The Discovery Yukon Lodgings Story

The Road that Led Here

Some places stay with you.

For me, the Yukon began intended to be professional stop along the way. What began as a career in hotel operations grew into a life shaped by the North: the opportunity, the people, and the impact that you can make to the communities here.

My path began at a hotel front desk in 1997. A chance opportunity as a night auditor introduced me to the practical side of hospitality: late-night arrivals, early departures, guest questions, balancing the day’s business and understanding the underpinnings of how a hotel works.

Over the years, I worked across front desk operations, housekeeping, reservations, human resources, hotel development, financial strategy, tourism advocacy, government relations and investment planning. I have worked in leading Canadian resorts, helped open new hospitality projects, managed hotel portfolios and spent more than a decade building my life and career in the Yukon. Over the years, I have learned that the best hospitality is rarely complicated. It is built through attention, care and the willingness to help when someone needs it.

Through all of it, one goal remained consistent: to one day own and operate a hospitality business with a real connection to the people and place around it.

Discovery Yukon Lodgings is that opportunity.My (in the green shirt) first exposure to tourism when my Dad took us across Canada in that VW Camper in 1989!

Built by Many Hands

Discovery Yukon Lodgings did not become special by accident.

For years, Amanda Harris built this property with persistence, creativity and an exceptional eye for detail. She created a lodge that feels personal and lived-in—a place where cabins, wall tents, RV sites, gardens, gathering spaces and the surrounding landscape come together in a way that reflects the character of the Alaska Highway.

Amanda’s work is visible everywhere. It is in the care of the grounds, the gardens and greenhouse, the comfortable accommodations, the practical systems that support an off-grid operation, and the welcoming atmosphere guests have come to appreciate.

She built more than a roadside lodge. She built a business with character, a reputation for care and a place that has become part of many travellers’ Yukon memories.

That foundation is something to respect. 

A Legacy Worth Carrying Forward

Taking on Discovery Yukon Lodgings is not about replacing what came before. It is about carrying a meaningful legacy forward.

Amanda brought the property to a remarkable place through vision, hard work and a deep personal commitment to the lodge. My role is to protect what guests already value while helping Discovery Yukon Lodgings continue to grow in a thoughtful, practical and sustainable way.

That means preserving the warmth, individuality and sense of calm that make the lodge different. It also means investing in the systems, people, partnerships and guest experiences that will help the lodge remain resilient and relevant for years to come.

The goal is not to make Discovery feel more corporate. It is to make it stronger behind the scenes, more consistent for guests, more connected to the Yukon tourism economy and better positioned to contribute to the community around it.

Where Good Hospitality Meets the North

Discovery Yukon Lodgings is located on the historic Alaska Highway, where the journey is often as memorable as the destination.

Travellers arrive after long days on the road. Some are heading to Alaska. Some are returning south. Some are travelling by RV, motorcycle, camper van, car or bicycle. Others arrive looking for a quiet place to pause, sleep well and take in the landscape around them.

For every one of them, we aim to provide something simple but meaningful: a clean and comfortable place to stay, a friendly welcome, practical help, clear information and a sense that someone has thought about the details.

That is what good hospitality looks like in the North.

It means guiding a guest to their RV site before dark. It means preparing a warm, clean cabin after a long drive. It means helping someone understand the road ahead. It means creating a place where guests can slow down, breathe deeply and feel connected to the journey they chose to take.

Discovery Yukon Lodgings offers cabins, wall tents, RV sites and tent camping, along with gardens, greenhouse space, landscaped grounds and gathering areas that invite guests to spend time outdoors and experience the Yukon more closely.

More Than a Place to Stay

Discovery is part of a larger belief: tourism can create value well beyond a booking confirmation.

Through ACTION Hospitality Group, the focus is on building hospitality businesses that strengthen Northern and rural tourism ecosystems. That means connecting sound operations with investment, community partnerships, workforce development, government engagement and long-term stewardship.

• For Discovery, this means continuing to be a welcoming independent lodge while also looking for practical ways to support the broader region:
• Creating meaningful employment and skills-development opportunities.
• Working with local suppliers, tourism operators and community partners.
• Supporting responsible, respectful and sustainable travel.
• Improving the property carefully and preserving its distinct character.
• Building relationships that help strengthen the Alaska Highway tourism corridor.
• Creating a business that can serve travellers, employees, partners and the community for the long term.

Tourism works best when a business does more than welcome visitors. It should also create opportunity, tell the truth of a place and leave the community stronger than it found it.

The Next Mile Begins Here

After a career spent helping hospitality businesses operate, grow and plan for the future, I am grateful to now be building one of my own.

Discovery Yukon Lodgings is a place with history, personality and potential. It has already been shaped by years of care and hard work. The next chapter will be built with the same respect for the property and the people who have made it what it is—along with fresh energy, thoughtful investment and a long-term commitment to the Yukon.

Whether you are stopping for one night, staying for several days, travelling north toward Alaska or making your way back down the highway, Discovery Yukon Lodgings is here to welcome you.

The road is long. The landscape is unforgettable. And every journey deserves a place that feels like more than a stop.