Travel in Skagway - Alaska
♦ Routes (free): Detailed travel itineraries in USA
General Information
Skagway is the northernmost town in the Inside Passage. It is located at the tip of the picturesque Lynn Canal. The border between the USA and Canada passes about 24 km from the town.
Skagway is the best-preserved town from the Gold Rush era. It is rich in history, and because it was not damaged by the numerous earthquakes and fires that struck Alaska, most of its houses are well-preserved. Most of them have been renovated, polished, and repainted. The main streets are from the late nineteenth century, reminding one of a Western town from the movies. The town, surrounded by towering mountains that add to its charm, is entirely a preservation site of the American National Park Service.
Starting in 1897, Skagway was the starting point for gold miners who arrived by ship and continued to the Klondike River in the Canadian Yukon Territory. More than 100,000 gold seekers began their grueling journey here in freezing cold, strong winds, and snowstorms, returning with their loot only to set out on another journey. Skagway was the place where they unloaded their goods and released their impulses. The town was teeming with gambling clubs, bars, and brothels whose reputation spread far and wide.
Within three years, the gold in the Klondike deposits ran out, and tens of thousands of miners abandoned the place.
During that same period, a railroad was built connecting Skagway to White Horse, from which one could sail on the Yukon River to the heart of the continent. This was a joint project of American and Canadian engineers supported by funds from Britain. The train line opened in 1900 and served the last of the miners. Today, it serves the visiting tourists who arrive in the town and travel on the historical train through an impressive scenic route passing by towering granite cliffs, waterfalls, and deep canyons.
The Canadian legal system was not valid in Skagway, and during the Gold Rush, it was effectively managed without law and order, contributing to its violent and rugged character. During the Gold Rush era, cases of violence were numerous, and the town was actually run by brothel owners, gamblers, prostitutes, and criminals. The most notorious and famous criminal of the Gold Rush period was "Soapy Smith." He and his gang terrorized the town and cheated the gold miners who arrived. They collected protection money from businesses, rented warehouses to store the miners' equipment, and when the miners set out on their next journey, they broke into the warehouses and sold their contents. They even set up a "communication station" with a telegraph from which miners sent messages home, without knowing that the telegraph wire only reached the next room. The local hero of the town was the city engineer, Frank Reid, who grew tired of the gangster Smith and engaged him in a gunfight in which both met their deaths. In his memory, the local residents erected an impressive granite monument placed on his grave.
♦ Tours and Attractions in Skagway
Booking Skagway tours tailored for cruise passengers from the Viator website:
Today, the town has about 900 permanent residents who primarily earn their living from tourism. They try to preserve the heritage of the Gold Rush era among a wealth of gold shops, jewelry, and souvenirs filling the town.
Skagway is a tiny and flat town that is easy and convenient to explore on foot. Its main street, where most of the attractions, shops, and restaurants are located, is Broadway. Those who have difficulty walking or are simply lazy can tour the small town in a horse-drawn carriage, vintage limousines, or modern vans.
It is also nice to rent bicycles at the Sockeye Cycle shop located at the corner of 5th Avenue and Broadway. www.cyclealaska.com, Phone: 907-983-2851.
The town is full of preserved historical buildings and somewhat resembles the "Frontierland" in Disney theme parks.
The most recommended way to tour it and learn about its past is through a guided walking tour (free) departing from the National Park Service Visitor Center. The town has a small museum, the Skagway Museum, located in the Skagway City Hall building, where many exhibits from the Gold Rush era and the Indian period are displayed. It is located at the corner of 4th Avenue and Spring Street.
Those who prefer a hike in nature can reach a charming lake or a beautiful waterfall after a short walk. Detailed hiking trail maps can be obtained at the town's visitor center. A recommended trail is to Lowel Dewey Lake. The trail begins at the corner of 4th Avenue and Spring Street toward the mountains via a pedestrian bridge over Pullen Creek. You reach the lake after about a 20-minute climb up the hill.
A popular attraction in Skagway is riding the historical White Pass & Yukon Route Railway (abbreviated as WP&YR) along the path taken by the gold seekers, reaching the Canadian border. The train travels on a steep incline to an altitude of over 300 meters, and during the ride, you get to view scenery of craggy peaks, glaciers, rushing waterfalls, lakes, and thick forests. Reservation from the site: White Pass Summit Rail and Bus Excursion.