• The Haines Highway was designated a State Scenic Byway January 15, 1998
• The Haines Corridor Management Plan was adopted by the Haines Borough January 23, 2007
• The Haines Highway was designated a National Scenic Byway on October 16, 2009.

   

The Haines Highway.

The Haines Highway is encompassed by the lush coastal rain forest as it makes its way up the St. Elias Mountains and into Canada where the forest gives way to alpine tundra and connects with the Alaska Highway in Haines Junction, Yukon. First used by the Chilkat Indians, the highway became a packhorse trail to the Klondike gold fields in the late 1880's. In 1943, the U.S. Army used the highway as a military access road during World War II.

Visit our Haines Highway page at the Alaska Scenic Byway website.

What is the Alaska Scenic Byways Program?

Alaska established a Scenic Byways program in 1993 to recognize and celebrate some of the most beautiful landscapes in our state. Administered by the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities, this program also recognizes routes that provide access to our most scenic areas, cultural riches and recreational resources.

Alaska’s Scenic Byways start at the local level with a grass-roots byway organization. Once the byway organization applies for and receives scenic byway designation by the state, the route becomes eligible for grant funding to enhance and promote the byway’s special qualities. They also become eligible to apply for national designations by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

Information regarding all of the State Scenic Byways in Alaska can be found at Alaska Scenic Byways.

What is the National Scenic Byways Program?

The National Scenic Byways program was created by Congress in 1991. Under the National Scenic Byways Program, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation recognizes certain roads as National Scenic Byways or All-American Roads for their outstanding qualities. “America’s Byways are the roads to the heart and soul of America,” said Secretary Mineta. “Byways help create a sense of pride in America. They connect us to this country’s beauty, history and culture.”

To learn more about the Alaska and National Scenic Byways Program, visit the America's Byways or Alaska Department of Transportation websites.