10 FREE things to do in Skagway!

Spending money is fun. Running out of money is usually not fun. However, in Skagway, there are a number of fantastic things you can do without spending a dime. Keep your wallet fat with this list of 10 FREE things to do in Skagway.

Money often costs too much

That’s a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson and considering he was a poet, he was probably broke. You don’t have to be broke to enjoy this list of 10 FREE things to do in Skagway because they’re awesome.

#10 – Wildlife viewing at Yakutania Point – This spot is only a 10-minute walk from the airport, and accessed via a lovely nature trail. When you reach The Point, as the locals call it, you will be treated to a stunning panoramic view of the Upper Lynn Canal. This is probably the best spot to view wildlife in all of Skagway, and one of the best in Southeast Alaska. If you bring a fishing pole, you can catch some wildlife and cook it up over the fire pit. FREE dinner!

#9 – The Gold Rush Cemetery – People that lived in Skagway during the Klondike Gold Rush are dead. Every last one of them. They died from bullet wounds, syphilis, avalanches, and giant falling boulders. Sounds great. You can see where they all ended up when you visit the Gold Rush Cemetery. This is where the infamous Soapy Smith is buried, and it won’t cost you anything to take a photo of his grave.

Don’t let Soapy try to sell you any soap because it won’t be free.

#8 – Drink the water – You may think this sounds lame, but Skagway’s tap water is recognized by EVERYONE as being the best you will ever drink anywhere you travel. Skagway’s water is so good, once you drink it you will hate all other water. Why is it so good? It melts off of a glacier, travels down a mountain stream, comes through your tap, and into your waiting maw. That’s fresh. And FREE!

#7 – People watch on Broadway – There are a number of benches along Broadway where you can sit back and watch tourists from all over the world do their thing. It’s wildly entertaining until you realize that you’re a tourist and forever wonder if people are watching you.

#6 – The Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park – Did you know that you’re in a National Park when you arrive in Skagway. Spoiler alert! You’re in a national park. The park headquarters is located on Broadway Street and Second Avenue. They also offer a free walking tour, and you can stroll through their free museum. Heck, we could have made a list of 10 FREE things to do in Skagway at the Park Service! But that would be cheating.

#5 – Check out the Moore Cabin – William Moore was one of Skagway’s settlers. He was a steamship captain who arrived in Skagway in 1887 and built a cabin because that’s what people did back then. Moore was instrumental in Skagway’s success, and the people of Skagway thanked him by beating him up and taking his cabin and land, probably because they liked free stuff too. Eventually, the Park Service took his cabin, and today, they let you go visit it for FREE!

#4 – Enjoy a stroll through Mollie Walsh Park – Mollie Walsh came through Skagway during the Gold Rush, married a man named Mike, had a kid, and then bailed out on Mike and took her kid to Seattle. Mike tried to kill himself but was such a bad shot he missed his own head. Eventually, he hung himself because he was presumably better at tying knots than shooting. Some other guy named Jack also loved Mollie so he commemorated his memory of her with a bronze bust and a park in Skagway, even though she never lived in Skagway. Pretty crazy stuff.

#3 – Go swimming in Lower Dewey Lake – If you love hypothermia, then swimming in this lake may be something you’ve always dreamed of. Of course, I’m kidding. Kind of. There are numerous people that go swimming in Lower Lake, but I am not one of them. I tried it once and I still haven’t recovered. I do like fishing in the lake, and if you have your own fishing pole, you could fish in the lake for FREE! If not, you have to swim if you want to keep up with this list.

#2 – Crash a crew member party at Pullen Park – Pullen Park is near the Railroad Dock, and it’s where crew members like to hang out on their day off. The park has a big covered area with a grill, so they all hang out, drink beer, play music, and eat various meats. If you just walk up and start talking to someone and act like you’re supposed to be there, they won’t know any different. They like to have fun and you like FREE! If you caught any fish at Lower Lake, you can toss them on the grill.

#1 – Look for the mysterious Kushtaka – Also known as the Kooshdakhaa, this evil land otter man is believed to live in the waters around Skagway. He is also a shape-shifter and will take on human form to lure you close to the water’s edge and then pull you underwater to his Kushtaka lair where he will turn you into a Kushtaka! You don’t want that, so we urge you to keep a safe distance from the water while searching for the mysterious Kushtaka.

The Kushtaka is like a Bigfoot that lives in the water and looks like an otter.

That’s it! As you can see, there are some awesome things to do in Skagway that are totally FREE! We hope you enjoy your stay so much that you come back and see all the things you missed.