Skagway Travel GuideAs the gateway to the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1890s, Skagway still enjoys some of the rough and tumble reputation it enjoyed in those days. But this time, the action is reenacted and the settings reconstructed for the healthy tourist business it enjoys. One of Alaska's most enjoyable and entertaining port of calls, Skagway plays host to more than 35 cruise ships a year and the year round population of 800 swells with the addition of over 700,000 visitors each year. Four or five cruise ships can be found docked here at any of the five docks available. Situated on the upper panhandle, Skagway sits at the north end of Lynn Canal, the northernmost fjord on the panhandle. With breathtaking vistas and deep, glacial chasms and fjords, Skagway is a feast for the eyes as well as the history buff. Once described by the Tlingit Indians as "skagua" or "windy place," Skagway was inhabited by Native Alaskans for centuries before the first explorers found its solitude. Then, in 1887, Skookum Jim, a Tlingit, leads Capt. William Moore over a new pass up the Skaqua river valley. Then a member of Canada's Ogilvie survey party, Moore returns later that year with his son and claims 160 acres of the valley floor for himself and names the settlement Mooresville. On August 17, 1896, gold is discovered on a tributary of the Klondike River and the American gold rush begins. Word of the discovery quickly reaches the lower 48 and steamships begin to arrive filled with prospectors. The Moores are quickly overrun and the town is resurveyed and named Skagway. As one of the most popular ports of call in Alaska, Skagway has effectively taken advantage of its colorful past. The downtown area, which is very walkable, has been restored to its frontier charm, complete with false fronted buildings and boardwalks. Gift shops offering art, native crafts and jewelry flourish in the restored buildings. A variety of activities can be found ranging from adventure tours to vaudeville show re-enacting the Gold Rush. The White Pass and Yukon route narrow gauge railroad is now restored and runs only for the tourist industry. SKAGWAY QUICK STATISTICS Population: 862 SKAGWAY VISITOR INFORMATION Skagway Chamber of Commerce Skagway Convention & Visitors Bureau READ UP ON SKAGWAY The Skagway News Skagway was part of the setting for SKAGWAY SIGHTSEEING Arctic Brotherhood Hall (Skagway Convention & Visitors Bureau) Corrington's Museum of Alaskan History Golden North Hotel Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Moore Cabin Skagway Museum SKAGWAY HOTELS AND LODGING Skagway Inn Bed & Breakfast Mile Zero Bed & Breakfast The White House Sgt. Preston's Lodge Skagway Home Hostel SKAGWAY FOOD AND DRINK Stowaway Cafe Skagway Pizza Station Glacial Smoothies & Espresso Sweet Tooth Cafe Skagway Fish Company Skagway Brewing Company Red Onion Saloon Alaska Gourmet Cafe Bonanza Bar & Grill (Westmark Inn) Chilkoot Dining Room (Westmark Inn) Excelsior Cafe Northern Lights Pizza A tour bus operator is responsible for saving much of the old Skagway, including the Gold Rush Cemetery, from destruction. INTERNET ACCESS Skagway Public Library SKAGWAY TRANSPORTATION Dyea Dave Shuttle - Phone: (907) 209-5031 SMART (bus system) - Phone: (907) 983-2743 Sockeye Cycle SKAGWAY AIRPORT Skagway Airport FISH & GAME Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game - Haines/Skagway HOSPITALS Dahl Memorial Clinic / Skagway Medical Service Cruise passengers are forewarned about the rain in Ketchikan. Few places get more rain (151 inches annually).
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