TOTAL DISTANCE: 33 MilesTRAIL STATUS: 100% BuiltSOUTHERN TRAILHEAD: Dyea, Alaska
NORTHERN TRAILHEAD: Lake Bennett, British Columbia
BLAZES: Red Triangle (Above Treeline)
TYPICAL START DATES: July, August
TYPICAL DIRECTION: Eastbound
DIFFICULTY: Difficult
HIGHEST POINT: 3600 feet at Chilkoot Pass
LOWEST POINT: 0 feet at Dyea, AK
STATES/PROVINCES HIKED: Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia
MORE INFORMATION:
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
P.O. Box 517
Skagway, Alaska 99840
(907) 983-2921
HIGHLIGHTS: The Chilkoot Trail is a walk back in time. It follows the trail that the stampeders used to reach the Yukon River and float their provisions to the gold fields of the Klondike over a hundred years ago. Many artifacts from the 1890’s still litter the trail and there is great diversity along the way: swamps, deserts, snowy mountain passes, lush canyons, and alpine lakes. The 33+ miles of trail take the backpacker across Alaska and into the Yukon Territory via the Chilkoot Pass. The hiker eventually winds their way down into British Columbia and completes the journey at Lake Bennett via a return trip to Skagway on a historic rail line that is often voted as one of the most scenic in the world. If you are looking for solitude, this trail is not for you since many thru-hikers complete the trek every summer. But if you seek adventure, great scenery, and Klondike history, then you will love the Chilkoot.
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