The glacially-carved valleys, stream channels, snow pack and stunning views that make up Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park's physical landscape provide a compelling stage for the gold rush story. Commemorating the Gold Rush of 1897-98, this 13,191-acre park encompasses a six-block historical district in the town of Skagway, the nearby ghost town of Dyea and the famous Chilkoot and White Pass Trails.
Considered the northernmost point in Southeast Alaska, the city of Skagway was the gateway to the Klondike Gold Rush. Full of historic charm, Skagway is home to the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, which provides viewing access to the park's White Pass Trail of the Gold Rush era.
Activities and Attractions
The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park offers a balance of history and outdoor adventure. Among the dozens of historic stores, saloons and public buildings in the Skagway Historic District, the park has restored fifteen, including the Mascot Saloon, White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad Depot and Moore House, where Park Rangers depict gold rush life. In neighboring Dyea, the park interprets how a town, once the size of Skagway, disappeared in the years following the Rush, though it still serves as the starting point for hikes on the infamous, 33-mile Chilkoot Trail. Other popular activities include camping, river rafting, wildlife viewing, hiking, fishing and historic walking tours.
Accessibility
Skagway is reachable from Juneau, 96 miles south, via several air taxis or the Alaska Marine Highway System ferries. Skagway can also be reached by road, via the South Klondike Highway; it is 110 miles south of Whitehorse, Yukon Territory where bus service is also available.
Fees and Visitor Count
There are no entrance fees for the park. However, permits are rquired for hiking the Chikloot Trail ($55 for adults and $27.50 for children) and camping in the Dyea Campground ($6 per night). Visitors average 844,000 each year, making it the most visited national park in Alaska.
Weather and Climate
Summers are generally cool and dry, with temperatures ranging between 50°F and 70°F. Jackets are recommended. Wintertime temperatures dip into the teens. Conditions vary in different area of the park, such as the Chilkoot Trail, where elevation and greater snowfall create more extreme conditions.
Facilities
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Visitor Center - 907-983-2921 - Located at Second and Broadway in downtown Skagway (Open May-September, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.)
History
The park commemorates the Klondike Gold Rush of 1897-98, when tens of thousands of gold prospectors made their journey over the Chilkoot Pass to Canada's Yukon goldfields in hopes of making their fortune. The miners were required to have a year's worth of supplies, causing them to make several trips over the rugged, 33-mile trail.
The downtown Skagway Historic District became a national landmark in 1962 and joined the national register in 1966. The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park joined the national register in 1976 and the Chilkoot Trail became a national landmark in 1978. The park was designated as an international historical park by presidential proclamation in 1998.
http://www.nps.gov/klgo/index.htm