Just inside the Yukon Territory is a town called Watson Lake, population 1,563. This “Gateway to the Yukon” is at the crossroads of the Alaska Highway and the Campbell Highway, both used by travelers seeking an adventure, wilderness, a new life, new friends or new memories. Many travelers have stopped at the Watson Lake visitor center to get information about the province. As you approach the visitor center, the Sign Post Forest comes into view.
The Sign Post Forest was started by Carl K. Lindley of Danville, Illinois, a U.S. Army soldier in Company D, 341st Engineers, working on the construction of the Alaska Highway in 1942. Travelers have been adding signs to this collection, which numbers over 78,000, ever since. Visitors are encouraged to add a sign. The site was designated a Yukon Historic Site in 2013.
Sign Post Forest has over 78,000 signs
As Mike and I were spending the night a short walk away at the Downtown RV Park, we had plenty of time to walk through the forest. It is an interesting mix of actual signs that have been swiped, signs that have been made in anticipation of the trip with varying levels of effort, and clearly signs made by people who did not know about the forest, but wanted to add something once there. We saw signs made on an aluminum pie pan, a plastic storage bin lid, a hub cap, snowboard, and other items. Clearly some travelers planned ahead and had made fairly elaborate hand carved or painted signs or had them printed up for the occasion.
Last minute sign made from aluminum pan
Tribute to world’s most traveled cat
One of the most touching for me was a tribute to “Precious: World’s Most Traveled Cat and traveling companion”. As our cat Foxy travels with us, I started thinking about how difficult it would be to lose her during this trip. Foxy is on her fifth year of RV travel and will be turning 14 years old in August. The vets have started referring to her as “geriatric” during her check-ups. While she has a clean bill of health, I am aware that some day she will leave us. Losing a pet is difficult, but I couldn’t stop myself from wondering about the bailing out between MM 404-422. What does that mean? Did a window get left open at MM 404 and when it was realized at MM 422 the cat was gone? Was she/he in 18 miles of death throes? Or, as was most likely the case, Precious was last checked at MM 404, and was no longer with them by MM 422. Should I be checking Foxy more often than I do? If Precious’ owners happen upon this post, I offer you my deepest sympathy and apologize for my morbid curiosity.
Sign Post Forest
It was fascinating to walk among the signs and see where people traveled from. There are street signs, city/town signs. There are signs from places all over the world. Some signs are fairly large, I wondered how they smuggled stolen signs out of their countries? What happens if you get caught at the border with a stolen sign? How much did it cost to replace all of the signs? Mike wanted to know why people put up signs in the first place. At any rate, if you are passing through Watson Lake on the Alaska or Campbell Highways, the Sign Post Forest makes an interesting stop. There’s plenty of parking, even for RV’s at the Visitor Center. And… don’t forget to bring your own sign!
