The Carcross Dunes are remnants from the last ice age. As the glaciers in the southern Yukon melted, large lakes formed and silt built up on the lake bottoms. Eventually these lakes dried up, leaving the sandy sediments exposed. Constant wind up Bennett Lake keeps the dunes active and exposed.

The dunes are a park reserve, but don’t have any type of formal protection. They are a favorite destination for people looking to explore this unique environment. Kids really like to jump off the tops of the soft dunes. In the winter it is a popular tobogganing and snowmobiling location.

Carcross Desert is also the smallest desert in the world!