Skagway is arguably the most walkable port in Alaska. Because the entire downtown corridor is preserved as the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, almost every building you pass has historical significance. The layout is incredibly convenient: cruise ships literally dock at the southern end of Broadway. Depending on whether your ship ties up at the Railroad Dock, Broadway Dock, or Ore Dock, you can step off the gangway and be in the heart of the 1898 Gold Rush in just five to ten minutes.
If you want to skip the expensive excursions, you can easily spend a full morning or afternoon doing a self-guided walking tour. Skagway’s grid layout makes it impossible to get lost, and the town is perfectly flat.
The Broadway Historic Route (1 to 2 Hours)
Your walk starts at the waterfront and heads straight north up Broadway. This 1-to-2-hour route hits the major highlights of the historic district at a relaxed pace.
2nd Avenue: The Visitor Center and Red Onion Saloon
Walk about 0.2 miles from the pier to the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Broadway. Here, you will find the White Pass Railway Depot, an iconic yellow and green building that now serves as the Klondike Gold Rush NHP Visitor Center. This is your first mandatory stop. You can grab free walking maps, view interactive exhibits about the stampeder experience, and watch their excellent 25-minute film, Gold Fever: Race to the Klondike.
Local Tip: Free NPS ranger-led walking tours depart from this Visitor Center daily during the summer. Check the front desk for departure times as soon as you arrive. These 45-minute guided walks are highly recommended and completely free.
Directly across the street sits the Red Onion Saloon. Built in 1897, it operated as Skagway’s most exclusive bordello during the peak of the gold rush. Today, it’s a bustling bar and restaurant that leans heavily into its colorful past. For $10, you can take a 20-minute guided tour of the brothel museum upstairs, complete with guides dressed as 1898 madams.
3rd Avenue: Driftwood Facades and Fry Bread
Continue one block north. On the east side of Broadway between 2nd and 3rd Avenue, you cannot miss the Arctic Brotherhood Hall (AB Hall). Built in 1899 for a local fraternal order, its facade is covered with over 8,000 pieces of locally sourced driftwood. It is widely considered the most photographed building in Skagway. Step inside to see the historic assembly room; it currently houses the Skagway Visitor Department and offers excellent clean public restrooms.
At the corner of 3rd and Broadway stands the Golden North Hotel. While it permanently closed to overnight guests in 2002, the fully restored 1898 building with its iconic golden dome remains a defining feature of the Skagway skyline. It serves as a great photo backdrop and houses local retail shops and tour offices on the ground floor.
Right across the street, follow your nose to Klondike Doughboy. Expect a fast-moving line spilling out the door for their massive, $8 cinnamon-sugar fry bread. The dough is stretched and fried right in front of you. It is easily the best cheap treat in port.
4th to 5th Avenue: Local Brews and Bikes
As you reach 4th Avenue, the historic saloons give way to modern local favorites. Skagway Brewing Company is the undisputed heavy hitter for a sit-down lunch. Located just off Broadway on 4th Ave, they brew their beer on-site and grow their own salad greens in an upstairs aeroponic farm. Expect to pay $20 to $25 for a handcrafted burger or their famous beer-battered halibut.
Extending Your Walk: The Gold Rush Cemetery
If you want to stretch your legs beyond the 6-block downtown strip, head to the Gold Rush Cemetery. This route is exactly 3.5 miles round trip from the cruise dock and takes you away from the heavy cruise crowds.
The cemetery is tucked into the woods at the north end of town. It is the final resting place of notorious Skagway con man Jefferson “Soapy” Smith and city surveyor Frank Reid, who killed each other in a legendary 1898 shootout on the Skagway waterfront. The walk is mostly flat, paved, and follows State Street and the train tracks out of town. A free self-guided audio tour is available via your smartphone once you arrive at the cemetery gates. Just behind the gravesites, a short, heavily wooded 5-minute trail leads to Lower Reid Falls, a stunning 300-foot waterfall cascading down the granite mountainside.
If a 3.5-mile walk sounds like too much physical effort, you can easily rent a bicycle. Stop by Sockeye Cycle Co. at 307 5th Avenue. They rent comfortable cruiser and mountain bikes starting around $30 for a half-day. Biking to the cemetery takes less than 15 minutes each way and keeps you entirely on flat, easy-to-navigate roads.
Logistics for Skagway Walking Tours
- Stay on the Boardwalks: Skagway retains its historic wooden boardwalks along Broadway. They are wide and highly accessible for strollers and wheelchairs, but the wood can become quite slippery when it rains.
- Watch the Trains: The White Pass & Yukon Route train tracks run straight through the middle of town, physically crossing the pedestrian paths. Always look both ways before stepping off the boardwalks, as the trains actively load and unload passengers directly on the pavement.
- Weather Prep: The wind funnels heavily up the Lynn Canal and straight into Skagway’s downtown. Even on a sunny 65-degree day, the wind chill on Broadway can be biting. Bring a windproof layer for your walk.