Journeys
Three trips up Bonanza Creek
Every train leaves the NN-Bride depot at 1102 Front Street. It follows the Klondike River east, crosses it on a timber trestle and climbs the Bonanza valley past tailings piles left by more than a century of mining.
The route
- km 0, Dawson Depot. Boarding from 30 minutes before departure. Snack counter, washrooms and the ticket window are in the depot building.
- km 5, Klondike River Trestle. A 140-metre timber trestle. Every trip slows to walking pace here for photographs.
- km 7, Bonanza Junction. Here the line turns south into the Bonanza valley and begins its gentle climb.
- km 13, Dredge Pond siding. A passing siding beside flooded dredge workings, where beavers and moose are often spotted in the early morning.
- km 19, Discovery Claim. On August 16, 1896, Skookum Jim, Dawson Charlie and George Carmack found gold here. A gravel loop trail runs along the creek.
- km 22, Grand Forks. The site of a boom town of 1898, at the meeting of Bonanza and Eldorado creeks. This is the end of the line and the gold-panning area.
3 hours · 38 km round trip
Bonanza Creek Run
This is our most popular trip and the best fit for families and anyone short on time. The Bride runs from the depot to Discovery Claim, stops for 45 minutes and brings you back to Front Street in time for lunch or an afternoon on the boardwalks.
- Runs
- Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun
- Departs
- 09:00 and 13:30
- Back at depot
- 12:00 and 16:30
- Adult fare
- $129 CAD + GST
What’s included
- Live commentary from Conductor Barnaby on the way up
- A slow photo pass over the Klondike River Trestle
- 45 minutes at Discovery Claim to walk the creekside loop
- A Crew Stamp Card for every child aboard
For $35 extra per person you can upgrade to Ruby’s Parlour, our upholstered 24-seat lounge car with coffee, tea and a pastry included.
6.5 hours · 44 km round trip
Gold Fields Day
This trip runs the full line to Grand Forks with Professor Shell, our resident historian. You spend four hours in the gold fields: a guided walk through the old townsite, a hot lunch in the cookhouse tent, then gold panning on our practice claim. Anything you find is yours to keep.
- Runs
- Tue, Thu, Sat
- Departs
- 09:30
- Back at depot
- 16:00
- Adult fare
- $249 CAD + GST
The day, hour by hour
- 09:30 Depart Dawson Depot
- 10:30 15-minute stop at Discovery Claim
- 11:00 Arrive Grand Forks, then a townsite walk with Professor Shell
- 12:00 Lunch of bison chili or vegetable stew, bannock and fruit
- 13:00 Gold panning with pans, boots and a sample vial supplied
- 15:00 Depart Grand Forks, nonstop to the depot
- 16:00 Arrive Dawson Depot
3 hours · Fridays & Saturdays, June 1 – July 31
Midnight Sun Special
In June and July the sun barely sets over Dawson, so the evening train runs in golden daylight the whole way. Miss Ruby and her pianist bring an 1898 dance-hall revue to every car in turn while the Bride climbs slowly to Discovery Claim and back.
- Runs
- Fri & Sat, June–July
- Departs
- 18:30
- Back at depot
- 21:30
- Adult fare
- $159 CAD + GST
What’s included
- Miss Ruby’s 25-minute revue, performed in your car
- Wild-berry pie with coffee, tea or hot cocoa
- A 20-minute evening stop at Discovery Claim
- Bar service in Ruby’s Parlour for guests aged 19 and over (photo ID required)
The train
Locomotive No. 99 and her five cars
No. 99 is a 2-8-0 narrow-gauge steam locomotive built in 1912 and restored between 2019 and 2023. She burns light oil instead of coal and tops out at 25 km/h on the creek grade.
| Car | Type | Seats | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonanza | Heritage coach | 40 | Wooden benches, opening windows |
| Eldorado | Accessible coach | 32 + 4 wheelchair spaces | Platform lift, accessible washroom, baby-changing table |
| Hunker | Heritage coach | 40 | Snack counter, washroom |
| Midnight Dome | Open-air observation car | 32 | Roofed, open sides, best for photos |
| Ruby’s Parlour | Lounge car | 24 | Upholstered armchairs, bar for guests 19+ |
Ready to ride the Bride?
Book by phone or email. We reply within one business day and hold your seats for 72 hours while you arrange payment.