Haines Junction

History

For around 2,000 years, the Southern Tutchone people had seasonal hunting and fishing camps in the area of present-day Haines Junction. The original name of the area was "Dakwakada", a Southern Tutchone word meaning "high cache". It was common for Tutchone people to use raised log caches to store food year-round or temporarily while they hunted and fished in an area.
The Haines Junction area was also important for trade between the coastal and interior peoples. It lies at the interior end of the Chilkat Pass, one of only three passes that allowed travel between the coast and the interior, which was used extensively for trade between the coastal Tlingit and Southern Tutchone people.
Haines Junction was established in 1942 and 1943 during the construction of the Alaska Highway. In 1943, a second highway, the Haines Highway, was built to connect the Alaska Highway with the coastal town of Haines, Alaska, over the Chilkat Pass, hence the name of the community. Situated at the junction of these two highways, Haines Junction was a construction camp and a supply and service centre for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers building the highway.

Haines Junction is on the Alaska Highway (historical mile 635), approximately from west of Whitehorse, and is the northern terminus of the Haines Highway. The Haines Junction Airport has no scheduled airline service.

• Da Ku Cultural Center

  phone: +1-867-634-3300
  address: 280 Alaska Highway
  The Da Kų Culture Centre is an innovative cultural facility and celebrates the culture and traditions of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations.

• St. Elias Convention Centre

  address: 178 Backe St
  It houses the municipal offices and is home to a local history exhibit depicting significant events of the Kluane region since 1890. The Haines Junction Permanent Art Collection includes acrylic painting, ceramics, a Millennium Quilt, silk screen wall hanging, and carvings by local artists.
• Exterior artwork can be found at the James Smith Administration Building – the Homeward Bound dogsled sculpture. Atop the local waste management facility sign is a large metal raven sculpture, and a truck box planter with three metal ravens is located at the main intersection, next to the RCMP station. On the opposite corner, the Village Monument sculpture illustrates local wildlife. Nicknamed "The Muffin", this is probably the most photographed spot in "The Junction".

• Our Lady of the Way Catholic ChurchBuilt in 1954, the church uses parts from an old army Quonset hut left over from the highway construction days.

• St. Christopher's Anglican ChurchAn eight-sided log church designed and constructed by a local craftsman. The church basement houses a local art gallery during the summer months.

• Kluane National Park and ReserveComposed of two parts: a national park and a national park reserve in the southwest corner of Yukon. It is part of the Kluane-Wrangell-St. Elias-Glacier Bay-Tatshenshini-Alsek UNESCO World Heritage Site (main article: Kluane National Park).

• Kluane Glacier Air Tours

  phone: +1 867-634-2916
  Flightseeing tours of Kluane National Park and Mount Logan (Canada's highest mountain).

• Icefield Discovery

  phone: +1-867-841-4204
  Flightseeing, glacier landing, and icefield camp. Fly from Kluane Lake, follow Kaskawulsh Glacier, cross the St. Elias Mountain divide to the Mt. Logan massif.
• On the edge of town, Pine Lake is a popular spot for swimming, picnicking, fishing and boating with a beach and playground area that make it a perfect family destination.
• At the other end of town, just north of the Dezadeash River bridge, a parking lot on the west side of the Haines Highway is the starting point the 5.5-km Dezadeash River Trail.
• The 15-km Auriol Trail provides a close up look of the St. Elias Mountains and great views of Haines Junction. The trailhead is 7 km south of town on the Haines Highway.

• Acacia Vintage

  phone: +1 867 634-5164
  address: 118 Quill Crescent
  Vintage clothing, arts, crafts and furnishings.

• The Little Green Apple

  phone: +1 867 634-2506
  address: 270 Alaska Hwy
  Grocery store.

• Frosty Freeze

  phone: +1 867-634-7070
  address: 198 Alaska Highway
  Serves the best burgers, sandwiches soft and hard ice cream and ice cream treats. Open May through September

• Guys & Dolls Bistro

  phone: +1 867-634-2300
  address: 102 Steele Street
  Greek and Canadian

• Lucky Dragon Restaurant

  phone: +1 867-634-2646
  address: 225 Alaska Highway
  Chinese, Asian

• Northern Lights Steak & Seafood Restaurant

  phone: +1-867-634-2371

• The Raven

  phone: +1-867-634-2500
  address: 181 Alaska Highway

• Village Bakery & Deli

  phone: +1-867-634-2867
  address: 116 Auriol Street
  Cafe, Canadian, Vegetarian Friendly; Open May to September.

• Mile 1016 Pub

  phone: +1-867-634-2093
  address: 1 Haines Road

Bed & Breakfast

• Aspen Place Suite

  phone: +1-867-634-5337
  One-bedroom kitchenette suite available on a nightly/weekly basis.

Motels

• Alcan Motor Inn

  phone: +1-867-634-2371
  23 rooms; single and double queen beds, kitchenettes, 2 bedroom suites, a handicap accessible room and a jacuzzi suite.

• Cozy Corner Motel and Restaurant

  phone: +1-867-634-2511, +1-867-334-5675

• Parkside Inn

  phone: +1-867-634-2900
  address: 137 Haines Highway
  Each suite with fully equipped kitchenettes stocked with breakfast items and full 3 piece private bathrooms

• Raven Hotel

  phone: +1-867-634-2500
  address: 181 Alaska Highway

• Stardust Motel

  phone: +1-867-634-2591
  address: 1015 Alaska Highway
  6 non-smoking rooms, Satellite TV, private bath/WC with hair dryer, coffee maker etc.

Hostel

• Wanderer's Inn Backpacker's Hostel

  phone: +1-867-634-5321
  address: 191 Backe Street

Camping

• Haines Junction FasGas and RV Park

  phone: +1-867-634-2505
  address: 270 Alaska Highway
  Gas station, convenience store and RV park located across the Alaska Highway from the Champagne and Aishihik Cultural Centre.

• Kluane R.V. Kampground

  phone: +1-867-634-2709