Chilkoot Trail Trailhead

When news of a gold strike in the Klondike reached the ears of the world, tens of thousands of hopeful gold seekers arrived in Skagway, Alaska. They soon encountered their first obstacle – the Coast Mountain Range. Following old trails that had been used by First Nations people for centuries, they found a route through the mountains, now known as the Chilkoot Trail. The prospectors had to haul a mandatory one ton of supplies over the pass, requiring multiple trips on a treacherous mountain trail.

Today, hikers can retrace the rugged and beautiful 33 mi. (53 km.) trail from Dyea, near Skagway, to the shore of Lake Bennett. The route is lined with alpine lakes and century-old gold rush artifacts. Co-managed by Parks Canada and the U.S. National Parks Service, the Chilkoot Trail is Canada’s largest National Historic Site. Most people take three to five days to complete the journey.