Klondike hwy vs Haines Hwy

[sunsetme]

Which is better? Originally scheduled for Skagway and was planning to drive the Klondike, may still be able to get over there with the ferry but rented a car in Haines as a back up to do Haines Hwy and Chilkoot lake. any opinions about which is a better choice?

[donaldsc]

I have not driven to the Skagway Highway from Skagway to Whitehorse which I assume is what you mean by the Klondike Highway.  Actually the Klondike Highway much longer 445 mile highway that connects Skagway Alaska to Whitehorse and Dawson City Yukon. 

 

The Haines Highway is much shorter and is also called the Haines Cutoff.  It is a 146-mile drive from Haines Junction, Yukon to Haines.  I have driven that road and it is a really spectacular wonderful drive.

 

DON

[tetleytea]

The Klondike highway drive is spectacular until you get a little past Carcross.  Once you pass Emerald Lake, the drive on to Whitehorse is a little bleh.

 

[JT1962]

Both are worth seeing. The Klondike Hwy is more of a mountainous drive (until Carcross) than the Haines Hwy (at least to the Canadian border). In addition to Chilkoot Lake in Haines, also see Chilkat State Park, if you have time.
 

If you go to Haines, I recommend seeing the Kroschel Wildlife Center. It is not far off the Haines Hwy. I would contact them before your arrival to make arrangements since they usually do schedule tours from the cruise lines, used to accept independent visitors as well. 

[sunsetme]

thanks!

[gvgseg]

14 hours ago, tetleytea said:

The Klondike highway drive is spectacular until you get a little past Carcross.  Once you pass Emerald Lake, the drive on to Whitehorse is a little bleh.

 

I second this opinion. Just returned from there last week. We rented a car in Skagway and drove the Klondike Highway to Emerald Lake and back. It was nice to be able to stop when you want. The scenery is spectacular, perhaps the most beautiful I have ever seen in my life. I highly recommend stopping at the Yukon Suspension Bridge. We also stopped at the Sled Dog camp around mile marker 46.

[Tippyton]

Both are great.  In Skagway we aw black bears long the highway.  In Haines we've gone to Chilkoot Lake and watched brown bears feeding on the salmon.