Hi there!
Skagway is a town in Alaska that was built on the Gold Rush in the late 1800s.
To do all things related to the Gold Rush in Alaska, you want to go to the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park that’s a short walk from the Skagway cruise port…
And also the Gold Rush Cemetery!
The Gold Rush Cemetery in Skagway is a small historic site that really is just a cemetery.
It’s the oldest gold rush cemetery in Skagway.
You can read the stories of the people buried.
There are also people who haven’t been identified that are buried at the Gold Rush Cemetery, listed as “unknown man.”
👆 There are unidentified people buried at the Gold Rush Cemetery in Skagway.
You can walk around the cemetery.
The cemetery can be a good place to go after you have watched the film at the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park visitor center so that you have a background of why and how people came to Skagway during this time.
There are also park ranger programs, including a Gold Rush 101 talk.
You can find the schedule of the ranger programs at the visitor center.
If you are up for a walk, you can walk to get there from the cruise port.
Otherwise, you can take a shuttle from downtown Skagway too.
👆 You can take a shuttle to the Gold Rush Cemetery. There is a shuttle stop near the cruise port in downtown Skagway.
If you have a car, there is a parking lot at the Gold Rush Cemetery.
While you are at it, you can also go and see one of the best waterfalls in Skagway!
At least one of the easiest waterfalls to see when you are in Skagway!
Lower Reid Falls is a short walk from the Gold Rush Cemetery.
A little more below about who is buried at the cemetery and the Gold Rush Cemetery shuttle!
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What is the Gold Rush Cemetery?
The Gold Rush Cemetery is Skagway’s most famous graveyard.
Records indicate that the first burial occurred at the cemetery in early 1898.
With the exception of two families, the cemetery was stopped being used after 1908.
133 gravesites have been found at the Gold Rush Cemetery, but there are burial records for only 60 of the gravesites.
Many of the early deaths in Skagway reflect the primitive conditions of the mad rush for gold.
Today, you can walk through the Gold Rush Cemetery to reflect on the times of the Klondike Gold Rush.
Who is buried at the Gold Rush Cemetery in Skagway?
At the start of the trail that leads to the Gold Rush Cemetery, there is a list of some of the people who are buried in the Gold Rush Cemetery.
Jefferson Smith
Frank Reid
Emma Wilson
Hazel Achison
William Mulvihill
HC Parker
Bert and Florence Horton
Martin Itjen
More people buried at the Gold Rush Cemetery
For a list with more people who are buried at the Gold Rush Cemetery, see the National Park Service list. (pdf)
Gold Rush cemetery map
At the start of the trail to the cemetery, there is a Gold Rush Cemetery map that includes the location of burial sites for some people.
How to get to Gold Rush Cemetery from the cruise port
You can walk to the Gold Rush Cemetery from the cruise port.
It will be around a 1 hour walk one way to walk to the Gold Rush Cemetery from the Skagway cruise port. (map)
Gold Rush Cemetery shuttle
You can also take a shuttle to the Gold Rush Cemetery.
This will cost $5 one way, so it will be $10 round trip.
How to take the Gold Rush Cemetery shuttle:
- Go to downtown Skagway from your cruise port by shuttle or walk
- From downtown Skagway, get on the shuttle to the cemetery!
So there are 2 shuttle bus routes in Skagway.
One bus route circles around downtown Skagway and also goes to the cruise ships.
The other bus route goes from downtown Skagway to the Gold Rush Cemetery and back.
In September 2023, the Gold Rush Cemetery shuttle came around every 30 minutes.
You can’t take a bus directly from the cruise port to the Gold Rush Cemetery.
You will first need to go to downtown, whether that’s by bus or by foot.
It’s reasonable to walk to downtown Skagway from the cruise ship.
Depending on where your cruise ship is docked, it will be a 5 to 10 minute walk.
The downtown Skagway that goes to the cruise ships costs $3 per ride or $5 for an all day pass.
Then once you are downtown, you get on the bus that goes to the Gold Rush Cemetery.
The bus that goes to the Gold Rush Cemetery is on Broadway Street, which is the main street through Skagway.
If you’re walking just get yourself to Broadway, and then look for a bus stop sign.
There is a Gold Rush Cemetery bus stop in front of the Mascot Saloon which is a red building on Broadway. (map – your walking route may differ based on where your cruise ship is docked.)
If you’re taking the shuttle from the cruise ship to downtown, you can ask your bus driver about which bus stop to get off at.
👆 You can get to the Gold Rush Cemetery by shuttle. There is a shuttle stop on Broadway Street.
👆 Bus stop sign for all shuttle buses.
👆 The shuttle around downtown Skagway and the cruise port is $3 one way or $5 for an all day pass. 2023 prices.
👆 The shuttle to the Gold Rush Cemetery is $5 one way. 2023 prices.
👆 The shuttle bus at the Gold Rush Cemetery trailhead!
And that’s a bit about going to the Gold Rush Cemetery!
I went to the Gold Rush Cemetery in September 2023. I arrived to Skagway by cruise ship. Your experience may vary!
HAPPY GETTING TO THE GOLD RUSH CEMETERY IN SKAGWAY!
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