Shorter Day Hikes Skagway is a good starting point for several interesting day hikes. Stop by the Visitor Center to pick up maps and further information. Gold Rush Cemetery and Lower Reid Falls
Time: 2 hours
Distance: 4 miles (6.4 km) round trip
Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 50 ft. (15 m) Follow Main St. or Alaska St. north to 23rd Ave. and the railroad yards. Cross over 23rd Ave. and follow the gravel road around and behind the railroad yards. Continue to follow the road and across the railroad tracks. The cemetery is located in the woods just past the parking area. A short forest trail behind the cemetery leads to spectacular Lower Reid Falls. Beware of vehicles and trains when walking to the cemetery! There is a privy located in the parking area. Sturgill's Landing
Time: 4 - 5 hours
Distance: 7 miles (11 km) round trip
Rating: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 500 ft. (150 m) twice! Climb to Lower Dewey Lake turning right at the junctions sign and follow the trail to the south end of the lake. Here follow the trail to the right (south) through a mixed stand of spruce, hemlock, and lodgepole pine. Just before reaching the stream, the trail splits. Follow the arrow sign to the right for great views and a rocky, but safer descent than the old trail that continues beyond the arrow sign. As you near the water, follow the trail to the right leading toward a picnic table and privy. From here, the trail continues south to the rocky beach. Remains of the sawmill can be seen across the creek. Lower Dewey Lake
Time: 1 - 2 hours
Distance: 0.9 mile (1.4 km) to lake; 3.6 miles (5.8 km) around lake
Rating: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 500 ft. (150 m) Go east on 2nd Ave. past the railroad depot. Where the railroad tracks cross the road turn left and follow the tracks 120 meters north to the trailhead (beware of trains when crossing the tracks!) A short distance up the hill the trail branches off to the right (continuing straight up the hill is a steep power company maintenance road). Descend the wooden staircase, duck under the water pipe, and continue up the hill. The trail jogs left and crosses a short footbridge. Here the trail continues on a steep main uphill for about 100 meters. There is a clearing and rock bench at the top of this incline with a view of town and the harbor. Continue up the steep switchback trail staying generally to the right at intersections. Notice where the trail appears to be going straight ahead but actually turns sharply right. Going straight here leads to a reservoir and trail to the north end of the lake. It is advised to take the sharp right to access the lake. Shortly ahead at the junction sign the terrain levels out. Turn right to walk along the west shore of the lake. Follow the rolling trail to the south end of the lake. Turn left here across the earthen levy and spillway to hike the rougher trail around the east side of the lake, where you will have to scramble over a few rocks before bearing left to rejoin the main trail and return to the trailhead. Icy Lake and Upper Reid Falls
Time: 3 - 4 hours
Distance: 7 miles (11 km) round trip
Rating: Steep to moderate
Elevation Gain: 850 ft. (250 m) At Lower Dewey Lake, turn left at the junction sign and follow the trail north. Cross several wooden footbridges, continuing north through spruce and hemlock forest, past the intersection with the trail to Upper Dewey Lake. Expect muddy places along the shore of Icy Lake, because the north end of the lake is filling with glacial silt. For the last 1/4 mile the trail parallels a pipe diverting water into Icy Lake from Reid Falls. At the falls, use extreme caution around the power company equipment shack and service catwalk. There is no safe way to descend from this point to Lower Reid Falls. Yakutania Point
Time: 1 - 2 hours
Distance: 1 - 2 miles (1.5 - 3.5 km) round trip
Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: 100 ft. (30 m) Walk west along 1st Ave., turn left at Main St. and travel south two blocks. Follow the sidewalk west past the airport terminal. Cross the Skagway River on the footbridge and turn left, following the trail through alders and past the exercise stations. Past exercise station #4 the footpath narrows and ascends rock steps. Continue along past the privy and down more rock steps, past the picnic shelter where rock outcroppings provide a view looking down the Lynn Canal toward the Chilkat Mountains. There is a covered picnic shelter and privy at this site. Longer and More Challenging Hikes A. B. Mountain
Time: All day
Distance: 10 miles (16 km) round trip
Rating: Difficult
Elevation Gain: 5,000 ft. (1,500 m) From the trailhead on Dyea Road, the route follows the ridgeline through spruce and hemlock forest to the base of AB Mountain. About 30 minutes into the hike, a good view of Skagway can be seen from a large rock just off the trail to the right. Beyond the stream crossing, the trail may not be clearly visible because of thick brush. Be sure to note landmarks for your return. Above tree line, some rock cairns mark the way, but the trail is easily lost on steep rocky slopes, switchbacks, and heavy brush and vegetation. Do not cross patches of ice-go around them. When you reach alpine meadows, the panoramic views are spectacular. WARNING: This trail is dangerous above tree line. Do not attempt it when weather may obscure the summit. Upper Dewey Lake
Time: 5 - 6 hours
Distance: 6 miles (9.7 km) round trip
Rating: Strenuous
Elevation Gain: 3,100 ft. (930 m) From Lower Dewey Lake go left at the junction sign, follow the trail north across several wooden footbridges to the Upper Dewey Lake trail junction sign and turn right up the trail. The route climbs steeply through a series of switchbacks. About 800 feet above Lower Dewey Lake there is a view of town. Near the trail’s end, the climb eases, and the route follows Dewey Creek closely for a short way. It finally emerges from the trees into a muskeg meadow, where there are views of Mt. Harding and the inlet below. A primitive cabin sits by the lake and is open to the public. Follow the trail to the left from this cabin across a spillway to a new cabin perched on the northwest end of the lake. This cabin is available for rent through the Skagway Recreation Center (907-983-2679, www.skagwayrecreation.org). Overnight campers should carry a cooking stove and not cut any live wood. Devil's Punchbowl
Time: 2 hours from Upper Dewey Lake
Distance: 2.5 miles (4 km) round trip from Upper Dewey Lake
Rating: Moderate
Elevation Gain: 600 ft. (180 m) From Upper Dewey Lake, follow the narrow footpath south from the primitive cabin up the alpine ridge to a spectacular overlook. Watch for rock cairns where the trail crosses boulder fields. Devil’s Punchbowl is a tarn nestled in a deep, rocky bowl, but it is not a recommended camping spot. Lost Lake
Time: 3 - 4 hours from Dyea Slide Cemetery
Distance: 2 miles (3.2 km) from Cemetery
Rating: Strenuous
Elevation Gain: 1,500 ft (500 m) Drive to Dyea. Park at the Slide (avalanche) Cemetery and walk .8 mile (1.3 km) north to the trailhead sign. Follow the path toward the hillside and climb up a series of steep banks. This is a seldom-used trail, so look carefully for tree blazes and other evidence of travel. A large rock to the left provides a good view, but the trail continues upward along the gully to the right. (Ignore trails going straight up!) If it is blueberry season you will begin to notice the bushes shortly before arriving at a ridge overlooking the lake. Denver Glacier
Time: All day
Distance: 4-6 miles (6-10 km) round trip from railroad stop
Rating: Moderate (difficult beyond trail end) Elevation Gain: 900 ft. (270 m) The trail begins from the flag stop at miles 5.8 on the WP&YR railroad. From the caboose cabin, the trail parallels the south bank of the Skagway River through spruce and hemlock forest. After about two miles the trail turns south up the outwash of the glacier. The route continues south, but slippery footing and thick brush make access difficult. Winter is a good time to explore the valley on snowshoes or skis because frozen rivers are easier to cross and the brush is buried in deep snow. Avoid the area in March and April when avalanche danger is high. The Denver and Laughton Glacier trails are located out of town 5.8 and 14 miles up the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad. The railroad offers daily flagstop service May-September; purchase tickets in advance (at depot on 2nd Ave., 1-800-343-7373, or www.wpyr.com). The U.S. Forest Service maintains cabins on both trails call 1-877-444-6777
* these trails are used for commercially guided day hikes Laughton Glacier
Time: All day
Distance: 3-5 miles (5-8 km) round trip from railroad stop
Rating: Moderate (difficult beyond trail end)
Elevation Gain: 200-600 ft. (60-180 m) The trail begins from the flag stop at mile 14 of the WP&YR railroad. The trail parallels the south bank of the river upstream to Warm Pass. After passing through a tall grass meadow the trail enters a spruce and hemlock forest where river and trail continue in close proximity to a point where the river narrows and runs through a rock cleft. Some of the small streams that are crossed have slippery logs as bridges; also, windfalls cause occasional interruptions in what is otherwise smooth traveling. The USFS cabin, which sleeps six, is located about 1,000 feet below the glacier, and about one mile from it near where the glacial outwash enters the Skagway River. The wood stove is for heating only, bring your own cook stove, and never cut living trees.
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