The antique gold gush town of Skagway is part of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. 9 miles west of Skagway is Dyea, another part of the park, where the Chilkoot Trail begins. Jack London was one of thousands who climbed the treacherous trail to get to the gold fields of the Yukon, another 430 miles north.
Today Skagway can be reached
by air, road or sea. The Klondike Highway meets the Alcan Highway near Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. A small airport in Skagway is serviced by two year round airlines and an additional flightseeing airline and helicopter service in summer. The famous White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, built up the steep mountains at the height of the gold rush, still runs in summer.
The Alaska Marine Highway Ferry runs year round from Bellingham, Washington to Skagway, Alaska. The route winds up the famous Inside Passage and views of whales, dolphins, seals, bald eagles and other wildlife are common.
In summer, flightseeing over the town and the glaciers is available as well as and trips over Glacier Bay National Park. Glacier dog-sledding is extremely popular. In town, city bus tours go past gardens, restored antique buildings, historic cemeteries and overlooks. Stops include tours of a real gold dredge from the Yukon, a garden tour with glass-blowing and a miniature train, museums and waterfalls.
The Skagway Visitor Center has maps and walking tours available and is located downtown - but the downtown is only 6 blocks long and 2 blocks wide, so getting around on foot is the way most folks see Skagway. Shopping and walking the town is the most popular activity, free guided walking tours by the park rangers and a printed walking tour guide are available. Both the Skagway Museum and the Park Service Visitor Center have movies on the gold rush and the building of the Alcan Highway in World War II.
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