Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Pelly River
Pelly River at Pelly Crossing, Yukon, Can.
Pelly River
stream, Yukon, Canada
Pelly River, stream in central Yukon, Canada, one of the main headstreams of the Yukon River. It was named in 1840 by Robert Campbell for Sir John Henry Pelly, governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company. Rising in the Mackenzie Mountains near the southeastern boundary of the territory, the river flows westward, receiving its two major tributaries, Ross and Macmillan rivers, before joining the upper course of the Yukon at Fort Selkirk. The Pelly, 378 miles (608 km) in length, is navigable for small boats for more than 200 miles (320 km), to Hoole Canyon, except in the shallows of Bradens Canyon.
This article was most recently revised and updated by Chelsey Parrott-Sheffer.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Use.