Skagway:
Skagway is a small compact bicycle friendly community, having paved shoulders throughout the community and slow vehiclespeeds. The Skagway terminal of the Alaska’s Marine Highway is located one quarter of a mile south of town making aneasy connecting to the historic rich downtown. Both bike routes are located at the perimeter of downtown.
Skagway has excellent cycling services and is served by one bike shop. Sockeye Cycle is a full service shop offeringbicycle repair, new and used bicycles for sale, and rentals. They provide numerous guided bicycle tours in Skagwayincluding down from the Klondike Highway summit, to Dyea and the start of the Chilkoot trail, and Train and Bike, orBike and Raft trips. Tours also include multi-day rides of the Golden Circle Route (Haines to the Yukon and back downto Skagway), Bike and Raft tours in the Yukon, and tours throughout Southeast Alaska. They also offer information onself-guided tours. Sockeye Cycle is located downtown at 381 Fifth Street, (877) 292-4154 or(907) 983-2851, www.cyclealaska.com. Skagway also has limited auto servicestations that can provide a basic level of service. There are no cycling services on the two bike routes. Bicycle racksare located throughout the community and can be found at local destinations including super markets, the ferry terminal,and public facilities.
Summary:
From the ferry terminal, go west on First Avenue for two blocks, turn (south) on Main Street to the airport terminal,just past the airport cross the Skagway River steel footbridge. Once across the bridge you are on the Yakutania Trail.Follow the gravel trail to the left along the river. Yakutinia Trail ends just after exercise station #4 and becomes amore difficult bike route beyond this point. At this location, users can go down the narrow trail and ascend the rocksteps to the picnic shelter on the point with great views of Lynn Canal and the Chilkat Mountains; or continue on thetrail which becomes the Smuggler’s Cove Trail at this location. Smuggler’s Cove Trail is less developed with a greaterlevel of difficultly. The end of the Smuggler’s Cove Trail links up with the gravel Dyea Road. From Dyea Road you cango to the north (left) to the Chilkat Trail, historic Dyea, and the National Park Service campground, or east (right)to return to Skagway. The road to Dyea and the campground is just over 6 miles each way and the distance back to Skagwayfrom the end of Smuggler’s Cove Trail is 3.5 miles. Dyea Road is a fairly level single lane gravel road with short steepportions and pullouts for passing. Cyclists should use caution.
Activity:
Mountain biking with hiking and winter use
Intrinsic Quality:
Scenic
Length:
2.5 miles loop
Elevation:
50 feet elevation gain
Difficulty:
Easy on Yakutania Trail becoming moderate on Smuggler’s Cove Trail
Starting Point:
From the ferry terminal, go west on First for two blocks, turn (south) on Main, take Main to the airport terminal, cross the steel footbridge. At exercise station #4, a dirt road leads off the main path to Smugglers Cove.
Google Earth File:
Click HERE to download a Google Earth file of the bicycleroute. To view profile in Google Earth, right-click on the route in the ‘Places’ window and choose ‘ShowElevation Profile.’ Note: Trail route is approximate. Also, the imagery that Google uses is slightly shifted.
Weather:
HERE isthe official National Weather Service forecast for the trail location. To view the current FAA webcam image from Skagway, click HERE.
Yakutania Point / Smuggler’s Cove Trail