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← Washington guide · National Historical Park

A city stop with a bigger frontier story.

Seattle & the Gold Rush · A day that begins with one good stop.

See your first day
Photo: NPS · NPS source ↗
04 / WASHINGTON

Why this place matters

Seattle & the Gold Rush

Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in the Yukon Territory of Canada.

Read the full NPS story ↗
One ton pile of gold bars
Photo: NPS Photo · NPS source ↗

A flexible first day

Start here. See where it takes you.

These are ways to explore, not a timed itinerary. Check conditions before you set out.

01 · ARRIVE

Begin at the Klondike Gold Rush museum in Pioneer Square.

02 · GO DEEPER

Connect its exhibits to the waterfront, local food, and neighborhoods beyond downtown.

03 · BEFORE YOU GO

Confirm museum hours and any ranger programs before traveling.

Check current Seattle & the Gold Rush access with the National Park Service ↗

Find your bearings

Explore nearby chapters.

Switch stops to see where this chapter sits in the wider state.

Mount Rainier1Olympic Peninsula2North Cascades3Seattle & the Gold Rush4Seattle–Tacoma Airport: 6.3 inches average annual snowfall1Longmire, Mount Rainier: 143.0 inches average annual snowfall2

Outline: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 cartographic boundary files. Points show guide starting areas and NOAA stations.

DESTINATION 4 / 4

Seattle & the Gold Rush

A city stop with a bigger frontier story.

Open this guide →

Snow markers compare station normals only. They are not a statewide snow cover or forecast map.

NOAA 1991–2020 · monthly normals

A little weather context.

These stations show two parts of the state; neither is a forecast or necessarily local to this site.

Seattle–Tacoma Airport · average temperatureMonthly mean °F
NOAA station data ↗
Show all 12 monthly values
Seattle–Tacoma Airport · monthly mean temperature (°F)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Value42.84447.151.357.56267.167.462.653.846.542

Normal = 1991–2020 average at the named NOAA station. Snowfall is new snow over a month, not snow currently on the ground. A blank NOAA snow series is shown as unavailable, never as zero. See current NOAA snow depth ↗

Weather changes the trip

Let the season shape the day.

Confirm museum hours and any ranger programs before traveling. The graph above uses a named NOAA station; conditions at this place may differ with elevation and weather. Check the local NWS forecast ↗

Keep exploring Washington

Where next?

Mount RainierStart with a waterfall. Stay for the mountain.Explore →Olympic PeninsulaThree climates, one remarkable peninsula.Explore →North CascadesFollow the blue water into the peaks.Explore →

Start with Seattle’s waterfront and neighborhoods; save a second day for a ferry or a park. See current events ↗

Make the trip yours

Build around what you want to remember.

Tell WTDO your dates, where you start and how you travel. The first plan is free.

Plan this trip free