Skagway footbridge is an easy walk from the cruise port for views! 🏔 Alaska cruise travel blog

Hi there!

So the Skagway footbridge is one of the relatively things that you can do on your own when you are in Skagway cruise port.

As a footbridge, this is a pedestrian only bridge.

If you have an hour or so to spare, then you can head to the Skagway footbridge as something to do for views!

If you have more time to spare, then you might want to hike to Yakutania Point too, on the other side of the bridge!

Notice the tides at the Skagway footbridge!

If you’ll be in the area for awhile (like you’ll be hiking on the other side of the bridge), then it can be interesting to take note of the water level when you first walk across the bridge!

Then, upon your return, maybe you can notice a difference!

Southeast Alaska is known for big tidal swings which means that all around your cruise route, you may be able to notice this in different areas, if you visit the same place a few hours apart!

And this is how it is with the water around the Skagway footbridge!

👆 Higher tide in Skagway at the bridge. 1:48pm.

👆 Lower tide in Skagway at the bridge 2 hours later. 3:52pm.

More below about getting to the Skagway footbridge from the cruise port!

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How to get to the Skagway footbridge from the cruise port

The easiest way to get to the Skagway footbridge is to use the map of your choice!

I’m very glad I had downloaded offline maps ahead of time.

First, tmobile seems nonexistent in Alaska. So if you are in an area that you get data, you’ll be roaming. It’s still included as part of your plan if you have a standard plan, but if you use a lot of data (like watching tv shows in port 🤪) then it’s possible to use up your allotted high speed roaming data and it becomes slower.

Do I speak from experience?! 😆

Second, the day I went to the Skagway footbridge, I never once even connected to LTE data! It only showed “H.” I don’t know what that is, but I wasn’t able to get online with it.

So I had no internet access through my phone when I was in Skagway on that day.

I am pretty sure the previous time I was in Skagway I did have regular data, but I really don’t remember anymore. But the point is… prepare to be offline just in case!

So having no data in Skagway made me sooo glad that I had offline maps!

I used mapsme since I was also going to be hiking from the bridge.

Mapsme tends to be a great map app for hiking trails, and it worked out well to get to the Skagway footbridge.

If you download mapsme, you want to also specifically download the Alaska map.

Otherwise, the Skagway footbridge is also on google maps. (map)

So you can download offline google maps too.

And while you’re at it, you might as well download maps for your entire Alaska cruise route!

So as I was walking following the map and walking towards the bridge, it felt like I was going the wrong way because it kind of feels like you’re walking through an industrial area.

You’ll be walking along a fence in part.

But once you get past the fence, you’ll see the office for Alaska Seaplanes, and then you’ll round the corner, and there will be a parking lot.

And then just beyond that parking lot, you’ll see a bridge!

That’s the Skagway footbridge!

Right at the start of the bridge, there’s a trail map of the area.

Then you can walk across the bridge and take in the views… and notice the water levels!

👇 Walking across the Skagway footbridge at higher tide.

👇 Walking across the Skagway footbridge 2 hours later at lower tide.

From the dock that’s furthest away, it might take 20 minutes one way to get to the bridge. That does not include the shuttle time, if you are docked in Skagway where a land shuttle or water shuttle is necessary.

If you have more time, you can continue walking on the other side of the bridge!

You can walk the trail to Yakutania Point for views!

And then if you have even more time, you can also walk the trail to Smugglers Cove!

I did like the views at Yakutania Point is better than Smugglers Cove!

And that’s a bit about getting to the Skagway footbridge from the cruise port!

I went to the Skagway footbridge in May 2023. Your experience may vary!

See more of Skagway: So-very-Alaska things to do in Skagway

More Alaska cruise ports on your own:

• Juneau bus
• Ketchikan bus
• Things to do in Sitka

HAPPY WALKING TO THE SKAGWAY FOOTBRIDGE!