Skagway – the Klondike Gateway:
Skagway, Alaska, the Klondike Gateway, is possibly one of the most unique little “cities” of the world. Situated at the terminus of the Lynn Canal in Southeast Alaska, Skagway on its best day has about 750 year-round residents. Yet, Skagway’s strategic place in history attracts well over one million visitors a year–and that’s within a four-month period!
The city itself is a National Park! On a stroll down Main Street you will experience several dozen historic buildings. One of the most unusual is the Alaska Brotherhood Lodge, made totally from driftwood! At one time Skagway even had a seminary. This building is now the city museum.
Why Do So Many Come to Skagway?
Skagway and Dyea (about 10 miles from Skagway as the crow flies) were the two main gateways to the Klondike Gold Rush that occurred near Dawson City in the Yukon Territory, nearly 450 miles away!
Although Dyea no longer exists, Skagway thrives today as a tourist town of profound interest. Skagway remains locked in history; tourist shops now replace mercantiles, brothels, bars, and outfitters, but the buildings and the wooden sidewalks remain the same. To visit Skagway is to literally step back in history about 120 years!
Why the 1899 Gold Rush is Significant in World History?
At the time Klondikers discovered gold, there was a worldwide depression. Newspapers everywhere picked up the story and a rush was on. The Gold Rush of 1899 was not only the last great gold rush in North America, but in the whole wide world. It brought literally thousands of gold-thirsty prospectors to the North. The Klondike itself is approximately 150 miles across the border into Canada. Yet, the best ways to get there were through Alaska.
The Chilkoot Trail began in Dyea, and the White Pass Trail began in Skagway, the Klondike Gateway (Maps above). Most of the prospectors arrived in Skagway or Dyea toward the end of summer. Consequently, they began their treacherous and danger-filled climb across one of the passes at the beginning of the rigid Arctic winter.
After making it to the summit of either the Chilkoot Trail or the White Pass, they were forced to winter in absolutely dreadful weather on the shores of Lake Bennett. During that winter they spent hours building boats waiting for the spring river breakup. After the spring breakup they still had several hundred treacherous river miles on the Yukon River before arriving in Dawson City. Although many finally arrived in Dawson City, more either fled back to Skagway for a quick retreat or (worse yet) perished in their attempt.
What Else Can Be Seen Near Skagway?
The White Pass Railroad is built at Skagway, the Klondike Gateway. If you are a first-time visitor to Skagway, this train is a must. It is the longest narrow-gauge railroad in the world. Despite naysayers, the railroad was built through the rugged White Pass. It is an engineering feat on par with the Panama Canal! Unfortunately, the White Pass Railroad was White Pass Trestle completed too
late to accommodate most miners. However, it was used effectively during World War II to move troops back and forth from Canada. Now, each summer tourist season 1,000s ride The White Pass Train to the summit. It runs twice a day either directly from the cruise ship dock or from the downtown station—about a 5-minute walk from the port. This is the largest narrow-gauge railroad in the world.
The National Parks operates a great Gold Rush Museum at the corner of Broadway and Main that is well-worth the visit. Within the museum you will find an excellent historic FREE film about the Klondike Goldrush made available several times each day. The historic steam engine runs off and on during the summer. Generally, the newer trains carry tourists to the summit. And, if you go to Skagway often enough you might find a “personalized” passenger car!
Chilkoot Barracks & Haines Eagle Festival:
Haines, Alaska is about forty-five minutes from Skagway by water taxi, and it is a great little town. The most interesting thing to see in Haines is the Chilkoot Barracks—the first military post built in Alaska. In fact, Chilkoot Barracks was built before Alaska was even a territory.
If you truly enjoy adventure, return to Haines in October. Each year Haines hosts the Haines Bald Eagle Festival. Beneath the Chilkat River is a hot spring, so it is the last winter in the fall to freeze. Because of this, the Chilkat River is the last river in this area where the salmon come to spawn. The bald eagles seem to instinctively “know” this, and they flock to the Chilkat River each October in astronomical numbers. I visited the festival one year, and it is possible during this time to see DOZENS of bald eagles in one tree.
Flights Over Glacier Bay from Skagway:
Skagway, the Klondike Gateway, is a great place to begin a flight over Glacier Bay. Skagway has a neat little airport and flights take off for Glacier Bay regularly each day during the tourist season. You can either book a flight on your cruise ship or in Skagway. It will cost you less to book in Skagway, so the choice is up to you. Regardless of where you book, the flights and the vistas are the same, and they are magnificent!
Skagway can be a tourist trap, BUT if you wander off the main street (Broadway) only one block either direction, you will be astounded by the ambiance and charm of this unbelievably quaint little city.
Hikes near Skagway the Klondike Gateway:
- Walk due east to the Gold Rush Cemetery and Reid Falls. Anyone in town can tell you the way. (You can’t miss it, and it is a low-impact hike except the last few yards to the falls!)
- Directly above the Princess Cruise Ship dock you can hike either to Upper Dewey or Lower Dewey Lake. Both of these are severe climbs, so take water and wear good walking shoes.
- Possibly the most interesting “hike” in Skagway is the low-impact hike simply walking around town. I highly suggest getting off Broadway and walking up and down a couple more streets. You will literally step back in time like very few places in the world. Try it! You’ll like it!
Other Alaska blogs:
Kathy Slamp was raised in Alaska and served over 10 tourist seasons as an Alaskan naturalist for major cruise lines: You will LOVE her Alaska blogs: College Fjord & Prince William Sound, Whale Watching in SE Alaska, Hubbard Glacier, Nature’s Phenomenon, Glacier Bay, the Most Beautiful Place on Earth,, and Alaska’s Abundant Land Wildlife.
If you enjoyed this Alaska blog, you might enjoy Kathy’s Alaska books:
Click here to visit Kathy’s Alaska Bookstore; here you will find four different books and two discounted offers. These books are LOVED by thousands. Her two “Little House” books are true adventure stories from a bygone era. They contain NO profanity, NO sex scenes, and NO violence. In addition to these popular two books, Kathy also has an adorable and educational picture book for early readers and preschoolers, AND a great book about Alaska’s glaciers.
