The Area

Inn on the Lake is situated on the shores of Marsh Lake, Yukon, surrounded by high mountains and immense forests, and just 35 minutes south of Whitehorse, Yukon.

One of the Yukon Southern Lakes, Marsh Lake was an important trading route supported by the intermingling of interior (Southern Tuchone) and coastal (Tlingit) peoples. It is the most northerly of a chain of lakes, forming the headwaters of the Yukon River.

This traditional way of life was briefly interrupted by the Gold Rush of 1897 that brought an estimated 100,000 gold seekers to the Yukon. After climbing the White Pass, the stampeders would build rafts while waiting for the ice to recede, then float down Marsh Lake and the Yukon River in the hopes of reaching Dawson to stake a claim.

After this unusual burst of activity the lake was once again a place for fishing and for leisure activities.

In 1996, after nearly three decades playing on the lake, Carson Schiffkorn was drawn to a beautiful empty log building overlooking the water. The place was there, waiting for him to turn the logs into a lodge where nature lovers and peace seekers would find their place too.

Attractions Back to Top

AURORA BOREALIS

Season: Mid August to April

Marsh Lake is considered one of the best in the world for viewing the aurora borealis. These dancing streamers can be pale green, pink, red and blue and are the result of particles streaming into the atmosphere at speeds of up to 37,000 miles per second. You have the very unique opportunity to view them directly from the lodge.

SNOWMOBILING

Season: December to April

Enjoy the adventure with our guide directly from the lodge. After a ride up to Caribou Lake, try your luck with ice-fishing, rest around a campfire on the lake or hit the puck on a natural ice-rink.

DOGSLEDDING

Season: December to April

Mushing in the crisp winter air is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If the Wild is calling you, we will get you to the right place.

SWAN HAVEN

Season: April and early May

10 minutes from the lodge, M’Clintock Bay hosts a spring spectacle of returning swans and other water birds. Visit the interpretive center.

ARMY BEACH

Season: May to November

This huge crescent of clean white sand was already a favorite of the military engineers who built the Alaska Highway during World War II. It has since then become a favorite for families.

HIKING

Season: May to November

Among many more adventure hikes:
Shay’s lookout: start directly form the lodge
White Mountain
Miles Canyon

CANOEING & KAYAKING

Season: May to November

Use our complimentary canoes and kayaks and start from the lodge for long or shorter paddle trips on Marsh Lake.

GOLFING

Season: May to November

Just 20 minutes from Inn on the Lake at Meadow Lakes Golf & Country Club

FISHING

Season: May to November

Marsh Lake is known for great fishing adventure. Try your angler’s savoir-faire on the Lake Trout, the Northern Pike, the Arctic Grayling among others.
Or visit the wooden fish ladder in Whitehorse, the longest in the world, used by Chinook salmons on their way to spawning areas. Or taste the famous Sockeye salmon at the lodge.

VISITING WHITEHORSE

Season: year-round

The capital of the Yukon, Whitehorse offers a wealth of activities for the whole family. Visit the MacBride Museum to know more about early Whitehorse, Natural History, the Gold Rush and First Nations. Stroll through the Yukon Wildlife Preserve, marvel at the hardships of travel through the North at the Yukon Transportation Museum, step into the past aboard the SS Klondike, revisit the Ice Age at the Beringia Interpretive Centre, or hear the echoes of Robert Service at the Old Log Church.

TAKHINI HOT SPRINGS

Season: year-round

Bathe in the natural mineral waters of Takhini Hot Springs that flow from deep within the earth. They are uniquely odorless, no sulphur smell to detract from your enjoyment