Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve Rafting from Haines

Treat yourself to a small group rafting and scenic driving tour through the famous Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve.

After meeting your expert guide, you will experience an enjoyable riverside drive along the Haines Highway. The drive is incredibly scenic: glacier-clad mountains thrust to the sky, colorful wildflowers line the road, and green riverside channels provide habitat for moose, bear, and trumpeter swans. The highway was declared a National Scenic Byway in 2009. Arrive at the river in the heart of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, approximately 40 minutes away.

After boarding your raft, you'll enjoy a scenic raft trip down the Chilkat River through the famous Haines Eagle Preserve, home of the world's largest concentration of Bald Eagles. You are immersed in the Alaskan wilderness, floating in the silent river. As there are no rapids (white water) on the river, it makes for a very relaxing float. Depending on the flow of the river, the float portion lasts about 1 1/2 hours.

Along the way, your professional guide will inform and entertain you with the natural history of the area, Chilkat Indian Heritage, and Alaskan stories. The number of eagles you will see is very dependent on the food available to the eagles (i.e. the fish runs). During the early months of the summer season, you will often see parent eagles sitting on nests, or eaglets in nests as the parent eagles fly to the nests with food for their young. Thousands of bald eagles travel here to feed on salmon in the fall and winter. During very warm days, the eagles are often seen catching the thermals and soaring above the mountain peaks.

Paddling is not required, as your expert guide will push the raft along, explaining the intricate balance of nature that makes this a unique and special place. As they are experts in spotting wildlife, and you may observe brown bears, black bears, wolves, otters, trumpeter swans, and moose. Don't leave your camera behind for this adventure!

After rafting, your guide will select a scenic spot to enjoy lunch on your way back to Haines.