This city in Alaska’s Yukon region offers year-round outdoor activities and insight into the state’s historic past.
Visit Haines to experience one of North America’s great outdoor adventure spots. Fly over the region for aerial views of glaciers, fjords and herds of wildlife crossing the terrain. Follow parts of the Golden Circle Route, a very scenic drive through this part of Alaska and its Canadian neighbors.
Spend summer days in Haines enjoying the warm weather. Kayak on Chilkoot Lake, raft on the Chilkat River and ride a jetboat to enjoy the mountainous scenery. On land, hike, bike or join shorter guided nature walks.
Pause to fish for halibut or Pacific salmon, important to the local economy and favorites of sport fishermen. Haines Packing Company provides tours of the cannery that began business here more than 100 years ago.
Watch bald eagles fly into the region by the thousands from September through December on their southern migration path. Visit the Alaska Bald Eagle Preserve for the November festival to watch the eagles feed on salmon. Sign up early for the limited spots in the week-long eagle photography class.
Winter brings plenty of snow to Haines, with opportunities for winter wonderland sports. This is a great place to try heli-skiing, with steep lines up to 5,000 vertical feet (1,500 meters) long. Watch the Alcan 200 snowmobile race in January, held on the local highway. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are also popular.
The area may look familiar if you watch the reality television programs Dr. Oakley Yukon Vet on National Geographic channel or Gold Rush on the Discovery channel. Look for caribou, porcupine and other wildlife. Pan for small gold nuggets to take home as souvenirs. Visit the Sheldon Museum & Cultural Center to understand more about the real history of the region, including native Tlinglit culture.
Haines is close to Canada’s British Columbia province and Yukon Territory. Take a short flight to the large Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve west of Haines for hiking, whale-watching, fishing and camping. Reach Haines from Juneau, the state capital, on a 5-hour ferry ride.
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