"Gateway of the Yukon" Skagway by HispanicYob

Skagway Travel Guide: 158 reviews and 459 photos

Skagway in the summer of 2009

If words can describe....

....how isolated this town is, it's Skagway. This was as far north as our cruise ships went. But I did have an opportunity to go up further, into the Yukon, which I did and I'm glad I did. Skagway's a typical small Alaskan town, with the population a little over 700. It's Alaska's gateway to the Yukon and it shows. You can pan for gold in the nearby rivers and there's Gold Rush Cemetery to see, among other things.

Rustic yet in a way, charming

Yep, that's the town

That's the words to describe Skagway. There's not much going on in the town itself, but once you explore outside of it is where it's truly something to behold. You can hike up to the Lower Dewey Falls, which is where this picture was taken (we were heading there), out from some overlook. The types of things you can do are dogsledding (which I did and it was great) and take the White Pass Yukon Route (which I'll describe in the next chapter).

The world famous White Pass Yukon Train Ride!

White Pass Yukon Route

As least that's how our cruise director aboard our ship called it. Apparently it's right up there with the likes of the Eiffel Tower as far as architecture is concerned. I got to go for free (the advantadges of being a crewmember) deep into Caribou Crossing in the Yukon Territories of Canada. It was a 7 hour excursion that took us through Skagway and across the border into British Columbia. It was breathtaking! Give it a try! I'm glad I did!

Pros and Cons

Pros:Tons of excursions to do, the natural beauty
Cons:The tourist traps within the town, i.e. the Red Onion Saloon
In a nutshell:Looking for adventure? Skagway has it! You just have to look for it

Last visit to Skagway: Jul 2009
Intro Updated Jul 13, 2011
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (7)

Some forgotten, others barely remembered - Skagway

Tread lightly Favorites (3)

There's lots of graves in the Gold Rush Cemetery, located at the far side of town. Please respect the dead and watch... more travel advice

Gold Rush Cemetery Things to Do (3)

This place is where the town criminal, Soapy Smith, is buried. It's also the burial place of Frank Reid, one of the... more travel advice

Take a chance Things to Do (3)

If you want some good exercise, try hiking towards Dewey Falls. It's a nice tranquil little place and it's not entirely... more travel advice

Hiking towards the Dewey Falls - Skagway

Hiking towards the Dewey Falls Favorites (3)

If you're on a cruise ship, which most likely you will be, it's a long walk into town. The pier's so far from it. Keep... more travel advice

Restaurants (1)
Good food at a reasonable price

Been to Skagway?
Share your travels with the world!

Travelogues (1)

Written Jul 13, 2011

7 photos

Skagway at the End of the Decade!

1 - 1 of 1

Comments (2)

Reply
- Report abuse
giampiero6 Jul 28, 2011 at 8:04 PM

Cool skagway stuff...that's awesome!
Reply
- Report abuse
SteveOSF Nov 14, 2007 at 5:09 PM

Helpful page. Nice work.