Haines - can we get to Emerald Lake and back?

[NeilFan]

We'll be docking in Haines on our August 2009 cruise southbound on Veendam. In looking for things to do I notice many people like to rent a car and drive to Emerald Lake. Can anyone give me the details of what that drive is like -- are there interesting stopping places, photo ops, wildlife, etc. If we have from 6:30 am to 9:00 p.m. in Haines, can we fit it in or will we feel rushed? I am assuming we will have to ferry over to Skagway to get a car and then back after our drive. Any suggestions will be appreciated on what would work the best within our time constraints. It is actually a pretty long day in port -- wish they were all that long!!

 

I also noticed that Dyea Dave is very accommodating as far as personalizing a tour -- for $50 pp would that be a better way to go for a party of four?

 

Many thanks for all your help!

NeilFan ;)

[Yukon]

You can easily take the fast-cat to Skagway, ick up a car and drive to Emerald Lake and back. The drive takes about 5 hours for lots of stops - you can see photos of the drive at http://www.explorenorth.com/library/roads/sklondike-photos1.html

 

BUT, you can also rent a car in Haines (from any of several independents) and make the drive up the Haines Highway - although there's no obvious turn-around spot and no places for lunch up there unless you go all the way to Haines Junction (which you could do with the port time you have), it's equally as spectacular a drive.

[CC Help Michell]

You can easily take the fast-cat to Skagway, ick up a car and drive to Emerald Lake and back. The drive takes about 5 hours for lots of stops - you can see photos of the drive at http://www.explorenorth.com/library/roads/sklondike-photos1.html

 

BUT, you can also rent a car in Haines (from any of several independents) and make the drive up the Haines Highway - although there's no obvious turn-around spot and no places for lunch up there unless you go all the way to Haines Junction (which you could do with the port time you have), it's equally as spectacular a drive.

 

To add to Murray's thoughts about the Haines Highway, we were fortunate this summer to have port calls in both Skagway and Haines. In Skagway we took a tour through Chilkoot that involved the train up to Fraser and a mini bus trip to Emerald Lake and back to Skagway. In Haines we rented a car and drove the Haines Highway as far as Million Dollar Falls.

 

If you click the photo link in my signature you will see that the sights were equally breathtaking on both trips, and I actually couldn't pick which one was "better" if asked. I think either will offer views of amazing scenery. The Fast Ferry ride might offer some interesting views of the Lynn Canal -- but I do wonder whether there's been any agreement on if it will operate next year? I know Chilkat stopped operating it this year and a "coalition" of Haines folks sort of took it over to save this year's cruise season -- but I just don't know (not trying to cause a panic, I really mean I don't know!) if there's been any news about 2009.