The White Pass Railway started construction in 1898 in the wake of the great Klondike Gold Rush. The last spike was driven in Carcross in 1900, and the railway became the primary route to the interior of the Yukon. Once travelers reached the railway’s terminus in Whitehorse, they took paddlewheelers down the Yukon River to Dawson.

Other routes, like the Chilkoot and Dalton Trails were abandoned for this safer and easier way to the gold fields. The railway continued operation, primarily as a means for hauling freight and mining products until it finally shut down in 1982.

It was partially revived in 1988 when it began operating as a tourist attraction between Skagway and Fraser. In 2007 it further expanded its operations by returning to Carcross and running regular trains between the town and Skagway. The train does not travel north of Carcross, but the tracks to Whitehorse still remain.