Skagway Guides
Practical how-to articles for your port call.
Skagway Cruise Port Guide
The docks, walking times, the town bus, wifi, accessibility and getting back to the ship on time.
What to Wear in Skagway
Layers, rain gear and shoes for a day ashore.
How to Spend One Day in Skagway
A practical plan for a typical cruise port day.
The White Pass & Yukon Route Railway
What to expect from Skagway's signature ride.
Bear Viewing from Skagway
When and how to see brown bears.
The Chilkoot Trail Near Skagway
A short taste of the historic stampeders' route.
Where to Eat in Skagway
Seafood, brewpubs and quick bites near the docks.
The Klondike Gold Rush in Five Minutes
A short primer before you arrive.
Rainy Day in Skagway
Indoor ideas when the weather turns.
Hikes from the Cruise Dock
Three free trails you can walk to from the ships, with Park Service distances and times.
A Day Trip into the Yukon
Over White Pass to Carcross and Emerald Lake: passports, stops and timing.
Bears around Skagway: what visitors and hikers need to know
Black and brown bears live right around town, in Dyea and along the Chilkoot. Here is how to stay safe, what to know about bear spray, and where to watch bears the easy way.
What wildlife you can see around Skagway, and when
A month-by-month guide, May through September, to the whales, seals, eagles, goats, bears, salmon and even toads near Skagway, with where to look on a day in port.
The Chilkoot Trail: day hikes, permits and the closed border at the pass
How to sample the Gold Rush's most famous trail on a port day, and what it takes to backpack it now that the border at the pass is closed to hikers.
Day hikes you can walk to from the cruise docks
From a one-hour stroll to Yakutania Point to an all-day climb up AB Mountain, here are the trails you can reach on foot from the ship, plus one you reach by train.
How to choose a Skagway excursion for your time in port
Train, Yukon drive, helicopter, Haines ferry, river float or a free history walk: how to match a Skagway excursion to your hours ashore, your budget and the weather.
Riding the White Pass & Yukon Route: which trip, which side, what to bring
A practical guide to the White Pass & Yukon Route railway: the 2026 trip options, where to board, which side to sit on, passport rules for Canada and what to pack.
Get your Skagway day plan for your ship date
Sign up and we’ll take you to a printable plan for your ship’s hours in port: dock, times, a timed walking plan and the map. Then one email a month with ship schedules, crowd-beating tips and seasonal openings.