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Skagway Alaska is the northernmost point in Alaska’s Inside Passage, at the far end of Lynn Canal. In its heyday, Skagway was the boomtown gateway to the Trail of ’98 and the Klondike gold fields. The population has dwindled from 20,000 feverish gold seekers to about 1000 year-round citizens.
The Skagway Convention & Visitors Bureau
Pick up a walking tour map for the city or trail maps for nearby hiking. The Info Center is located in the Arctic Brotherhood Hall, one of Skagway’s most interesting buildings. The facade of the building uses almost 9000 pieces of driftwood collected from the beaches in Skagway Bay. www.skagway.com
Accommodations & Camping
Things To Do
1.4
Turn-off. On right (for northbound travellers). Follows railroad track .6 mile/1 km to Gold Rush Cemetery where Jefferson Randolph “Soapy” Smith and Frank Reid are buried. Hiking trail leads from the cemetery to Reid’s Falls.
1.6
Skagway River. Highway curves west past the White Pass and Yukon Route yard’s and crosses Skagway River.
1.9
Jewel Gardens & Garden City Glassworks is one of the best show gardens in Alaska. In 2010 the Garden became the country’s first certified organic show garden. A popular attraction at Jewell Gardens is the G-Scale model railroad and a model town that looks like Skagway did in 1898. 907 983 2111
Garden City Glassworks is a unique hands-on “Hot Shop” adventure. A once in a lifetime opportunity to blow your own glass art in the Last Frontier.
2.3
Turn-off to Dyea. 7.7 mile/12.4 km side road leads to Dyea, Skagway’s neighboring town in goldrush days. Remains of a wharf, foundations of some buildings, and Slide Cemetery can be found here. Dyea road is narrow, high above the water in places and has no guard rail. Be extremely cautious.
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Parking area. View of White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad on east side of canyon and the old Brackett Wagon Road on valley floor beside the Skagway River.
5.5
Parking area near Porcupine Creek was an ideal campsite for stampeders on the Trail of ’98.
6.1
Parking.
6.9
US Customs Station. Open 24 hours in the summer months. All travelers entering the US must stop.
There are several parking areas along the highway with views of Pitchfork Falls and White Pass Yukon Route Railroad.
9.1
Parking, Historical information sign about the Klondike Gold Rush Trail. Good view of White Pass & Yukon Route and the canyon leading to Esk Glacier.
10
Parking area at waterfall.
11.1
Captain William Moore Bridge spans 110-foot/33.5 m gorge.
11.8
Parking with view of Captain William Moore Bridge, hanging glacier, Sawtooth Mountains, and Skagway River gorge.
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Parking.
14.3
(km 23) White Pass Summit, parking. Highest point on the highway 3,292 ft/1003 m. The speed limit is 40mph/60 kmph from hereto Skagway, the police often have radar here. Mileage markers along the highway in Canada are in Kilometres.
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(km 24) US/Canada boundary, parking. Highway begins descent into BC lake country. Time zone change. If you are traveling to the Yukon, it is one hour later. (PST in the Yukon)
15.5
(km 25) Parking with view. Summit Lake and White Pass and Yukon Route RR station.
17.7
(km 28.5) Parking. Information Signs.
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(km 29) Summit Creek, parking.
22.6
(km 36.5) Canadian Customs Station at Fraser. Open 24 hours. All vehicles must stop for inspection. View of Fraser Lake.
22.8
(km 36.8) Fraser, rest area with information sign.
36.5
Canadian Customs Station at Fraser. Open 24 hours. All vehicles must stop for inspection. View of Fraser Lake.
36.8
Fraser, rest area with information sign.
38.5
Parking.
41.2
Parking.
43
Parking with view of Tormented Valley.
44
Highway crosses rails of White Pass and Yukon Railway at Log Cabin. This is the exit point for the Chilkoot Trail so there are always hikers in this area. Large parking area with information signs.
46
Pull off.
46.7
Yukon Suspension Bridge.
57
The next 13 km provides a view of Tutshi (too-shy) Lake. The highway parallels the lake and there are numerous parking areas along the road.
64.3
Side Road on right (for northbound) leads to boat launch and undeveloped picnic area on Tutshi Lake (not recommended for large vehicles).
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Parking with view of Tutshi Lake.
80.1
BC/Yukon Border. Rest area with view of Windy Arm.
83.4
Parking. Remains of an Historic Mill from old Venus Mine. Mill operated for 6 months in 1910 before mine shut down.
84.5
Pooly Creek.
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Parking.
86.7
Venus Mine. Ore storage bin and foundation of old mill.
90
Conrad Campground. 35 campsites, picnic shelters, water. On the shore of Tagish Lake’s Windy Arm.
95
Parking with historical sign and view of Bove Island in Tagish Lake.
98.3
Parking.
104
Nares Lake.
105.2
Nares River Bridge. Spans narrows between Bennett Lake and Tagish Lake. On left (for northbound), you can see railroad bridge for White Pass & Yukon Route.
105.6
Carcross, pop. 430. Services include: Airstrip, Caribou Hotel, gas, store, police, post office.
106.2
Carcross Yukon government campground, 12 camp sites, water, tables. Fee area.
106.4
Junction with Yukon Highway #8 which leads to Tagish, Atlin Road and Alaska Highway at Jake’s Corner. Visitor facilities.
107.7
Point of interest sign on the Carcross Desert, parking. Most Canadians have never heard of Carcross Desert. The Yukon is home to the smallest desert in the world, less than 260 hectares. This desert is the remains of the sandy bottom of a glacial lake left after our last ice age. The dry climate and the strong wind conditions is what created the sand dunes and what allows little vegetation to grow.
109
Wild Adventure Yukon. They have a wildlife museum with the world’s largest polar bear and a life-size woolly mammoth, a Mountie Museum, dog cart rides with professional dog mushers and gold panning. There’s also a café with sandwiches, soups, and local coffees. An affordable admission rate gives you access to the museums, a visit with their adorable husky puppies, and a stroll through the petting farm. 867-821-4055
115.5
Spirit Lake Wilderness Resort, visitor facilities.
116.9
Spirit Lake.
117.5
View Point at Emerald Lake with Point of Interest sign. One of the most beautiful lakes in the Yukon.
120
Small Pullout.
128.6
Side road leads to Lewes Lake 2 km/1.2 miles. Fishing for grayling & Lake Trout.
136.7
Rat Lake.
139.7
Robinson Roadhouse Historical Site, Rest area with view of Robinson, once a stop on the White Pass and Yukon Route. The town was named for Stikine Bill Robinson, an early day adventurer.
152.3
Kookatsoon Lake recreation day use area.
157.8
(km 1404.4 Alaska Highway) Junction with Alaska Highway. This is not the end of Klondike Highway 2. It joins the Alaska Highway for the next 34 km/21 miles before branching off towards Dawson City Yukon.
Actual Alaska Highway mileage markers are in Brackets.
161.4
(km 1408.2 A.H.) Wolf Creek Public Campground. Well water, toilets, tables, kitchen shelter, playground, hiking trails and fishing. Fee area.
169
(km 1414.7 A.H.) Pioneer RV Park. Full service RV Park. 867-668-5944 or 1-866-626-7383 for reservations. 5 minutes to downtown Whitehorse.
170
(km 1416.2 A.H.) Side Road. One-half mile to Miles Canyon and suspension footbridge. Past the footbridge the road follows the shoreline of Schwatka Lake until, just past the hydro dam, it joins the main, south access route into Whitehorse.
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(km 1417.9 A.H.) Philmar RV Service. Complete RV repair. They have a large parts department and specialize in coach repairs, fabrication and welding on any size rig. 867-668-6129
172.5
(km 1419 A.H.) Rest stop.
172.9
(km 1419.4 A.H.) Hi Country RV Park.
172.9
(km 1419.4 A.H.) Whitehorse. South access to downtown via Robert Service Way. Whitehorse is The Capital of the Yukon and offers unparalleled access to the surrounding wilderness. Over two-thirds of the Yukon’s residents live in Whitehorse, which has a year-round population of about 36,000.
Yukon Visitor Reception Centre
This is a great place to start your visit to Whitehorse as there are many staff available to answer questions and tons of information on the surrounding areas. www.tc.gov.yk.ca/vic.html
175.8
(km 1422.3 A.H.) Beringia Interpretive Centre.
176.5
(km 1423 A.H.) Airport Chalet
176.5
(km 1423 A.H.) Whitehorse Airport.
179
(km 1425.5 A.H.) Junction. Two Mile Hill leads to Whitehorse city center.
180.5
(km 1426.9 A.H.) Kopper King
