Route guide · Alaska / British Columbia

Chilkoot Trail

The Klondike stampeders' 33-mile route from Dyea tidewater over 3,759 ft Chilkoot Pass to Bennett Lake, strewn with century-old artifacts you're asked to leave in place. The Golden Stairs — the boulder climb to the pass — is the famous day, often done in snow even in July, and the trip ends with the narrow-gauge railway back from Bennett.

Length: 31.2 mi
Duration: 3–5 days
Gain: +6,140 ft
Season: Jun – early Sep

point-to-pointhigh point 3,587 ftstrenuous — steep pass crossing

Plan this trip — it’s free See the day-by-day

permit required · we track who booked what · the whole crew on one page

Permit required — Cross-border permit (NPS + Parks Canada) with nightly camp quotas — reserve for the full traverse. Official info

The shape of the trail

Route profile · camps

campelevation

Day by day

A reference itinerary, from real camps

Camps below are mapped campsites spaced to balance the daily miles — the same planner that builds a Trailmix trip. Your dates, pace and direction reshape it live.

Total31.2 mi · 3 nights

Days on trail

Day 1 · 10.2 mi · +1,670 ft
Trailhead → Pleasant Camp
passes Finnegan's Point (4.7 mi) · Canyon City (7.4 mi) · High Canyon (7.9 mi)
Day 2 · 8.9 mi · +3,250 ft · hardest
Pleasant Camp → Happy Camp
passes Sheep Camp (12.3 mi)
Day 3 · 6 mi · +490 ft
Happy Camp → Lindeman City Lower Campground
passes Deep Lake (21.6 mi) · Lindeman City Upper Campground (24.5 mi) · Lindeman City (24.7 mi)
Day 4 · 6.1 mi · +720 ft
Lindeman City Lower Campground → Exit trailhead
passes Bare Loon Lake (27.0 mi)

Conditions at the trailhead

Alaska / British Columbia · updated daily

FRI 10·09

47° / 36°

part sun · 0%

SAT 10·10

50° / 34°

part sun · 0%

SUN 10·11

45° / 37°

rain · 96%

MON 10·12

47° / 42°

rain · 92%

TUE 10·13

45° / 42°

rain · 53%

UNPREDICTABLE WEATHER — Mountain weather changes rapidly; be prepared for cold, wet, windy, and white-out conditions at any time of year, especially at higher elevations.

SNOW TRAVEL — Snow often covers the trail at Chilkoot Pass well into July, requiring route-finding skills. Avalanche hazards may exist into mid-July.

Know before you go

recreation.gov · yukonhiking.ca · treelinereview.com · parkscanadahistory.com

Advisory

The international border at Chilkoot Pass is not open for hikers to cross between the U.S. and Canada. Hikers must start and end on the same side, turning around at the border. NPS / Parks Canada · current season

All advisories →

Best months

share of dry days · Open-Meteo Archive (ERA5), 10-year normals at the trailhead

TRAILHEAD

The trail starts at Dyea, 10 miles from Skagway; overnight parking is at the nearby Dyea Campground, not the trailhead itself.

NPS

PERMITS

You must reserve and carry a permit for all overnight camping, which requires selecting your specific nightly camps in advance.

NPS / Parks Canada

WATER

All water from rivers and tributaries is non-potable and must be filtered or treated due to high sediment and potential contamination.

NPS

BEAR SAFETY

This is bear country; use the provided food storage lockers at camps, carry bear spray, and know how to use it.

Parks Canada

HISTORIC SITE

The trail is considered the world's longest outdoor museum; do not touch or move the thousands of gold rush artifacts you will see.

NPS

GETTING BACK

The trail ends at Bennett, BC, which has no road access; most hikers return to Skagway via the pre-booked White Pass & Yukon Route railway.

White Pass & Yukon Route

Asked around the fire (about this trail)

Do I need a permit for the Chilkoot Trail?

Yes. Cross-border permit (NPS + Parks Canada) with nightly camp quotas — reserve for the full traverse.

How many days does the Chilkoot Trail take?

Most groups take 3–5 days. The reference itinerary here plans 3 nights, camp to camp.

When is the best time to hike the Chilkoot Trail?

June – early September. Outside that window expect snow, storm damage or closures to change the plan.

What are the 'Golden Stairs'?

It is not a real staircase but the name for the final, famously steep ascent to Chilkoot Pass — a difficult scramble over a large, unstable boulder field that often holds snow.

How do I get back from the end of the trail?

The trail ends at Bennett, B.C., which has no road access. Most hikers book return passage to Skagway on the White Pass & Yukon Route scenic railway.

Do I need to reserve campsites?

Yes, permits are required for all overnight stays and must be reserved in advance. You must select and stick to your chosen campgrounds for each night of your trip.

Get the Chilkoot Trail in the bag.

Dates, camps, gear split, meals and the crew — planned together on one page instead of forty threads.

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