The Best of Skagway – Reid Falls

This is called a trail map. You should use it.

It’s time for another incredible blog in our The Best of Skagway series. Today’s Best of Skagway is focused around majestic Reid Falls, which is named after Frank Reid who gave his life (and his family jewels) for the honor of Skagway. What better way to pay respects to one of Skagway’s heroes than to name not one but TWO waterfalls after him? I really can’t think of anything.

Wait, there are two Reid Falls?

Indeed. Naming things is difficult. One waterfall is only about 100 feet up the mountain and the other waterfall is about 800 feet up the mountain. Who could possibly come up with two separate names for these waterfalls? Nobody. So the people that named them decided to name them Lower Reid Falls and Upper Reid Falls respectively. Smart.

Fun Fact: Frank Reid is buried just below Lower Reid Falls

It’s true. Come to think of it, that’s probably why they named the waterfalls after him. When I die, I hope they bury me near a waterfall and name it after me. Heck, they could name a water fountain after me and I would be happy. You can’t really say you left behind a legacy unless some noticeable landmark is named after you. Way to go, Frank Reid!

Let’s talk about the trails to the waterfalls

You can’t hike to both waterfalls on one trail. It’s too steep. People try every year because they’re bad at listening and they get stuck and have to be rescued by the Fire Department. Please don’t do that. Come to think of it, you should get a trail map at the Visitor’s Center and read it before you go on any hike. Be smart. Not dumb.

Lower Reid Falls is accessible to just about anyone who’s not ridiculously lazy. It’s a few hundred feet above the Gold Rush Cemetery. The trail is well marked. You can’t get lost unless you’re drunk or you get abducted by aliens and experience weird time loss.

Upper Reid Falls is tougher. You have to hike up to Lower Dewey Lake and then head north until you reach the end. It’s about 5 miles round trip. The Upper Reid Falls Trail does not take you to Upper Reid Falls, which makes it one of the most poorly named hiking trails in the world. The end of the trail does take you to a pretty spot along Reid Creek where you will likely see other tourists wandering around in a vain attempt to locate the waterfall.

Why does the trail fail to lead to Upper Reid Falls? I will tell you. Because it is a new hiking trail. The old Upper Reid Falls Trail followed a big pipe along a higher ridge until it ended a big cement structure with a metal wheel. There is also a rickety old building there so it’s hard to get a good look at the waterfall. All of this stuff was used to divert water to Lower Dewey Lake to feed one of Skagway’s three hydropower thingies.

That’s great and all but it makes for a lousy nature trail. So someone decided to make the new trail but then forgot to rename it. Such is life.

We hope you enjoy both Reid Falls Trails because they’re The Best of Skagway

Hiking is fun. Skagway is fun. Combine the two and you’re living your best life. Congratulations. If you’re visiting Skagway next summer be sure to take some time to enjoy these amazing hikes. You won’t regret it. Unless the whole alien abduction thing happens. Or you try to hike directly from Upper to Lower Reid Falls. Seriously, do not do that.