Sheep Camp
Open for the 2026 season. April 1 through May 31 is walk-up first-come, first-served with no permit required. June 1 through September 12 requires advance permits via Recreation.gov at $20 per trip. All permit holders must attend a mandatory safety orientation at the Skagway Trail Center before hiking. The international border at Chilkoot Pass remains closed to through travel in 2026; hikers must turn around at the pass.
High Wind Watch issued September 18 at 10:07PM AKDT until September 21 at 7:00AM AKDT by NWS Juneau AK
* WHAT...Southeast winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph possible. * WHERE...Haines Borough and Klukwan and Municipality of Skagway. * WHEN...From late Saturday night through Monday morning. * IMPACTS...High winds could blow around unsecured objects, damage property and cause power outages. Travel could be difficult. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Winds will quickly increase as a strong low pressure system moves into the northern gulf. Confidence has increased on strong wind gusts around 50 to 60 mph occurring near Skagway and Haines.
Flood Watch issued September 18 at 2:52PM AKDT until September 21 at 4:00AM AKDT by NWS Juneau AK
A series of low pressures will move through the panhandle this weekend bringing prolonged rain combined with high freezing levels to increase ice melt on glacier river systems. The heavy rainfall and associated runoff will produce significant river rises with the potential of minor flooding. * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. * WHERE...Including the following area, Northern Inner Channels. This includes the cities of Skagway, White Pass, And Haines. * WHEN...From late Saturday night through late Sunday night. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, other low-lying areas and flood-prone locations. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - A series of lows will bring a prolonged period of rain combined with warmer temperatures aloft allowing for any precipitation falling into the region to remain as rain. Current thinking is that the rain will continue this evening into Saturday before a second, stronger system moves in for Saturday into Sunday. Between the two systems, the flow is expected to remain onshore keeping moisture moving into the area. For the Skagway area, 24 hour precip looks to get up to 1 to 2 inches this weekend while the storm total amounts could be 2 to 4 inches. The Haines area is expected to see 0.75 to 1.5 inches in 24 hours while a storm total precipitation of 2 to 3.5 inches is possible.
About
Sheep Camp is a backcountry campground located at mile 13 on the historic Chilkoot Trail within Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park. At 1,058 feet elevation, it is the last campground on the U.S. side of the trail before hikers reach Chilkoot Pass and the international border with Canada. The campground is popular during peak summer months and can fill completely. The campground offers 25 wooden tent platforms (10x10 ft each with tie-down lines), three composting outhouses, and bear boxes for food storage. Several warming shelters are available including a canvas tent with wood stove, an open-air picnic shelter, and a restored 1960s log cabin with wood stove. Note that sleeping in shelters is prohibited. Water is available from the Taiya River but requires filtration due to sediment and potential bacterial contamination. A National Park Service backcountry ranger station is located a quarter mile from camp. Rangers provide evening presentations covering current trail conditions, hiking tips, and Gold Rush history. Dogs are permitted on the trail but must be leashed at all times and are prohibited from entering shelters.
Directions
Sheep Camp is accessible only by hiking the Chilkoot Trail from the Dyea trailhead near Skagway, Alaska. The campground is located at mile marker 13 (20.9 km) from the trailhead. Detailed trail information and maps are available at the Trail Center in Skagway.
Amenities
| Water | No |
| Fires Allowed | No |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | No |
| Wifi | No |
| Pets Allowed | Yes |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | No |
| Price | $20 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | — |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | No |
| Pull Through Sites | No |
Contact
| klgo_information@nps.gov | |
| Phone | +1 (907) 983-9200 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | None |
| T-Mobile | None |
Photos
Community Posts
No posts yet. Be the first to share your experience!