Free Resources to plan your visit to Haines, Alaska
Quick message from the owners,
Haines -the Adventure Capital of Alaska- can be a daunting place to plan a visit. There are many things to do, yet many visitors do not know where to start or how to get to where the adventures are!
Post-pandemic, I (Andrew, the owner) was directing a local non-profit focused on economic development, with tourism being a key focus. Interviewing many visitors -cruise-based, overlanders, and other independent travelers- I found that many people couldn't make the most of their time in Haines (Deishu in Tlingit). This mostly revolved around issues finding where to go and open businesses.
Acquiring a transportation rental business in 2023, Tassja (Co-Owner and WIFE) and I developed resources to share with our guests to give a taste of as much of Haines/Deishu as possible in a day or less. To help you make as much or your visit to Haines, we made these available to you below. We hope they help you and that you fall as much in love with Haines/Deishu as we have!
Have a great time in the Adventure Capital of Alaska!
Let's Plan your Trip!
You might have a day or less for the adventure of a lifetime, so let's get to it.
We recommend organizing your trip around the following four road systems.
A little unknown secret is that many many adventures are tied to the road system. So whether you are visiting on a cruise ship or road trip, the three highways and townsite can be tools to organize your visit and stretch out every minute of your time in Haines.
Depending on your interest, and time at each spot, you can break your time into four sections:
In town/Fort Seward,
Lutak Road,
Mud Bay Road,
and Haines Highway.
Coming for a day or less:
Like a cruise or passing through Haines on the Alaska Ferry System to the ALCAN Highway
For a day or less, our recommendation is to split your time between the Townsite/Fort Seward and Lutak Road. This way you get a taste of the restaurants and artist shops, and you also get to explore a road that offers a lot of value for a short drive.
For those who want more nature and would rather skip the town & Fort, consider taking a full day to travel up Haines Highway. The road goes through the Bald Eagle Preserve and Chilkat River Valley before it reaches the Canadian Border. If you have your passport, you can go beyond the board to a breathtaking mountain pass. A great lunch/dinner spot is 33 Mile Roadhouse, which is close to the halfway point. Round trip, this will take a full day with stops. It is a remote trip and may not be conducive for cruise ship travelers.
Coming for a weekend/3 days:
Like a getaway trip to Haines, Alaska from Skagway, Juneau, or Whitehorse"
If you have a weekend or up to three days to spend in Haines, Consider this option. Take a full day going to Chilkat State Park at the end of Mud Bay Road, or Chilkoot Lake Recreation area at the end of Lutak Road. Split up the next day by going to either of the above and add in a half day exploring the townsite and Fort Seward.
As mentioned before, the trip up Haines Highway can take a full day with stops, and there is always the option to go into Canada for Hiking and Camping overnight.
Lutak Road and Chilkoot Lake Recreation offers great fishing, boating (outboard, kayak, and canoe), and reliable Bear viewing during the late summer.
Mud Bay Road and Chilkat State Park offers great hiking, views of Rainbow and Dawson Glaciers, ocean access for boating and sea fishing, and a good chance of bear and Moose sightings.
Coming for a week/5 days:
Coming to Haines for a wedding, vacation or special event!
For five or more days in Haines, first, congratulate yourself on making a good decision. Consider taking a day at each location.
In town/Fort Seward: You will want to plan your time in town around local events -check the visitor center calendar- and the weather! Remember the First Friday of every month is a celebration of local artists and artisans. Note that many shops and restaurants have limited hours and may be short-staffed on days when large cruise ships are in port. Split your day in town up with a local secret hike to Kalgia Beach and Battery Point. It is conveniently a half-day round trip and it is about 2 miles from town. There are also other trails in town which you can find on the map.
Take the Drive down Mud Bay, but this time add to it the Mount Riley hike or have a picnic or kayak trip in Letnikof cove. Furthermore reach out to Extreme Dreams Art Gallery for glass art, water color, and mosaic classes. On certain days glass blowing may be happening at Viking Cove.
Extend your time at Lutak Road with fishing, kayaking, and boat tours. Rentals, Tours, and fishing supplies can be purchased from local guides, tour operators and fishing outfitters. All of these can be reached through the Visitor Center.
Haines Highway: Typically we do not recommend travelers add this route in unless they have competence in the outdoors, and have dependable vehicles. If you have both, consider adding a Porcupine road or Chilkat Lake Road to your trip down the Haines Highway. Both are remote and mostly unpaved. Porcupine was recently paved to a certain point, but is unpaved beyond that. Porcupine includes areas where past and current gold mining is happening. The show Gold Rush with Parker Schnabel got its start here. White Water Gold rush is currently being filmed in the area, though you cannot access the site they are working. Avoid this area unless roads are clear of snow, and in September during Moose Hunting season.
Chilkat Lake road is a remote road that ends at the Tsirku River. Beyond the river is Chilkat Lake where several residents live on a remote lake inaccesable apart from boat. Try your luck fishing along the river slews, but be warned, the Tsirku is a dangerous river. Crossing it can be tretrous and it can rise quickly with rainfall. We recommend not coming without a guide if you have any doubts about your abilites.
In either location there is little to no cell signal.