Page 289 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

Skagway
Location: Northern terminus of the Alaska
Marine Highway and southern end of
Klondike Highway 2; approximately 113
miles south of Whitehorse. Population: 862.
Visitor Information: Skagway Convention
and Visitors Bureau; PO Box 1025, Skagway,
Alaska 99840; Phone: (907) 983-2854 or
1-888-762-1898; Email: skagwayinfo@
skagway.org; Website: www.skagway.com.
For a real taste of Alaska’s exciting gold rush
past, a visit to Skagway is definitely in order. Cries
of “Gold in the Yukon” still echo, the sounds of
barroom pianos and boomtown crowds ring out
in the night, and the romance of yesteryear can be
found on every street corner. Sitting at the head
of the Inside Passage on a spectacular deep water
fjord, Skagway is the Gateway to the Klondike,
connecting the Marine Highway to the Klondike
Highway and the gold country of the north.
This historic Gold Rush town saw tens of
thousands of prospectors in search of gold during
the great Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. They got
off steamships to head overland to the Canadian
gold fields on the White Pass Trail from Skagway
or the Chilkoot Trail from Dyea. The White Pass &
Yukon Route Railroad was completed in 1900 to See Video
assist Klondike Gold Rush stampeders crossing the
rugged mountains. Today you can enjoy the “Scenic
Railway of the World” with an unforgettable tour
over this famous railroad. The train leaves Skagway
several times a day from May through September.
In this delightful community, situated near the
mouth of the Skagway River among the towering
peaks of the Coastal Mountains, the glittery legacy home, so it’s still possible to find old pick axes, award-winning kitchen-production and organic
of the Klondike gold rush days lives on, thanks to wagon wheels, shovels and countless smaller items flower garden supplying vegetables, greens and
the spirited townspeople and a unique preservation along the route. Rail service returns hikers to herbs for their seafood and wild game meat menu.
program that makes every visit to Skagway a Skagway from Lake Bennett. Skagway is famous for its hospitality. You will
journey back to Alaska’s gold-tinted past. The The Skagway City Museum is located in City find a large and varied selection of accommodations.
heart of the downtown area has been designated as Hall at 7th and Spring, one block west of Broadway, Reservations are strongly recommended during the
part of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical showcasing a treasure trove of Gold Rush artifacts, busy summer months.
Park, thereby preserving most of the buildings in local history, native culture exhibit, historic Haida How to Get Here By Air
town as well as the city’s wooden boardwalks, dugout canoe and an outdoor display featuring an Juneau is the primary domestic air entry point
landscape and spirit. Scores of original buildings original steam locomotive. for Southeast Alaska and travelers on the Inside
lining Broadway have been meticulously restored The Gold Rush Cemetery, where villains and Passage. Juneau is served by Alaska Airlines and
and now are unique gift shops and impressive heroes lie side by side, is about a mile out of three local air carriers who offer several flights
artisan galleries. town. Among notable past residents buried in the daily between Juneau and Skagway. Skagway is
Bawdy saloons and costumed residents recall the cemetery are “Soapy” Smith and Frank Reid, the 45 minutes by air. To combine the best of flight
colorful excitement of ’98, when lonely prospectors local hero who ended Smith’s reign of terror in a seeing and cruising, consider flying to Skagway
faced the temptations of eighty saloons, the lure of shootout on July 8, 1898. See a show depicting this and returning to Juneau by the state ferry system.
painted ladies and the quick fingers of gamblers story at Goldrush Productions. An excursion from Juneau can be completed in one
and thieves such as Jefferson “Soapy” Smith and A variety of fine restaurants offer a wide selection day, thanks to the long summer days. Whitehorse
his ruthless gang. of choice cuisine. Located in the historic Skagway is also a convenient point of entry for air arrivals.
With tourism as Skagway’s number one source of Inn, Olivia’s Bistro Restaurant overlooks their The scenic route between Whitehorse and Skagway
income, the townspeople have created an exciting
variety of activities, and the opportunities awaiting
travelers are as varied today as they were years ago.
Travel the Klondike Highway by motor coach or
tour a gold-mining camp and visit with prospectors
while panning for gold. Whatever is found may
be kept! Skagway hosts endless adventure tours
with options for ziplining, biking, dog sledding,
horseback riding, helicopter glacier tours, river
rafting, fishing, ocean rafting, sailing and bus tours
of all kinds, even into the Yukon Territory.
For the adventuresome, Skagway serves as
trailhead for a magnificent but arduous three-to-
six-day hike on the Chilkoot Trail, the same path
taken by the Gold Rush prospectors to the Yukon
Klondike gold fields. Backcountry enthusiasts can
follow the Chilkoot for a tough 33 miles from the
Taiya River Bridge over Chilkoot Pass to Lake
Bennett in British Columbia. Discouraged gold
miners discarded their supplies as they headed
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