Haines Highway - Valley of the Eagles
Haines, The Valley of the Eagles

Departure: Haines Visitor Center, Alaska
Destination: Dalton Cache/U.S.-Canada Border, Alaska
Time to allow: 1 day

Wildlife opportunities abound along this highway which include moose, bears, eagles, and wolves. There are many pull-outs and stops to make beyond the museums and attractions of downtown Haines that will clarify the history and culture of the Tlingits and early settlers as well as wildlife. The predominant theme is the eagle and how history and culture as well as present day events are wrapped around the eagle and its existence in the valley. Fall is the best time to witness the phenomenon of the gathering of the eagles. Visitors should be cognizant of driving conditions in the winter months.

Day 1

  • Start: Haines Visitor Center

    The first in-person experience with Haines for many travelers is the Visitors Center in downtown Haines. This facility is well-located and well-staffed. It provides the orientation information that a visitor needs. The Visitors Center can orient the traveler to the interpretive experience offered on the byway and provide area and road information.

  • Stop 1: Fort William H. Seward

    From previous stop: 2 minutes / 0.4 mi (0.6 km)
    Directions:

    When leaving the visitor center, turn left on to Second Avenue. Drive one block to stop sign; turn left on Haines Highway. Drive a quarter mile. Fort Seward buildings are on left. Use Fort Seward Walking Tour Brochure for details of this area.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour

    This early 1900s wood-structure fort consists of military housing, barracks, military ancillary buildings and parade grounds. Today, the facility is a mixture of private housing, shops, restaurants, workshops, artisan facilities, and lodging. Plans are underway to complete the preservation and restoration of buildings that have not yet been occupied. The fort is located within walking distance of downtown (approximately 5-10 minute walk) and is an outstanding destination.

  • Stop 2: Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center

    From previous stop: 2 minutes / 0.4 mi (0.6 km)
    Directions:

    Turn left on to the Haines Highway from any road leaving the Fort Seward area. Turn right on to Second Avenue. Turn right on to Main Street. Drive two tenths of a mile. Museum is on right.
    Suggested time at this stop: 45 minutes

    This is a high-quality community museum in downtown Haines that covers the history of the area from Tlingit culture, to early gold mining and fishing settlements, to recent years and development. The museum includes numerous artifacts and cultural items. The museum presents a complete understanding of the Haines Highway corridor.

  • Stop 3: American Bald Eagle Foundation

    From previous stop: 4 minutes / 0.3 mi (0.5 km)
    Directions:

    Turn left on to Main Street. Turn left on to Second Avenue. Turn left on Haines Highway. American Bald Eagle Foundation is on the corner of Haines Highway and Second Avenue.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour

    An exceptional facility located in downtown Haines, this facility offers a quality natural history museum and excellent interpretive presentations on bald eagles and the hundreds of other species found within the Chilkat Valley and around Haines. Public lectures on the preserve and the natural environment are provided during the summer.

  • Stop 4: Anway Homestead

    From previous stop: 5 minutes / 1.5 mi (2.4 km)
    Directions:

    Turn left on to the Haines Highway. Drive approximately 1.5 miles. Anway House is on right across from Valley of the Eagles Golf Course and Driving Range.
    Suggested time at this stop: 30 minutes

    This homestead was built in 1903 and is undergoing restoration so it can be opened to the public. This facility provides the opportunity to explore early pioneer culture through exploring the various buildings and artifacts. Additional work is planned including the restoration of Anway’s gardens and orchard that produced many famous Alaskan varieties of strawberries and apples.

  • Stop 5: Haines Airport

    From previous stop: 5 minutes / 1.5 mi (2.4 km)
    Directions:

    Turn right and head north on the Haines Highway. Turn left on airport road.
    Suggested time at this stop: 15 minutes

    There is a large interpretive sign about local Tlingit culture adjacent to the airport. It covers the relationship of the Tlingit to the eagle and the raven. There is no sign from the highway to alert travelers to the sign. Parking is adequate. This facility could be expanded to include interpretation about the adjacent abandoned Yeindust’akyé Chilkat Tlingit village.

  • Stop 6: Fish Wheels

    From previous stop: 10 minutes / 5.4 mi (8.6 km)
    Directions:

    Turn left on the Haines Highway and drive 5.4 miles. You will see the fish wheels in the river on the left (during summer season) with pull-outs on both sides of the road.
    Suggested time at this stop: 15 minutes

    Visitors can observe fish wheels in use along the Chilkat River. These large devices use the river current to catch salmon and were developed by the Tlingit people to gather large volumes of fish running up the river. Modern fish wheels using new materials are now in place but the mechanics and design remain virtually unchanged for millennia. During the summer, autumn and early winter, salmon running up the river rounds out the diet of eagles. Like the eagles, the Tlingit people also subsisted off the rich year round fish runs found in the Chilkat River. It is the Tlingit people that gave the area the name the ‘Valley of the Eagles’ for its high year round eagle population. The prominence of eagles in the area has played a key role in their culture and this continues today.

  • Stop 7: Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve

    From previous stop: 10 minutes / 9.7 mi (15.5 km)
    Directions:

    Turn left or head north on the Haines Highway. Signage indicates entering the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.
    Suggested time at this stop: 5 hours

    This is a state-managed facility of 48,000 acres. It comprises about 50 percent of the immediate byway corridor. The preserve hosts 400 bald eagles year-round and more than 3,500 eagles during the fall/winter congregation with the premier viewing sites along the highway. Two high-quality interpretive sites called the Council Grounds are located within the Preserve and are linked by an interpretive trail along the Chilkat River.

  • Stop 8: Kluktoo Landslide

    From previous stop: 15 minutes / 9.3 mi (14.9 km)
    Directions:

    Continue north on the Haines Highway 9.3 miles from Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve sign. Slide area is on both sides of the highway.
    Suggested time at this stop: 15 minutes

    This site was once the home of the Tlingit village of Kluktoo. The village shaman had a vision that the village would be destroyed and relocated it to present day Klukwan. A short time later a large landslide destroyed the old village site.

  • Stop 9: Council Grounds River Trail

    From previous stop: 3 minutes / 0.6 mi (1.0 km)
    Directions:

    Turn north up the Haines Highway and drive .6 miles to the Council Ground Visitor Area.
    Suggested time at this stop: 3 hours

    This facility offers parking, restrooms, picnic shelter, RV parking, water, river access, trails and interpretation. The interpretive signs at Council Grounds cover the eagle population and the overall ecosystem of the river as it relates to the river. The Trail connects the Council Grounds to the North Council Grounds and extends somewhat to the north toward the village of Klukwan. Much of the trail is accessible for the disabled and has interpretive panels along it and is a great facility. The village of Klukwan would very much like to extend this trail all the way to their new cultural center and they are working now on the engineering plans to build the extension.

  • Stop 10: North Council Grounds

    From previous stop: 7 minutes / 1.4 mi (2.2 km)
    Directions:

    Turn left on the Haines Highway and drive 1.4 miles. North Council Grounds pull-out is on the left.
    Suggested time at this stop: 10 minutes

    This facility has similar amenities to the Council Grounds site. Both sites are managed by the State Parks department and are in excellent condition. This is a popular area for viewing eagles in the fall.

  • Stop 11: Jilkaat Kwaan Cultural Heritage Center and Bald Eagle Observatory

    From previous stop: 5 minutes / 0.8 mi (1.3 km)
    Directions:

    Turn left on the Haines Highway to Klukwan Village. Turn left at Klukwan sign. Heritage center is down the hill on the left.
    Suggested time at this stop: 1 hour 30 minutes

    This facility is located in the Klukwan tribal village 21 miles up the Haines Highway. The Cultural Learning Camp is now constructed and includes a tribal long house, a carving shed, and a smokehouse and allows the exhibition and performance of many cultural opportunities. The proposed world-class heritage center will build upon the learning camp and include an exhibit hall with static and interactive cultural interpretation opportunities, a restaurant, bald eagle viewing and interpretation and access to recreation trails along the Chilkat River. This facility will become the major cultural destination between Haines and the Canada border and is likely to be Alaska’s Premier Cultural Heritage Center.

  • Stop 12: Klehini River Scenic Viewing Area

    From previous stop: 10 minutes / 5.2 mi (8.3 km)
    Directions:

    Turn left on the Haines Highway and drive 5.2 miles. Viewing area is on the left.
    Suggested time at this stop: 15 minutes

    This site was developed by ADOT&PF during the reconstruction of the northern end of the Haines Highway. It consists of interpretive signage covering the local ecosystems and the Dalton/Grease Trails. There are picnic tables, viewing scopes and small covered shelter.

  • Stop 13: Mile 33 Roadhouse

    From previous stop: 10 minutes / 6.3 mi (10.1 km)
    Directions:

    Turn left on the Haines Highway and drive 6.3 miles to the restaurant facility which will be on the right.
    Suggested time at this stop: 45 minutes

    This long-standing cabin-styled restaurant is an institution along the Haines Highway and is a jump-off point for the winter extreme sport of heli-skiing. This facility provides fuel services and is an excellent dining option especially for breakfast and lunch being known for its Mile 33 Burger.

  • End: Dalton Cache/U.S.-Canada Border

    From previous stop: 15 minutes / 7.3 mi (11.7 km)
    Directions:

    Turn right on to the Haines Highway and drive 7.3 miles north to the US/Canadian Border. The US Customs office is on the left with parking behind the building.

    The Bureau of Land Management maintains the Dalton Cache, an unstaffed historic cabin that is not open to the public on the Canada/US border. This site has several interpretive and celebratory signs indicating that the Cache has served as a toll house for the Dalton Trail, a roadhouse, and Customs office. The now boarded-up facility is not visible to drivers and the access is only allowed after checking in with the US Border Agents in the Customs office. There is no signage at this time alerting travelers to the site and it is recommended to talk to border agents before walking down to the structure.

Totals for Day 1

Total Distance Traveled: 50.1 miles / 80.2 km
Total Travel Time: 1 hour 43 minutes
Total Stopping Time: 14 hours 40 minutes