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Skagway: when your ship stops here

The White Pass train from the dock, the gold rush town on foot, and Dyea; the Chilkoot Trail is for another trip.

Facts checked Nov 1, 2026, each with its source. No prices on this page.

Skagway is a small town at the top of Alaska's Inside Passage, with about 1,100 people and about 1.3 million cruise visitors a year. In 1897 and 1898 it was the gateway to the Klondike gold rush, and for a while the largest city in Alaska. About 100 buildings from the gold rush years still stand.

Source: Wikipedia: Skagway, Alaska

Top 3 things to do

  1. 1. The White Pass railway

    A narrow gauge railroad built from 1898 to 1900 to carry gold seekers over the mountains to the Yukon. The summit of White Pass is 2,885 feet (879 m) up and about 20 miles (32 km) from town; the line was named an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1994. Today the White Pass Summit Excursion takes about 2.5 to 2.75 hours there and back.

    Tip: Trains board at the Railroad Dock and at the end of the Broadway Dock, so you may walk from the ship to the train.

    Sources: Wikipedia: White Pass and Yukon Route; White Pass and Yukon Route Railway: Excursions; White Pass and Yukon Route Railway: Dock information

  2. 2. The gold rush town on foot

    The Skagway historic district is part of Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, run by the National Park Service. Its visitor center is in the old railroad depot at Second and Broadway, where you can join a ranger or pick up a self guided tour. The Moore Homestead, between 5th and 6th Avenues, is the first homestead in Skagway, older than the gold rush.

    Tip: Everything is on or near Broadway, flat and walkable.

    Sources: Wikipedia: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park; National Park Service: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, plan your visit

  3. 3. Dyea, the other gold rush town

    Dyea, about 15 minutes from Skagway, is where many prospectors landed before climbing over Chilkoot Pass. The boomtown is gone; today it is a quiet natural area in the national park where the Chilkoot Trail begins.

    Tip: A tour or a taxi gets you there. There is no town left, so bring what you need.

    Sources: Wikipedia: Chilkoot Trail; National Park Service: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, plan your visit; Wikipedia: Skagway, Alaska

What to skip

  • The Chilkoot Trail itself

    The trail runs 33 miles (53 km) from Dyea over Chilkoot Pass, 3,525 feet (1,067 m) up, to Bennett in Canada. It normally takes three to five days, and only 50 hikers a day may start it, by permit. It is not a day in port.

    Source: Wikipedia: Chilkoot Trail

Before you go ashore

You do not have to book a tour: you are free to go ashore on your own. Royal Caribbean sets the all aboard time about 30 minutes before the ship sails, posts it near the gangway, and says the ship does not wait for guests touring on their own.

Source: Royal Caribbean FAQ: Do I need to book a shore excursion?

Back-to-backs that stop in Skagway

Back-to-back cruises from these home ports have a stop in Skagway, from the Royal Caribbean sailings we track:

Sources

Read on Nov 1, 2026. Opening days, hours and rules change: check with the place itself before you go. legtolegcruises.com is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Royal Caribbean International or any place named here.

Find back-to-backs that stop in Skagway

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