About Haines

The Haines area was originally settled by the Chilkat Tlingit people over 2,000 years ago.

Admired as a prosperous and powerful tribe, they leveraged the area’s location to trade goods throughout Interior Alaska and Canada. Originally named Deishú, Tlingit for “end of the trail,” Haines borough encompasses more than 2,000 square miles of land flanked by two state parks, 286,000-acres of State Forest and just 10 miles away – as the raven flies – from Glacier Bay National Park.

Situated near the end of North America’s deepest fjord and graced with stunning views of the Chilkat and Takshanuk Mountains, the atmosphere teems with unlimited potential for adventures in leisure and business pursuits. Glaciers and rivers wind themselves throughout the Chilkat Valley, providing the land with abundant waters that help sustain the community’s economy, culture, and quality of life.

Haines residents enjoy access by land and sea, a rarity in Southeast Alaska. The 152-mile Haines Highway passes through the U.S.-Canadian border making it possible for residents to drive to larger Alaska cities like Fairbanks or Anchorage or get acquainted with neighbors in Canada’s Yukon and British Columbia territories. For travel within the Southeast region, the Alaska Marine Highway provides ferry routes year-round with direct connections to Haines from Skagway and Alaska’s capital city, Juneau.