5 Skagway Landmarks

The Golden North Hotel – One of 5 Skagway landmarks in this blog!

When you disembark your cruise ship in Skagway, it can be very disorienting. You’re in a strange place surrounded by mountains and have no idea where to go. As you walk around town, it’s easy to get lost and forget where your cruise ship is located. To help prevent you from getting lost, today’s blog identifies 5 Skagway landmarks to help you find your way. How nice!

What exactly is a landmark?

The dictionary says that a landmark is “an object or feature of a landscape or town that is easily seen and recognized from a distance, especially one that enables someone to establish their location.”

As you can see, landmarks are used to help people find their way around so they don’t accidentally end up somewhere they don’t want to be. Let’s dive right in and discover 5 Skagway landmarks you simply won’t be able to miss.

5 Skagway landmarks to help you find your bearings

Kirmse’s Clock – This is one of the easiest landmarks to spot because it’s painted on a sheer rock face about 400 feet above the valley to the east. Tourists often ask, “Does that clock still work?” but unless it’s 8:15 that’s a silly question because the clock is a painting of a clock set at 8:15. If you can see the Kirmse’s Clock, you are still in Skagway so you don’t have to worry that you accidentally ended up somewhere else.

The Golden North Hotel – This famous hotel is situated on 3rd Ave. and Broadway. The Golden North’s bright golden dome is visible from any cruise ship in port. If the dome appears to port, you are on the Railroad Dock. If the dome appears to starboard, you are on the Ore Dock. If the dome appears straight ahead, you are on the Broadway Dock. If you get your bearings before leaving your ship, the Golden North is a valuable landmark you can use to get back to your ship without any hassle. Pretty smart!

Face Mountain – If you look west from Skagway toward the mountaintops, one mountain ridge resembles a face. Local’s call this “Face Mountain,” but its real name is Parson’s Peak. You can see this landmark from just about anywhere downtown. If you can’t see this peak, you are no longer downtown. If you ask a local to point out Face Mountain and they don’t know what you’re talking about, you are no longer in Skagway. Better find out where you are!

The Ore Ship Loader – This is an unsightly mechanical conveyor that sticks out from the Ore Dock like a sore thumb. It’s industrial and gross and easy to spot, making it a prominent Skagway landmark. Hopefully, the conveyor will someday be torn down. For now, it is a landmark you can use to find your cruise ship if you’re tied to the Ore Dock.

The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Building – While this landmark isn’t visible from far away, it’s helpful to know where it is so that you return your cruise ship. You see, many tourists forget where their boat is docked and end up on the wrong dock. Then they come into the tour booth very angry at the tour salespeople because they are not in the right place. Knowing where the park building is located can help prevent this scenario. Heading south on Broadway, when you reach the park building you turn left for the Railroad Dock, right for the Ore Dock, and proceed straight for the Broadway Dock. Also, please make sure to remember which dock your cruise ship is using.

That’s a total of 5 Skagway landmarks

Well, there you have it. We hope you get a good look at all 5 Skagway landmarks when you visit on your cruise. Remember, if you can’t find your cruise ship, just ask a local. If you don’t remember what ship you’re on, simply look at your ship ID. If you lost your ship ID, look at some of the photos on your phone where you’re standing next to the ship. If all else fails, come live with us in Skagway. It truly is a paradise filled with wonderful landmarks.