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A must do route for the area handpicked by local experts.
Border Closure: The US/Canada border originally shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2026, hikers can hike the trail on the U.S. or Canadian sides only and must turn around at the border. It is illegal to cross the international border between Canada and the United States via the Chilkoot Trail.
Permits are required between June 1st and September 12th for all overnight stays. Reserve your campgrounds and dates via Recreation.gov.
Before starting your hike, print your permit and have it validated at the Trail Center in Skagway. To validate the permit, all members of a group must attend a mandatory safety orientation at the Trail Center.
After attending the trail orientation, hikers will receive a bag tag they will attach to their backpack which includes their name, permit number, and date of issuance. You must have the physical permit with you when you hike.
Path Type
There and Back
The route begins and ends at the Chilkoot Trailhead near Dyea, Alaska, after turning around at the Chilkoot Pass US/Canada border.
From the trailhead, head north to follow the Taiya River through coastal rainforest, gaining elevation gradually. Around 7.5 miles, Canyon City provides a brief side trip via suspension bridge to the ruins of the gold rush–era tent city on the opposite bank. Continue north, passing by High Canyon Camp and Pleasant Camp until reaching Sheep camp around mile 13.0. Sheep Camp is the last U.S. campground and the staging point for the climb to the pass; NPS rangers run nightly weather and trail-condition briefings here during the official season.
Above Sheep Camp, the trail exits the forest and climbs steeply through sub-alpine terrain. At 15.8 miles reach The Scales — the historic freight weigh station at the base of the final push — before ascending the Golden Stairs, a sustained boulder-strewn slope to the Chilkoot Pass and US-Canada border at 3,556 feet. This section gains roughly 2,500 vertical feet from Sheep Camp and is fully exposed with no shelter.
Upon reaching the pass, turn around and retrace your steps to return to the trailhead. It is illegal to cross the international border between Canada and the United States via the Chilkoot Trail.
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