Skagway
Skagway is a popular tourist destination on Alaska's coast. Skagway is located in the stunning Alaska Panhandle and is well-known for being a popular cruise ship destination as well as playing an important role in the 125-year-old Klondike Gold Rush. Skagway was a setting for the well-known Jack London novel The Call of the Wild, which has been adapted for film several times. Skagway attractions include the White Pass and Yukon Route narrow gauge railroads (built in a hurry to serve the gold rush), the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Parks, the White Pass and Chilkoot Trails, historic gold rush era buildings, and much more.
Skagway has a population of about 1,000 people, which more than doubles during the summer tourist season. It receives approximately 1 million visitors per year due to its tourist infrastructure, glaciers, mountains, historic train to the Yukon Territory, gold rush heritage, and location as a convenient stopover for coastal Alaskan cruises (more than the whole state of Alaska). People come from all over to see why Skagway is regarded as one of Alaska's most beautiful towns. On a busy day, over 400 cruise ships visit, and the ships can bring in ten times the town's resident population (a modern continuation of its rush of the past).
Over 20 historic buildings have been preserved, including The Moore House, The Mascot Saloon, and Jeff Smith's Parlor. The Mascot Saloon was one of more than 70 saloons in town during its heyday as "the roughest place in the world". It is now run by the National Park Service and serves as a museum about the town's history of gambling, drinking, and prostitution. Take the time to go hiking and backpacking outside of town if you have the time. There are excellent hiking trails, including the three- to four-day Chilkoot Trail. The Laughton Glacier, an impressive hanging glacier reached by railroad and an easy 2.5-mile hike, is one of the impressive glaciers to see. Visit the Gold Rush Cemetery, which is about a 1.5-mile walk from downtown Skagway. People come here to visit the graves of Soapy Smith and Frank Reid, two villainous con men who died in a Wild West-style shootout.
