In Skagway, different ways of exploring Gold Rush history are close together: the historic downtown district covers six blocks and is designated a National Historic District. A self-guided 0.64-mile walking tour passes historic buildings from the Gold Rush era. Museums, historic homes and trails each offer their own focus—from early living conditions to the traces left by gold seekers.
Gold Rush History and Museums
The J. Bernard Moore House offers a glimpse into life on the early frontier. The Moore Cabin is the oldest building in Skagway; it was built in 1887. For the Moore Homestead, check the daily schedule at the Visitor Center in advance, as it varies. The Moore Homestead Museum is closed in winter, from early October through the end of April.
The exhibits at the Visitor Center Museum are accessible and interactive. Materials on display include artifacts, video clips, maps, photographs and dioramas. At the Jeff. Smiths Parlor Museum, rare photographs and unique artifacts share the space with folk art, unusual taxidermy and animatronic figures. The Mascot Saloon Museum features a restored Gold Rush-era saloon. Its topics include Skagway’s vice-filled past, community figures, changes in the town and the restoration of the building.
The Skagway Museum also explores local history, including the Klondike Gold Rush. Its topics also include Alaska Native baskets, beadwork and carvings. Built in 1899, the Arctic Brotherhood Hall served as a community gathering place for more than 100 years. The Days of '98 Show offers another way to learn about history: its melodrama about Skagway’s Gold Rush era has entertained audiences for more than 100 years.
Hiking Trails and Scenery
The Chilkoot Trail is a 33-mile recreational trail. Along the trail, hikers pass hundreds of artifacts left behind by gold seekers. The Dewey Lakes Trail System is very close to the Skagway Historic District and leads into spruce and hemlock forests. Forest and scenic trails thus sit alongside the town’s historic sites, while each offers a different focus.
The area with the Gold Rush Cemetery and Lower Reid Falls is about 1.5 miles on foot from the Visitor Center. Another trailhead is located approximately three-quarters of a mile from the Skagway Historic District. From there, trails run along the coast and up a mountain, offering panoramic views across the valley. The different distances make it easier to plan walks and longer trails as separate activities rather than as a single tour.
You can also explore the area on two wheels: on the scenic road to Dyea, cyclists pass wetlands and historic sites and enjoy views of Taiya Inlet. Outside Skagway lies the Historic Dyea Townsite. There, interpretive signs offer historical insights; there are also opportunities to observe birds and wildlife, as well as views of the Taiya River.
Getting There and Finding Your Way
Skagway is accessible via the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system, the Klondike Highway and scheduled air taxi flights between Juneau and Skagway. Check the relevant ferry and flight schedules before planning your trip. To help you find your way locally, the Skagway Visitor Center provides free area guides and trail maps.
When choosing what to visit, you can treat the historic downtown, museums and trails as distinct focuses. A walk in the Historic District and a museum visit offer different points of interest from trails through forests or along the coast. If you plan to hike the Chilkoot Trail, its combination of outdoor recreation and tangible traces left by gold seekers is another focus. For the Moore Homestead, also check the changing daily schedule and seasonal closure before planning your visit around it.
Discover more destinations: Gustavus, Angoon.
Return to the broader travel overview: Hoonah-Angoon Census Area.
