Sign Post Forest — Attraction in Watson Lake

This was personally awesome! My elderly folks both died very recently so, I decided to move to Valdez AK from Los Angeles. We took along my dad’s 2015 Ford F-150 4x4 truck. The plan was for my son and I to sharing the driving and travel about 16-18 hours a day. At this rate the trip should have taken about 3.5 days. However, the trip was a hard-luck odyssey right from the start. We were towing a very heavy load on the back of truck in a 20’ trailer. The truck, which is only a few years old broke down 3 times in two days and the weather was awful most of the way – this was late October (we were supposed to leave a month earlier) and it snowed all through Washington, Canada and Alaska. The 3 day trip took a week!

However, late one night, we were cruising down the Alaskan Highway at about 3 o’clock in the morning and really not ever aware of where we were. Suddenly, through the mist and dark, appeared dozens of what looked like strange totem poles. Having been on the road for many hours and desperately in need of a break, we decided to investigate. We pulled into the parking lot and turned our headlights, fog lights, spotlights and newly installed LED driving light bar toward the “forest” before us still not understanding what we were looking at. As we got out of the truck, we realized that what we were seeing was massive in size. I’m not sure of the exact size of the attraction, but it went farther than all the lights could penetrate. The place was HUGE!

As we drew closer, we could see that it was a mass of posts with license plates covering nearly every inch of wood. The place was obviously closed at this time so we couldn’t gather too much information about the place at the visitor’s center, so we just decided to take a stroll around the property. The field of totems was open and, being Americans we decided to take a stroll. As we walked along the rows and rows of signposts, it quickly became apparent that there were many, many different signs hung up in the forest. Everything from the aforementioned license plates, to highway signs, familial coats-of-arm and realty signs, to foreign language traffic signs, professionally made advertisements and handwritten notes scrawled onto whatever the poster could find laying around along road. I was surprised that there were so many signs from around the world. It’s obvious that many made a conscious effort to bring some really big signs from back in their home states/countries. It was incredible!

When we installed the light bar we had to remove the front license plate. Knowing that we had to get new Alaskan plates, we decided to honor Ma & Pa by posting that plate to one of the poles. It was fitting as my parents traveled endlessly to every state and 34 different countries. I’m sure there past this spot on one of there many camping vacations to Canada and Alaska. What a memory!

So if you’re traveling along the Alaskan Highway, make sure to stop by visit the Sign Post Forest of Watson Lake!

Oh! And bring a sign from your neck of the road…along with a few screws to hang your sign.

PS That's my son Bubba posing in front of the relic!...

From 1997 when I did a bicycle trip from Florida to Alaska:

Signpost Forest was started in 1942 by a homesick U.S. Army G.I. working on the Alaska Highway, who put up a sign with the name of his home town and the distance. Others followed suit and the tradition continues to this day. Today there are more than 45,000 signs of various types from locations across the world. I'm posting photos I took then, 27 years ago and it doesn't look that different now.

and:

Today’s journey took me through Watson Lake and its famous signpost forest. I had heard about and seen pictures of Watson Lake and its signpost forest but I never realized just how big it was. It’s been a tradition here for years for tourists and passers by to leave a sign from their hometown – be it a street sign, city limit sign, or whatever. This forest of signs first sprouted back during WWII and the construction of the Alaska Highway by a homesick soldier who posted a sign bearing the name of his hometown and the mileage to it from where he now stood. Now there were hundreds, maybe thousands of signs from all...

Sign Post Forest is a unique and fascinating roadside attraction that’s definitely worth a visit if you're passing through Watson Lake, Yukon. This quirky landmark features thousands of signs from all over the world, left by travelers over the decades. Walking through the forest of posts feels like a global journey, with license plates, city names, and personal messages creating a colorful mosaic of memories.

It's a great spot to stretch your legs, take photos, and even leave your own mark—just like I did! I left my plate "MARKOWIZNA" to join the collection. The place has a fun, nostalgic vibe, and it's amazing to see how many people have stopped here over the years.

The site is well-maintained, free to visit, and offers a glimpse into the adventurous spirit of road-trippers. Whether you're just passing through or making a special stop, Sign Post Forest...