Quick Facts
- Date:
- 1896 - 1899
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Klondike gold rush
Gold miners with their supplies near Dyea, Alaska, 1897.
Klondike gold rush
Canadian history
News •
Q&A | Years in the making: Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in chief weighs in on proposed Dawson regional land use plan
• Oct. 14, 2026, 9:16 PM ET (CBC)
Klondike gold rush, Canadian gold rush of the late 1890s. Gold was discovered on August 17, 1896, near the confluence of the Klondike and Yukon rivers in western Yukon territory. By 1897 up to 30,000 prospectors had arrived in the newly created towns of Skagway and Dyea, jumping-off points to the Canadian goldfields several hundred miles away. Many of the seekers died from malnutrition, hypothermia, or avalanches along the route. The Klondike gold rush was short-lived and had essentially ended by 1899, and soon prospectors began moving on to Alaska. The Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park in Skagway commemorates the gold rush.
Other Famous Gold Rushes
- California Gold Rush (1848–59)
- Australian Gold Rushes (began 1851)
- Cariboo Gold Rush (1860–63)
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Melissa Petruzzello.
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