Car rental in Skagway - how far to drive?

[erienetuser]

We have a car rental for the day and the Yukon Wildlife Preserve near Whitehorse looks interesting, but I think it's too rushed of a day to visit.  The tour bus at the preserve is at noon and lasts 1.5 hrs, or we can walk the trail (3 km, reviews say it takes 2 hrs).  Google Maps says it's a 2.5 hr drive from Skagway, not including the border crossing.

 

Pick up the car at 7:30 am, be at the preserve by 11:00. Either walk and be done by 1:00 or wait for the noon shuttle and leave by 2:00.  On our way back stop at Carcross (how long?), Emerald Lake (15 min?) and the Yukon Suspension Bridge (an hour?). Ship leaves at 8:30 pm, idk what time we need to be back on but the car is due back  by 7 pm.  

 

Typing this out it seems like we should skip it, but if you have any thoughts I'd love to hear them. Thank you!

[wolfie11]

I've done Whitehorse in a rental car from Juneau and it's a stretch.  I don't think you'd enjoy hiking if you were worried about the time.  The scenery is amazing and you will want to stop frequently for pictures.  I would go as far as Emerald Lake, then have lunch in Carcross (or you can go to the tourist trap known as Caribou Crossing).  Drive slow if you can and search along the sides of the road and in clearings for bear and moose.  There's a nice stop at Log Cabin where the train crosses the road.  

[oaktreerb]

You will probably want to stop now and then along the way.  Most people just go to Emerald Lake.  I agree with @wolfie11.  There is plenty to see and do without going to the Yukon Wildlife Preserve.  Even the Yukon itineraries don’t stop there but some do stop in Whitehorse for an overnight.  You might consider one of the Yukon cruise tours in the future.  Between Seward and Anchorage is the Wildlife Conservation Center in Alaska.  If you are spending time in Alaska before or after your cruise you could make a stop there.

 

Have you seen the TV show Michelle Oakley, Yukon Vet?  She works the area around Haines, Haines Junction, the Wildlife Conservation Center, and the Yukon Wildlife Preserve.  She covers a huge territory!

 

As far as the mileage estimate of 2-1/2 hours, It’s not freeway driving.  Take your time and enjoy the scenery along with everybody else.  You also will have to get in line to pick up that car.  You may not be on the road until closer to 8:30 a.m.

Edited April 1, 2023 by oaktreerb

[Coral]

I would probably agree with Emerald Lake. I would Google "Murray's Guide Yukon". It is not updated for this year but it is pretty good with mile marker stops.

[Coral]

1 hour ago, oaktreerb said:

 

As far as the mileage estimate of 2-1/2 hours, It’s not freeway driving.  Take your time and enjoy the scenery along with everybody else.  You also will have to get in line to pick up that car.  You may not be on the road until closer to 8:30 a.m.

And we always fill the car with gas before we return it.

 

I would try to be one of the first off the ship and to the car rental.

[pink845]

It has been a few years for us since we did a cruise out of San Francisco return trip to Alaska but we did rent a car in Skagway.  Got it from Avis right downtown at the last moment.  We were walking around Skagway when we came across the car rental office and it must have been 8:30 am or so.  The cost four years ago was an outrageous $160 USD for the day.  We are up there again in May and the cost is now $350 USD for the day.  A good day for me is a car rental from Enterprise or National for our corporate rate of $40.USD per day. Anyhow, we drove a beautiful highway all the way up to Carcross. I remember every few miles I was met once again with spectacular views leading me to stop once again for yet another photo.  Emerald Lake was outstanding. So very beautiful. The water was motionless. Gorgeous.  Just us.  Spent a good 30 minutes just staring at it.  Then, it started to rain. Ha ha and the tour buses started to arrive.  Everyone on those busses missed what we had just experienced. The rain had disturbed the beauty of the water.  Oh, we felt so fortunate.  We got back down to Skagway at about 4:30 pm.   So lovely that day was. If not driving up to Skagway, the White Pass Railroad is quite lovely too.  We did that many years ago as well.  

[Coral]

6 minutes ago, pink845 said:

It has been a few years for us since we did a cruise out of San Francisco return trip to Alaska but we did rent a car in Skagway.  Got it from Avis right downtown at the last moment.  We were walking around Skagway when we came across the car rental office and it must have been 8:30 am or so.  The cost four years ago was an outrageous $160 USD for the day.  We are up there again in May and the cost is now $350 USD for the day.  A good day for me is a car rental from Enterprise or National for our corporate rate of $40.USD per day. 

I just looked at my 2005 cost and it was $70 through AVIS. Skagway has always been high.

[pink845]

And the cost of going on the White Pass Railroad is highway robbery too. Really $145 USD per person for what 2.5 hours.  Nutso.  Thank heavens we got these top things done years ago, when prices were more reasonable.  I am CDN so spending that much dough on one day for a tour for a couple.  No thank you, at least Glacier Bay is free.  

[cruisin'mama]

We rented our car for this June from Skagway Affordable Car Rental. I’ve rented from Avis previously and this time we chose Affordable Car Rental since pick up and drop off is right at the dock.

[Eaglecw]

Who are you renting the car from? If you’re renting from Avis there could be a mileage restriction. Last time I rented a car from Avis is Skagway there was a mileage restriction that only allowed you to go just passed Emerald Lake. Call whoever your renting the car from in Skagway and ask them if they have unlimited mileage. Whoever you rent the car from be one of the first ones there and then get on the road to beat all the tour buses. Stop at the scenic pull outs on the way back to stay in front of the buses. I’d also skip the Yukon Suspension Bridge not really worth stopping at least not in my opinion, been there and done that and wasn’t impressed. When get pass Emerald Lake on Hwy 2 and turn onto Hwy 1 at Carcross cutoff there is a whole lot of nothing until you get to Whitehorse. The Yukon Wildlife Preserve is another 30 minutes each way out of Whitehorse. According to google maps it’s 2.5 hours each way, I think you might be cutting it pretty close. They do a lot of road construction on Hwy 2 Klondike Hwy in the summer time. Avis in Skagway is a independent agent and doesn't take any of the normal discounts.They are only open during the tourist season.

[Eaglecw]

I just checked Affordable car rental web site and this is what I found “Our rental rate of $179.99 per day does not include the 5% Skagway Municipality tax or the 10% Alaska Vehicle Rental tax .Mileage: 200 miles included - additional mileage charged at $0.50/mile. Roadside service is included as far as Emerald Lake”

[quack1]

I've driven as far as Emerald Lake twice in a rental car.  I don't find the lake particularly interesting -- just a place to turn around.  Carcross is worth a stop.  I visited the suspension bridge about 5 years and was not impressed.  My big hope on this drive is to get some nice landscape shots and to photograph bears on the side of the road.  Rarely disappointed.

[erienetuser]

@Eaglecw-Yes,we are renting from Affordable Car Rental, it was much less than anywhere else I could find.  I knew about the 200 mile limit, I was just going  to bite  the bullet  and spend  the extra for the over the mile limit.  Interesting about the suspension bridge, sounds like  it's more of a tourist trap  kind  of place? Thank you  for your thoughts.

 

[Eaglecw]

On 4/1/2023 at 1:17 PM, wolfie11 said:

I've done Whitehorse in a rental car from Juneau and it's a stretch.   

Do you mean from Skagway? It might be kind of hard to drive from Juneau since there is no roads out of Juneau.