Chilkoot Trail

Permits are required to backpack along the Chilkoot Trail and for day hiking or running on the Canadian portion of the trail; day hikers do not need a permit on the US portion of the trail from Dyea to Chilkoot Pass. If you only have one day, combine a short hike on the Chilkoot Trail with a rafting trip on the Taiya River, or consider a scenic ride on the White Pass Railroad to the Chilkoot Trail’s terminus at Bennett Lake.

• A permit is required to hike the entire Chilkoot Trail during the summer months.

• Most backpackers take 3–5 days to hike the trail.

• From the trail’s terminus in Bennett, you can take the White Pass Railroad back to Skagway.

• Don’t forget your passport, since the trail leads into Canada from the United States.

• Before hiking the trail, learn about bear safety and how to properly store food.

The Dyea trailhead is located 10 miles (15 kilometers) from Skagway, Alaska. Though many travelers arrive in Skagway by cruise ship, you can also drive from Whitehorse, in Canada’s Yukon Territory. The nearest international airport is in Whitehorse, and commuter air and ferry service is available from Juneau. The Bennett trailhead is only accessible by train from Skagway or Carcross, Yukon, and via floatplane from Whitehorse.

Official hiking season on the Chilkoot Trail varies based on snowpack and weather conditions, but typically runs from the beginning of June through early September. At this time, the trail is marked and staffed by rangers. Permits are required to hike the trail during the busy summer season, but not during the spring and fall; permits must be obtained in November prior to the summer you’d like to hike, though a few permits are available on a first-come, first-served basis in the summer.

The Chilkoot Trail hike begins in the ghost town of Dyea near Skagway, starting off at sea level and winding its way along the Taiya River before slowly ascending to Sheep Camp. The climb to Chilkoot Pass at 3,525 feet (1,067 meters) is the most demanding portion of the trail, and requires scrambling on slick boulders and often traversing snowfields. In the final stretch, the trail passes by several alpine lakes before ending at Bennett Lake.