Haines Highway- National Scenic Byway

The Haines Highway

The Haines Highway is 146 miles of wonderful scenery.  It was awarded National Scenic Byway status in 2009 and everyone has told us , “you haven’t seen pretty scenery until you’ve seen the Haines Highway.” We left Haines and came across this pretty boat harbor.  There were lots of boat trailors here – everyone out fishing in the salmon derby that they allowed this year.

We start out on the Chilkat River flats, where the water is running very high.  At times, it seems like it is higher than the road!  It was originally called “The Grease Trail” because it was where the Chilkat Indians caught and then traded euchalon (aka hooligans, smelt) with other tribes from the interior. Its oil was in demand.   There are magnificent views of the Takhinsha Mountains across the river.   Glacier Bay, which is seen from most cruise ships, is right on the other side of these mountains.  These two mountains, Krause and Emmerich, are only 6,000 feet high, but they look much taller.

We are passing through the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, but the best viewing is in October to January, so no luck spotting one in this 48,000 preserve.  The Klehini River comes next, and they tell you about the Grease Trail and how Jack Dalton developed a packhorse trail to the Klondike goldfields along the old Indian trading route. I am in awe of these wide, gravelly riverbeds where the river spreads out into a number of fingers.


The present Haines Highway was built in 1943 as a military access highway during WWII as an alternative route from the Pacific tidewater to Yukon Territory.

When we reach Milepost 48, we see beautiful glaciated mountains and the snow level is right at our feet.  John climbs up on the roof of the camper to get a better view and pictures.

We have been picking up litter all along the way (can’t get it out of our routine), but this piece at the summit is for Ken, whom we hope is doing well. When the military built this road, they had check points every six miles.  They would radio ahead after you passed the checkpoint, and if you didn’t arrive at the next one in a reasonable period of time, they came looking for you.  The pass is famous for fog and blowing snow.

The Summit presents another landscape that is fantastic.

  Coming down the other side, the landscape changes to tundra.  You learn about permafrost and muskeg, the marshy, lichen covered ground above the permafrost.  Near here, the temperature is below zero 165 days of the year.  There are so many rivers identified along here – the Tatshenshini, the Alsek, the Klukshu  - all starting at the summit and meandering on down.


We have been looking forward to Haines Junction, where we connect with the Alaska Highway once again.  But, like most junctions, it does not live up to the reputation it is given in the books.  It is just a pit stop, gas station , a motel, and we were through it before we realized we were even there.---