Set between towering peaks and tidewater fjords in Southeast Alaska, Haines and Klukwan anchor the wild and storied Chilkat Valley. This is a landscape defined by glacier-fed rivers, braided gravel bars, and expansive views where mountains rise sharply from the sea. The valley carries a sense of openness and scale that is rare even in Alaska—long summer light stretching across the river flats, fall mornings heavy with mist, and winter days illuminated by snow and the movement of wildlife. It is a place where the rhythms of tide and river meet, and where the natural world still sets the pace.

The Chilkat River is the lifeblood of the valley, renowned for its salmon runs and the abundance they sustain. Anglers come for strong runs of king, coho, sockeye, chum, and pink salmon, along with opportunities to pursue Dolly Varden and cutthroat trout in clear side channels. The river’s richness draws wildlife in remarkable concentration. Brown bears patrol the banks during peak salmon season, and moose move quietly through willow thickets along the sloughs. In late fall, the valley becomes home to one of the largest gatherings of bald eagles in the world at the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, where thousands of eagles feed on late-running chum salmon beneath snow-covered peaks. The result is a setting that feels both raw and alive—an ecosystem functioning at full strength.

Long before it became known as a destination for fishing and wildlife viewing, the Chilkat Valley was—and remains—the ancestral homeland of the Tlingit people. The village of Klukwan is among the oldest continually inhabited Tlingit settlements in the region, historically serving as a center of trade, diplomacy, and artistry. The river, known traditionally as Jilḵáat Héeni, has always provided sustenance and connection, shaping seasonal movement and cultural practice. The distinctive Chilkat weaving tradition, ceremonial regalia, and clan histories speak to a deep relationship with land and water that continues today. In the Chilkat Valley, visitors do not simply encounter scenic beauty; they enter a living cultural landscape where history, subsistence, and stewardship remain intertwined.