Today I’m sharing our Skagway Alaska cruise excursion experience! We decided in Skagway we would skip the famous train / railroad experience and get out into nature with a hike and river float.
On our Alaska cruise in Skagway, Alaska we decided to do a hike and float tour excursion with Skagway Shore Tours. The hike on the Chilkoot Trail with a raft float down the Taiya River was the perfect way to explore nature in this beautiful Alaskan town.
The website of the tour company described the excursion like this:
Starting with a scenic 10-mile drive out to the historic town of Dyea, the Chilkoot Trail Hike & Float begins as your guide narrates the short bus ride which cruises along the northern tip of the Taiya Inlet. It’s not uncommon to see eagles and even seals along the journey, and you’ll actually pass right by the start of the Chilkoot Trail, which was the notoriously arduous path taken by thousands of prospectors a century ago in hopes of striking it rich in Yukon’s interior. The hike begins, meandering through Alaskan rainforest and up the infamous Chilkoot Trail. This hike is geared towards the active traveler and contains moderate elevation gain (about 300 ft. over 2 miles) and natural terrain. Here, the naturalist guide supplements the history with tidbits about this lush, wet ecological zone.
The hike culminates right at the raft. Climb aboard the sturdy river raft for a peaceful float down the Taiya River, which is fed by high-mountain glacial streams. Depending on the time of year, bald eagles can be prominent, and the surrounding views resonate Alaska’s natural outdoor beauty. Enjoy a riverside snack after the float before heading back in to Skagway, where you will still have plenty of time to explore the town or even join another tour.
We hiked two miles up (and we do mean UP) the Chilkoot Trail. The elevation was so steep in a few place they have added steps to help tourists like us make it through. Can you believe men used to do this trail with tons of gear strapped to their back in order to cross to the gold rich areas of the Yukon? It was crazy!
The float down the river after the hike was the perfect recovery while watching beautiful scenery pass by. We did see a few eagles since we saw them EVERYWHERE in Alaska.
After the tour the provided us with some flavored salmon jerky snacks and lots of water. It was a well run operation and I enjoyed the tour. It was also nice that we had several hours left and got to explore Skagway afterwards. We stopped at a micro brewery and wandered in and out of the shops there.
Creating videos is helping me relive my Alaska vacation and I love it! I may not be the best video editor ever and am working on those skills, but it’s so nice to have these memories captured in a different way than photos. I always hated that our family never had home movies, so I plan to film a lot especially when I have littles. It’s so nice to be able to pull videos back up and remember the time you spent somewhere and how beautiful it was.
Thanks for watching!
My Alaska Cruise Essentials:
