Recreation

Nearby Hiking

A network of well-marked trails on the slopes just east of town makes for excellent day hikes and a place to warm up for the Chilkoot Trail [6]. Cross the small footbridge and railroad tracks beyond the end of 3rd and 4th Avenues, then follow the pipeline up the hill. Lower Dewey Lake is a 20-minute climb that gains 500 feet in elevation. A trail right around the lake branches at the south end off to Sturgill’s Landing (3.5 miles) on Taiya Inlet.

Upper Dewey Lake and the Devil’s Punchbowl are a steep 2.5-mile climb from the north end of the lower lake. Icy Lake is a relatively level two miles from the lower lake, but the trail to Upper Reid Falls is steep and hard to follow. A number of clearings with picnic tables surround the lower lake, where camping is possible; others are at the other lakes and Sturgill’s Landing.

At 2nd Avenue and Alaska Street, go around the airport and take the footbridge over Skagway River. A short hike goes left to beautiful Yakutania Point, with views down Taiya Inlet. Go right and head steeply up to the Dyea Road; in one mile you’ll see the trailhead for A.B. Mountain, named for the Arctic Brotherhood—the letters AB are supposedly visible in snow patches each spring. This five-mile hike is steep and strenuous; the summit is 5,100 feet above your starting point at sea level.

The Forest Service maintains a refurbished rail car as the Denver Caboose Cabin ($35). This attractive old caboose is six miles north of Skagway [7] near where the railroad crosses the East Fork of the Skagway River. Access is by foot, or the White Pass & Yukon Route train [8] will drop you off for $30 round-trip. Take your binoculars to scan nearby slopes for mountain goats. The Denver Glacier Trail begins right beside the caboose and climbs five miles and 1,200 feet to Denver Glacier. It’s a beautiful hike through subalpine fir, paper birch, cottonwood, spruce, and other trees.

Another excellent hiking option begins at Glacier Station (14 miles north of Skagway). Have the White Pass & Yukon Route train drop you off ($63 round-trip), and then hike up the easy two-mile trail that leads to a Forest Service cabin ($35) near Laughton Glacier. Flag down the train to return. Make cabin reservations ($10 fee) for either the caboose or the cabin at 518/885-3639, 877/444-6777, or www.recreation.gov [9].

Located at the Mountain Shop in Skagway, Packer Expeditions (907/983-2544, www.packerexpeditions.com [10]) leads guided hikes in the Skagway area, including day trips and multiday hikes over Chilkoot Pass. Its most popular trip combines a helicopter flight over the Juneau Ice Field with a four-mile hike to Laughton Glacier, followed by a train ride back to town. The cost is $340 for this 5.5-hour trip, which is mainly for cruise shippies.

On the Water

A number of companies offer charter fishing out of Skagway [7]; get their brochures in the downtown visitors center or find them at www.skagway.com [11].

Skagway Float Tours (907/983-3688, www.skagwayfloat.com [12]) has easy three-hour trips down the Taiya River ($75 adults, $55 children). A combination trip ($85 adults, $65 children) includes a one-hour hike up the first part of the Chilkoot Trail [6] followed by a float down the river. The company also has a variety of other hiking, floating, and tour options.

Flightseeing

Temsco Helicopter (907/983-2900 or 866/683-2900, www.temscoair.com [13]) offers 80-minute “glacier discovery” flights ($289) that include a guided 40-minute glacier hike, and a second tour with an hour on the Denver Glacier, where you get to practice dogsledding ($479).