Skagway

The starting point of the Klondike Gold Rush, with a boardwalked historic district, the narrow-gauge White Pass railway over the mountains to Canada's Yukon, and the Chilkoot Trail.

Skagway sits at the northern end of the Lynn Canal in Southeast Alaska. It was the starting point of the 1897–1898 Klondike Gold Rush, when tens of thousands of stampeders landed here before crossing White Pass or Chilkoot Pass on their way to Dawson City in Canada's Yukon. Today the town has only about a thousand year-round residents, but many gold-rush-era wooden buildings still line Broadway, and the district is part of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. The highlight is riding the narrow-gauge White Pass & Yukon Route railway over the mountains, climbing about 870 m past cliffs, tunnels and trestles to the summit. You can also drive the South Klondike Highway into the Yukon to see the Carcross Desert and Emerald Lake, a round trip of about 200 km. Outdoor enthusiasts can hike the 4–5-day Chilkoot Trail or take hikes near town to Dewey Lakes and Laughton Glacier. The best season is May–Sep, when cruise ships and the railway are running. In winter most shops close. Getting there: by cruise ship, Alaska Marine Highway ferry or small plane from Juneau, or by fast ferry from Haines (about 45 minutes). To enter Canada's Yukon you'll need your passport and a valid Canadian visa. Plan on 2–3 days.

Top sights

• White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad – A narrow-gauge mountain railway completed in 1898. It climbs along cliffs and trestles to White Pass and is recognized as an international…
• Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Visitor Center – A national park visitor center in the old railway station. Free exhibits and ranger talks cover the history of the Klondike Gold Rush.
• Broadway Street Historic District – Skagway's Gold Rush-era main street, with boardwalks and false-front wooden buildings. Bars, shops and museums cluster here.
• Arctic Brotherhood Hall – A distinctive building whose exterior is covered with more than 20,000 pieces of driftwood. Skagway's most photographed landmark, now the v…
• Red Onion Saloon – A brothel-turned-saloon from the 1898 gold rush. Upstairs, a brothel museum tour is led by costumed 'ladies' in period dress.
• Mascot Saloon Museum – A gold rush-era saloon restored by the National Park Service, with mannequin patrons behind the bar. Free to visit.
• Jeff. Smith's Parlor Museum – The former saloon of 'Soapy' Smith, the crime boss who ran Skagway. Restored by the National Park Service, it tells the story of Skagway's…
• Moore House & Cabin – The home of Captain Moore's family, the founder of Skagway. The 1887 log cabin is the oldest building in town.
• Skagway Museum – A municipal museum in the 1899 granite college building, housing gold rush artifacts and Tlingit crafts.
• Gold Rush Cemetery & Reid Falls – A gold rush-era cemetery in the woods, where both sides of a gunfight rest. A few minutes' walk behind it is Reid Falls.
• Chilkoot Trail – A legendary route over the Coast Mountains used by gold seekers. At 53 km long, it is one of North America's most famous historic hiking tr…
• Dyea Townsite & Slide Cemetery – A ghost town site that once had thousands of people during the gold rush. Only a few buildings, dock pilings, and a cemetery for avalanche…
• Lower Dewey Lake Trail – A short hiking trail that starts right from the town center, leading to a forest lake that reflects snowy peaks. You can walk a loop around…
• Yakutania Point & Smuggler's Cove – A headland park reached by crossing the river. Forest trails lead to rocky shores with views of the harbor and cruise ships.
• Jewell Gardens – An organic garden and glass workshop in the Skagway River valley, where you can watch glassblowing and enjoy a garden lunch.
• Liarsville Gold Rush Trail Camp – A themed experience park recreating a gold seekers' camp, where you can pan for gold and enjoy a salmon barbecue.
• Days of '98 Show – A musical first staged in 1923 that tells the story of 'Soapy' Smith. Billed as Alaska's longest-running show.
• White Pass Summit – A US-Canada border pass at 873 m, with glacier-carved rock wasteland and small lakes. A must-stop on the South Klondike Highway.
• Laughton Glacier – Take the White Pass railway to a flag stop partway up, then hike through rainforest and along a river valley to the foot of the glacier.
• Carcross – A small First Nations town in Canada's Yukon, between two lakes, with colorful carved totem poles, an old railway station, and lakeside bea…
• Bove Island Viewpoint – A viewpoint on the South Klondike Highway overlooking a windy bay of Tagish Lake and its small island, with mountains reflected in the wate…
• Haines – A neighboring town reached by fast ferry in about 45 minutes, with a bald eagle preserve, glaciers and a relaxed harbor.

Where to eat

• Skagway Brewing Company – The town's most popular craft pub, known for its Spruce Tip Blonde Ale and halibut fish and chips.
• Skagway Fish Company – A seafood restaurant beside the cruise terminal, known for king crab legs, with harbor-view seating.
• Woadies South East Seafood – A casual outdoor seafood spot that started as a food truck; its king crab, Kachemak Bay oysters and halibut ceviche are…
• Red Onion Saloon – A former saloon and brothel from the 1897 Gold Rush era, now serving pizza and beer, with a brothel museum upstairs.
• Olivia's Bistro – A bistro inside the historic Skagway Inn, using Alaskan seafood in chowders, pastries and pasta.

Itineraries

• Yukon Kluane, Klondike & Alaska Loop – Depart from Whitehorse, enter Alaska via Kluane, drive the Top of the World Highway to Dawson City, and loop back.
• Southeast Alaska Inside Passage Independent Tour – Skip the cruise ships and use regional flights and ferries to explore Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Glacier Bay, and Skagwa…
• Yukon Gold Rush Trail to Denali – Cross the White Pass from Skagway, travel through Dawson City, and enter the Alaskan interior via the Top of the World…