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Our hikes cater to tour groups as well as independent travelers who want to get a close-up look at the spectacular wildlife and natural history of the Valley of the Eagles.

Note: Additional 5.5% sales tax is collected on all tours.

hiking through alpine medowsChilkat Valley Guided Hikes

Enjoy some refreshing exercise in the sunniest hiking destination in Southeast Alaska's Temperate Rainforest!

To accommodate all activity levels, we offer several trips, from low impact to strenuous. Whether you would like a leisurely coastal meadow walk or a full day mountain hike, we have guided hikes to suit your needs. Explore the inter-tidal zone along coastal beaches. Walk beneath the dense spruce and hemlock canopy in the forest. Relax beside a cool mountain stream. Break out into the alpine meadows thick with wildflowers. Experience exhilarating summits and breathtaking panoramas.

Why hike with a guide? We are lucky to live in an area with lots of wildlife. Moose, bear and humans share the same habitat. Our guides are naturalists who specialize in trail-side interpretation and backcountry travel. They are trained in first aid, radio-equipped, and carry bear protection to ensure a safe and memorable experience.

mushroomWe offer several different guided hikes:

For all hikes, please bring cameras, layered clothing, good hiking boots or shoes, and a love for adventure!


trailside interpretationChilkat Rainforest Nature Hike

Discover a lush Alaskan rain forest, coastal meadow and beach on this three-mile hike complete with a picnic lunch. Your guides will introduce you to Haines and the historical Chilkat Peninsula trailhead. Oxygen rich air and thick mossy carpet entice you along a path deep into the forest. Your senses will be awakened by the subtle smells, alluring sounds of birds and the play of delicate light patterns under the canopy of old-growth trees. You will learn about the coastal ecology, wild edibles and the varied uses of indigenous plants. rainforest hike

Wild Irises, Shooting Stars, and Chocolate Lilies are some of the wildflowers of the coastal meadows. Relax and enjoy lunch on a beautiful black pebble beach. View the panorama of Chilkoot and Taiya Inlets framed by the rugged Coastal Mountains. Investigate tidal pools and the marine life living in the intertidal zone. Your guides pack spotting scopes for viewing bald eagles, mountain goats, waterfowl, shorebirds and the occasional seal or whale.

Note: participants must be at least seven years old, in good health and be able to easily walk over uneven terrain.

 

  • Provided: Spotting scopes, fanny pack, lunch, spring water and rain gear if needed.
Various Departures Distance (RT) Elevation Duration Activity Level Price/Person
8:30AM - 2:30PM

3 mi.

Fairly Flat 4 hrs. Moderate $75.00 w/lunch

Chilkat Rainforest Nature Hike with Catamaran Cruise

For independent travelers in Skagway and Juneau, you can combine the above hike with a scenic catamaran cruise to Haines. Round-trip and one-way fares are available.

Various Departures Distance (RT) Elevation Duration Activity Level Price/Person (round trip)
8:00AM - 2:00PM

3 mi.

Fairly Flat 6 hrs. Moderate $120.00 w/lunch

Custom Guided Hikes

Custom hikes are tailored to suit individual activity levels. Groups are kept small to enhance discussions at scenic rest stops along the trail. Guides are radio equipped, trained in first aid, and carry bear protection. Knapsack lunches and group rates are available.

view on top of Mt. RipinskiMt. Ripinsky Hike

Mt Ripinsky rises 3,610 ft. over the town of Haines. The trail is 7.2 miles round-trip and takes 8 hours to complete. The hike begins by traversing a spruce-hemlock forested slope. At 2,500 feet, the trail breaks out into a series of alpine meadows. This is a rigorous hike with stunning views of a panorama of snow-capped peaks and ice-fields extending from the Chilkat Mountains to Admiralty Island near Juneau.


Mt. Riley Hike

This is a pleasant, moderate hike with spectacular views at the summit from a height of 1,760 ft. The trail begins after a short drive and takes about 5 hours round trip, winding its way through the rainforest and open meadow areas. Skunk cabbage, false huckleberry, blueberry, devils club and other plants can be seen along the trail. Later in the summer and fall, this a great place to find mushrooms and other fungi.

As you get closer to the peak, the trail breaks out into a series of flowery meadows. The summit is a granite outcrop from which you can see a panoramic view. The snowcapped Chilkat Mountains rise over six thousand feet to the west. The Coast Range and the mountains to the north toward Canada complete this incredible view. The highlight of the Mt Riley Trail is the fact that with just a moderate amount of climbing, you can see one a most spectacular view!


Mt. Ripinski Saddle (Outside Magazine Overlook)



Seduction Point Hike (Moose Meadow)

This trail begins with a hike down to the shoreline of the Chilkat Inlet where it hugs the coast all the way to the Point. Hikers experience the beauty of old growth spruce and hemlock forests, beach headland forests and forays on open gravel and sandy beaches. Look for moose racks and other evidence of the abundant wildlife. The way offers spectacular views out over the inlet toward the Chilkat Mountains and Rainbow and Davidson Glaciers.

This is a moderately level trail.

Trail Distance (RT) Elevation Time Activity Level Total Price
Mt. Ripinsky 7.2 mi. 3,600 ft.  8 hours highest $110.00
Mt. Riley 4.2 mi. 1,700 ft.  5 hours high $85.00
Rapinsky Saddle (Outside Magazine Overlook) 4 mi.  400 ft.  4 hours High $80.00
Seduction Point
(Moose Meadow)
5 mi.  relatively flat  4 hours Moderate $75.00

(2 person minimum)


©2001 Alaska Nature Tours, all rights reserved
PO Box 491, Haines, AK 99827 (907)766-2876, fax (907)766-2844, aknature@alaskanaturetours.net
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