hiking excursions in Skagway

We are booked for next June on Carnival.

The stop in Skagway is plenty long, 7am-9pm.

There are several hiking excursions offered by the cruise line... ranging from 3 hours to 9 hours.

Our biggest decision is which one, and if we choose a long one, will be too tired to do anything else afterwards, like walk around town, shop, etc. Our last 2 cruises (Caribbean) we had some excursions that ran the whole port time and we were disappointed that we had to run to make the ship. We really want a little free time at each port.

Have you done any of these hikes?

Besides being longer, how much better are the 8-9 hour hikes? Worth it?

Cost isn't an issue, the prices are about the same.

thanks.

I don't know what you mean by the shorter and longer hiking excursion. There is plenty of trail information available on the internet for Skagway - here's the guide I used: http://skagway.com/skagwaytrailmap.pdf.

I hiked to Lower Dewey Lake and the Gold Rush Cemetery/Lower Reid Falls on my own, and had plenty of time for shopping. I did not go on an excursion. I enjoyed both hikes.

WHAT hikes are you referring to? There are hundreds in Alaska. Don't expect people to look up shore excursions. IF you are referring to those, then copy all the details, especially where it is. Problem is, some are "open" which I'd never recommend.

Skagway has some gems. The Dewey Lakes is popular and simple to go on your own. The Chilkoot Trail- being historic, could also be a great option- used to be a float trip combo, which I think is excellent, with an especially scenic ride down the Taiya River. :)

WHAT hikes are you referring to? There are hundreds in Alaska. Don't expect people to look up shore excursions. IF you are referring to those, then copy all the details, especially where it is. Problem is, some are "open" which I'd never recommend.

 

Skagway has some gems. The Dewey Lakes is popular and simple to go on your own. The Chilkoot Trail- being historic, could also be a great option- used to be a float trip combo, which I think is excellent, with an especially scenic ride down the Taiya River. :)

I was asking for people who have done the hikes their opinions. These hikes offered by the cruise ships are the same ones offered by the independent companies in town. I do not expect people to look them up... they should know if they did the hikes or not. I don't want opinions from non-hikers.

I was asking for people who have done the hikes their opinions. These hikes offered by the cruise ships are the same ones offered by the independent companies in town. I do not expect people to look them up... they should know if they did the hikes or not. I don't want opinions from non-hikers.

Well I have hiked a LOT out of the Skagway area.

As I already mentioned, IF you disclose, what hikes you are looking at, you would get more information.

We did the long Laughlin glacier hike and white pass. It was pretty amazing. We were with a fairly fast group. But it was raining and freezing. So we were pretty much ready to get out of the weather at the end. We walked back down town. Went into a few shops and called it a day. It was our big splurge excursion and well worth it.

We did the long Laughlin glacier hike and white pass. It was pretty amazing. We were with a fairly fast group. But it was raining and freezing. So we were pretty much ready to get out of the weather at the end. We walked back down town. Went into a few shops and called it a day. It was our big splurge excursion and well worth it.

thanks! That is this one?

https://secure.carnival.com/shore-excursions/skagway-ak/laughton-glacier-hike-and-white-pass-railway-adv-172037?b=415A72565255666B53503431714559573343565936773D3D

it reallly sounds like fun. I just need to talk my DH into it. He thinks it sounds too long of time, not enough time to do other stuff in town.

That's the one. If I remember correctly we were back in town by 3 or 4pm. You would still have plenty of time to shop/eat etc.

We booked a hike and river float through Frontier Excursions. It was our first time to ever book an independent excursion, and we loved it. It was significantly cheaper than anything the cruise line offered. And we ended up being the only four people in the group. Our guide, Steve, was very friendly, knowledgeable and took good care of us!

We definitely plan on booking through them when we return in a couple of years with our kids.

I did the Chilkoot hike and float in September and really enjoyed it the hike itself was about 1.5 hours up the beginning of the famous trail.

We did Dewey lakes on our own and had a blast. Plenty of time after to check out the town.