Destination :: Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site

  • Chilkoot Trail: A lake at the base of the Chilkoot Pass in Canada is visible behind a grassy plain. Fog-covered mountains are visible in the distance.

    Canadian Base of the Chilkoot Pass (Day 3). August 2014. Image 1/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: A boulder field slopes down from the top of the Canadian side of the Chilkoot Pass to a gray and foggy lake surrounded by mountains.

    Canada from the Top of Chilkoot Pass (Day 3). August 2014. Image 2/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: Lakes are visible along the trail, with scrub and small trees in the foreground and foggy mountains in the background.

    Lakes Along the Trail (Day 4). August 2014. Image 3/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: The metal skeleton of a boat sits beside the trail, with grass growing up around it. A lake and foggy mountain is visible in the background.

    Boat Skeleton on the Trail (Day 4). August 2014. Image 4/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: River rapids between some of the Canadian lakes are visible between the base of two mountains.

    Rapids Along the Trail (Day 4). August 2014. Image 5/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: A view of Lake Lindeman in overcast light. The mountains are reflected in still water and the beach is a dark, muddy brown.

    Lake Lindeman (Day 5). August 2014. Image 6/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: Rusted cans and other trail artifacts lie randomly among pine trees at Lake Lindeman.

    Artifacts at Lake Lindeman (Day 5). August 2014. Image 7/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: The remains of a boat pier jut into Lake Bennett. The mountains on the far shore are reflected in the lake in the cloudy, gray light.

    Ruins of a Boat Pier, Lake Bennett (Day 5). August 2014. Image 8/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: A view of the lake, looking along the path the gold miners would have sailed away. Hazy reflections of the mountains are visible in the water.

    Lake Bennett (Day 6). August 2014. Image 9/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: The rusted skeleton of an old stove sits along the shore of Lake Bennett.

    Stove at Lake Bennett (Day 6). August 2014. Image 10/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: A rusted water can sits on the shore of Lake Bennett. The mountains and lake are visible in the distance.

    Water Can at Lake Bennett (Day 6). August 2014. Image 11/12

  • Chilkoot Trail: A boat similar to the ones used by the goldrushers sits along the shore of Lake Bennett. The mountains and lake are visible in the background.

    Boat at Lake Bennett (Day 6). August 2014. Image 12/12

Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site preserves the route and artifacts left behind by stampeders during the 1897-1898 Gold Rush.1

The Canadian side of the Chilkoot Trail contains the trail from Chilkoot Pass to Lake Bennet, where most gold rushers made or bought boats to complete their journey by water.

Brief History

1897-1898
The Klondike Gold Rush. For more information on the history of the Gold Rush, see the entry on the Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park.
November 20, 1987
The Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site is designated.2
August 5, 1998
Canada and the United States jointly dedicate the Klondike Gold Rush International Historic Park to preserve the collective history of the gold rush.3

Location

British Columbia
Canada

Website

Evaluation

Unforgettable

My family visited the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park in Alaska and Canada’s Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site during our 2014 hike along the Chilkoot Trail. The trail is well maintained on both sides of the border and the efforts of both the United States and Canada to provide historical information to visitors was very impressive. Even if you do not hike the trail, a visit to Skagway or to Lake Bennett (by train) would be informative and rewarding experiences.

Visits: 1 Visited: August 2014

Quick Statistics

Trails
16.5 miles (in Canada); 33 miles total
Population
20,000-30,000

Related

Chilkoot Trail: A boat similar to the ones used by the goldrushers sits along the shore of Lake Bennett. The mountains and lake are visible in the background.

Klondike Gold Rush International Historical Park
Chilkoot Trail: A rusting boiler lies abandoned among the pine trees in Canyon City.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park

Notes

  1. Some of the artifacts include buildings and large pieces of equipment (such as the remains of the tramway), but many of them are simply trash—opened cans and discarded clothes left behind as dead weight.
  2. "Chilkoot Trail National Historic Site of Canada," Parks Canada.
  3. William Clinton, "Proclamation 7114."

References