Haines Points of Interest
Haines offers many exciting points of interest, such as lookouts, beaches, wildlife viewing hot spots, and more.
Popular Photo Ops
You needn’t hike into the backcountry to get photos of throngs of eagles; some the most impressive shots are taken from here, looking out at the braided Chilkat River channels where the birds jostle and compete for fish.
Wildlife Viewing Spots
Use this central spot for taking in the eulachon run, a springtime run of fish that generates a wildlife spectacle, including countless seabirds, hundreds of sea lions and seals and occasional whales. Starting in mid-July, brown bears congregate here to feast on pink salmon.
Crowds of bazooka-lens toting photographers sometimes crowd this stretch to capture brown bears feeding on salmon in the wild. It’s a place to see these impressive goliaths up close. Keep a safe distance.hai
Highlights
Built like a cathedral but with two stories of windows to let the outdoors in, the Haines Library is a gathering spot for visitors and residents alike. Three easy chairs at the end of its great hall are a privileged nook for patrons who get their first. When opened in 2002, Library Journal ranked this as the nation’s finest small library. It’s also the town’s architectural landmark, with a cathedral-like design and high wall of windows that bring ...more
It’s fitting of Haines as an oddball place to feature art in a burned-out building foundation, exposed to the elements. Let your imagination fill in the roof and ceiling while admiring sculptures, mosaics and pop art.
The field where U.S. Army soldiers once marched and drilled is now public-use land, a spot to catch your breath during the climb up to Officer’s Row, or just enjoy views across Chilkoot Inlet. It’s the site of the Turkey Bowl, the town’s only football game, on Thanksgiving Day each year.
You can search long and far for a working pay phone in Haines. You won’t find one. But one Haines Highway resident found a surplused one she decorates as a roadside attraction. Nearby is the jokey, dilapidated “Honeymoon Hotel.”
This unmarked, short trail and platformed lookout close to Fort Seward is a secret even to some residents. Part of a backpacker’s campground, it offers views of the Lynn Canal especially pretty in evening’s fading light.
What downtown Haines lacks in architectural uniformity is made up by “Dalton City,” a town built for the filming of the Jack London story “White Fang” here by Walt Disney in 1990. Residents rescued and finished the false-front buildings now serving an inexpensive sites for start-up businesses.
Ancient stone figures in the shape of men or crosses were created by the indigenous people of Canada, Alaska and Greenland. Their purpose remains something of mystery, with possibilities including navigation, points of reference, or markers for trails or hunting grounds. This one was created by Haines stone artist Judd Mullady.
Beaches
Site of an historic dock where materials for building For Seward were off-loaded, this family-friendly beach is a great spot for dipping your toes on hot day and watching cruise ships go sailing by.
This small outcropping once served as a fish camp and military fuel dock and tank farm site. Its rocky beach provides a sweet spot for pink salmon angling and picnicking during fair weather.
When they’re short on time but needing to get outside, locals head to these two beaches located a short drive and quick hike from downtown. Recent improvements have removed rugged and steep sections.
Locals flock to this unmarked beach, officially state recreation land, for summer campfires and barbecues. It’s the last place the sun sets in Haines, so it’s an ideal spot at the end of a long, summer day.