Official race photos by Mark Kelly Photography
Welcome to the official Yukon River Quest web site. The Yukon River Quest is an annual marathon paddling race held in June every year, from Whitehorse to Dawson City – 444 mi / 715 km.
Paddlers come from around the world to test their endurance, racing day and night to the Klondike on one of North America’s great rivers. It is open to solo and tandem canoes and kayaks, solo stand-up paddle boards (SUPs), and bigger C4 and Voyageur canoes.
Please fully explore our site for information on how to participate in this great event, whether as a racer, a member of a support crew, or as a volunteer. The Yukon River passes through Five First Nations on our race route: Kwanlin Dün, Ta’an Kwäch’än Council, Little Salmon Carmacks, Selkirk, and Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in.
Our race honours their culture and those who have lived off the river and nurtured it for centuries. To learn more about First Nations heritage on the river, see this River History from Yukon Schools. And for an in-depth account of Yukon First Peoples, read this ECHO (Ethnographic, Cultural, Historical Overview) handbook.
BE PREPARED – THIS IS A TOUGH WILDERNESS PADDLING RACE!
Become familiar with the YRQ RACE INFO & RULES (2025 now posted). Also check out the various items under the RULES & PREPARATION drop-down menu above, such as following best practices on the river and while camping, how much food and fluids are needed to sustain you in a long river race, and other essential tips to help you finish; racer and support crew briefings; and ourFAQsto learn more about navigation, insurance requirements, how to support your team at Carmacks, how to get back from Dawson, and more.Support crews need to become familiar with all of this information to help your team prepare and stay safe! Check out the SUPPORT CREWS link above.