
Permafrost near the Highway – Photo Credit: David Adamec / Public Domain
Canada, North America
www.graveltravel.ca

Email Signup

Subscribe to our emails for inspiration and advice for your next ride.

Looking for your next adventure?

Check out Yellow Yeti Travel for a great range of ADV, guided and self-guided motorcycle tours around the world. We also have a range of rental motorcycles throughout the world that you can check out directly on this site.

Need motorcycle touring travel insurance?

Insurance is a minefield and while we can't specifically recommend companies, we look at some options here.

advmototravel

Rothmans Porche from the #dakarclassic class rolling into the Ha’il bivouac at the #dakar2023.
No luck on a chopper, but a nice view above the Ha’il bivouac at the #dakar2023 after the previous day’s flash flooding on the stage. #dakar #dakarinsaudi
Get to the chopper! Trying to hitch a ride (unsuccessfully) on one of the #dakarrally2023 choppers. Still have time …. #dakarinsaudi #dakar #advrider
As the sun sets on another day of the #dakar2023, @mariopatrao_oficial, in the #originalbymotul class has some work to do before the rally move on to Riyadh. #dakarrally #dakarinsaudi
Navigation is a huge part of the #dakarrally. This is the tower on #39 @benjimelot in the #originalbymotul. #dakarinsaudi
The #dakarrally is a constant hive of activity. #dakar2023 #dakarinsaudi
Much respect for the #originalmotul class riders in the #dakar2023. Each night they service their own bikes while the others rest.
Very jealous of anyone at the Dust 2 Dawson at the moment. Managed to get there a few years ago and had a great time.
Caherdaniel Viewpoint off the Ring of Kerry route in Ireland. 📷 by Tony Webster on Flickr

Follow on Instagram

YELLOW YETI TRAVEL

Yellow Yeti ADV is brought to you by Yellow Yeti Travel. If you are looking for self-guided motorcycle tours or help with your next trip, check out the site and get in touch.

Email Signup

Subscribe to our emails for inspiration and advice for your next ride.

Popular Guides & Articles

Adventure Motorcycle Touring Guide, Best Motorcycle GPS, Best Emergency Transmitters, Tents for Adventure Motorcycle Camping, Travel Insurance for Motorcycle Touring, Motorcycle Insurance for Overlanders

POPULAR DESTINATIONS

Adventure Motorcycle Touring Guide, Iceland, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Norway, Thailand, Southeast Asia, Vietnam, Turkey, Africa, Europe, Eastern Europe, Romania, UK, Scotland, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, USA, Morocco, Georgia (Country),

POPULAR ROUTES

Darien Gap, Simpson Desert, Ruta 40, North Coast 500, Trans Canada Adventure Trail (TCAT), Great Continental Divide Motorcycle Route, Dalton Highway
Copyright Yellow Yeti ADV © 2023. All Rights Reserved

Login

Lost your password?

Sign up for Yellow Yeti ADV

Your personal data will be used to support your experience throughout this website, to manage access to your account, and for other purposes described in our privacy policy.