Canyon City

About

Canyon City campground sits at mile 7.7 on the Chilkoot Trail within Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, making it a popular first-night destination for backpackers. At 463 feet elevation, the campground offers 16 designated campsites with wooden 10x10-foot tent platforms. Facilities include two composting outhouses, bear boxes for food storage, and multiple picnic tables scattered throughout the site. Two warming shelters provide refuge from the often cool and wet Alaskan weather: a canvas-walled tent and a historic log cabin, both equipped with wood-burning stoves. Open fires are prohibited throughout the Chilkoot Trail corridor; backpackers must bring their own camp stoves. Water is available from the Taiya River and a small nearby stream but must be filtered before drinking. The campground is located just half a mile from the historic Canyon City townsite, where the remains of the 1898 gold rush boom can still be seen. Artifacts including a large metal tram boiler remain at the site. Dogs are permitted on the Chilkoot Trail but must remain on a leash no longer than six feet and are prohibited from entering warming shelters.

Directions

Canyon City is accessible only by foot via the Chilkoot Trail. From Skagway, drive 9 miles to the Dyea trailhead. The campground is located at mile 7.7, approximately 4-6 hours of hiking from the trailhead depending on pace and conditions.