Alaska: The Inside Passage

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Haines by ferry or plane from Juneau. We meet for a bike fitting and orientation in the afternoon. After a warm-up ride to test our bikes and get acquainted with town, we’ll have dinner together.

With the sun setting at about 10:15pm, you may find yourself with energy after dinner to explore this small town on your own. With a population of 1,863 people, more American bald eagles congregate here than people. 5 miles.

Day 2 We use Haines as our home base today as we cycle in the morning up the river to Chilkoot Lake. The glacial-fed lake is surrounded by stunning Sitka spruce tree covered mountains. Sockeye salmon fishing is a million-dollar industry here.

After a picnic lunch back in Haines, we’ll head in the other direction to Chilkat State Park. Locals say it’s the best place to look for moose. We should also be able to see Rainbow Glacier, a hanging glacier with a huge waterfall dropping from its face.

Before dinner in the evening, we’ll visit the Port Chilkoot Distillery for a tour and tasting. With locally grown herbs such as wormwood, lemon balm and anise hyssop and hand-harvested spruce tips used in their spirits, you’ll feel as if you’re actually tasting Alaska. 30 miles.

Day 3 Today’s ride takes us along the Chilkat River to the tiny village of Klukwan, where we’ll have lunch and tour the new cultural heritage center. We’ll learn about the native Tlingit people and their history, customs and the importance of living in a sense of place. Their traditional tribal council still oversees all community matters.

Then we’ll continue our ride along the Klehini River through the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve. One of the world’s largest concentrations of bald eagles makes their home here. Bring your binoculars and look for mountain goats too. 40 miles.

Day 4 The morning is your own to explore town before we get on our ferry in the afternoon. Haines was home to the first permanent Army base in Alaska. Established as a result of a border dispute with Canada, Fort William H. Seward was named after the former U.S. Secretary of State who negotiated the purchase of Alaska from the Russians. The fort was decommissioned in 1947, and most of its original buildings are now private residences, restaurants and art galleries.

A one-hour ferry in the afternoon will take us to the town of Skagway. Sitting on the northernmost point of the Inside Passage, Skagway was the state’s first incorporated city, thanks to the population explosion brought on by the gold rush of the late 1890s. Most of downtown is now the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park.

We’ll shuttle up to the summit of White Pass (2864’) for a spectacular view and a beautiful bike ride back down to town. The hearty can choose to cycle some or all the way up too. 15 – 30 miles.

Day 5 After a hearty breakfast in town, we’ll cycle out to the abandoned town of Dyea. Once a small seasonal shipping camp, it became a frenzied boom town in the late 1890s as thousands of people poured through on their way to the gold fields. Today, Dyea has been reclaimed by nature and is a major archaeological site run by the National Park Service. We will explore its history, flora and immense beauty and be reminded of the impermanence of our time here.

In the evening, we’ll be treated to a tour at Skagway Brewing Company and see the local pioneering spirit at work. The owners fuel an indoor vegetable garden in part by the carbon dioxide generated from the brewing process. They grow an incredible amount of food in a very small space. We’ll have dinner in their private dining room. 22 miles.

Day 6 We’ll catch an early catamaran ferry to Yankee Cove this morning, stopping for waterfall and glacier viewings, humpback whales breaching and sea lions sunbathing. Once we disembark, we’ll cycle the rest of the way into downtown Juneau. The gorgeous route hugs the coastline on a mix of separated bike paths and bike lanes. Once at our inn, you’ll have the evening to explore Alaska’s capital city, as dinner is on your own tonight. 39 miles.

Day 7 Our last day of cycling will take us across the Gastineau Channel to Douglas Island. We’ll ride along the shoreline on this flat ride around the northern end of the island. We’ll have stunning views of the Canadian Coast Mountains, the Tongass National Forest and the Mendenhall Glacier along the way. After a picnic lunch, you can choose to take a short hike out to the beach before cycling back to our inn. We’ll celebrate our adventure at our final dinner tonight. 26 miles.

Day 8 The tour officially ends after breakfast this morning. You are free to take a taxi to the Juneau airport at your leisure. 0 miles.