Skagway Port to Emerald Lake...doable?

[lifeasme123]

We will be docked in Skagway from 7am-4pm. Avis is not open until 8am. This means we will have 7 hours (8am-3pm) to get to Emerald Lake and back.

 

Is this doable given the time we have? Or should we look for something else?

 

Also, is Emerald Lake in Banff National Park? I am confused...I read about Emerald Lake and then posts about Carcross.

Edited December 30, 2015 by jen70

[Alaskanb]

We will be docked in Skagway from 7am-4pm. Avis is not open until 8am. This means we will have 7 hours (8am-3pm) to get to Emerald Lake and back.

 

Is this doable given the time we have? Or should we look for something else?

 

Also, is Emerald Lake in Banff National Park? I am confused...I read about Emerald Lake and then posts about Carcross.

Do a search for Murrays Guide.

We are train folks so have not driven the route.

Edited December 31, 2015 by Alaskanb

[cruis'n sus'n]

Yes, it is doable!!! We have rented a car before and drove it and had plenty of time. We will be doing the same in May, 2016...

[missdenise]

We also did the drive to Emerald Lake without a problem. If you want to have a more interesting drive rent one of the green jeeps, more fun than just a regular car.

 

You pass thru Carcross on the way to Emerald Lake.

 

Stop at the Suspension Bridge on the way back, but bring bug spray.

 

Skagway was my favorite port, because we rented the jeep and did our own thing. Lots to see and do.

[lifeasme123]

Yes' date=' it is doable!!! We have rented a car before and drove it and had plenty of time. We will be doing the same in May, 2016...[/quote']

 

Any chance we are on the same sailing? :D

[sjmbruce]

We will be docked in Skagway from 7am-4pm. Avis is not open until 8am. This means we will have 7 hours (8am-3pm) to get to Emerald Lake and back.

 

Is this doable given the time we have? Or should we look for something else?

 

Also, is Emerald Lake in Banff National Park? I am confused...I read about Emerald Lake and then posts about Carcross.

 

Get to Avis as soon as possible. When we arrived, there were only about five people ahead of us in line and it took 30 minutes or so just to get to the desk and start the paperwork. When we left, the line snaked through the parking lot. Carcross is a little town and Emerald Lake will be visible from the highway. You can pull off to the side to admire and take pictures.

[lifeasme123]

Get to Avis as soon as possible. When we arrived, there were only about five people ahead of us in line and it took 30 minutes or so just to get to the desk and start the paperwork. When we left, the line snaked through the parking lot. Carcross is a little town and Emerald Lake will be visible from the highway. You can pull off to the side to admire and take pictures.

 

Yep...DH plan to be off the ship by 730 and make his way to AVIS then come back to pick us up. Hopefully he will get there about 745-750.

 

How long did the drive take you? I am thinking 9am-3pm should be enough to get us back in time.

[rjm11]

Should be plenty of time. We also added in the train for part of the family- husband and kids rode the train to Fraser (about an hour on the train I believe)- I rented the car and drove to Fraser, and met them off of the train- then we all continued on to Emerald lake and back. I think they arrived in Fraser around 10 am, but check the train schedule. It was only another hour to hour and a half to Emerald lake. We had lunch and stopped in Carcross, had ice cream, visited the sled dog puppies, then drove back and were still back to the port before 3:00. I dropped husband and kids at the ship, and then returned the car. So if part of your group is interested in the train, it's possible to do your own combo very easily.

[lifeasme123]

Should be plenty of time. We also added in the train for part of the family- husband and kids rode the train to Fraser (about an hour on the train I believe)- I rented the car and drove to Fraser, and met them off of the train- then we all continued on to Emerald lake and back. I think they arrived in Fraser around 10 am, but check the train schedule. It was only another hour to hour and a half to Emerald lake. We had lunch and stopped in Carcross, had ice cream, visited the sled dog puppies, then drove back and were still back to the port before 3:00. I dropped husband and kids at the ship, and then returned the car. So if part of your group is interested in the train, it's possible to do your own combo very easily.

 

What a great idea about the train! Thanks...I will share with the group!

[sjmbruce]

Yep...DH plan to be off the ship by 730 and make his way to AVIS then come back to pick us up. Hopefully he will get there about 745-750.

 

How long did the drive take you? I am thinking 9am-3pm should be enough to get us back in time.

 

We were on the road by 8:30 and back around 4:30. We took a lot of time and did pretty much every stop, including the Gold Rush Cemetery with hike, Dyea Road, and probably an hour or more at Carcross.