Haines Borough is located on the shores of Lynn Canal between the Chilkoot and Chilkat Rivers in northern Southeast Alaska. The Borough shares a border with British Columbia to the northwest and the Municipality of Skagway to the northeast. Juneau, Alaska's capital city, is 80 air miles to the southeast. Glacier Bay National Park and Icy Straits are to the south and west. Haines is a significant transshipment point due to its ice-free deep water port and year round highway access to Canada, Interior Alaska and the continental US on the Haines and Alaska Highways.
Haines Borough encompasses approximately 2,350 square miles of land, or almost 1.5 million acres, and another 382 square miles of water are within its border. It stretches nearly 120 miles long and is 80 miles at its widest point. The region is typified by snow-capped mountains, some over 6,000 feet, glaciated and forested valleys, and numerous salmon-rich streams and rivers descending to salt water fjords.
Haines enjoys a climate which is characteristically drier than most of Southeast Alaska throughout the year because of its distance from the exposed coast, more northerly latitude, proximity to Interior regions, and local mountains.
For much more information about the area, see the Haines Borough Comprehensive Plan.
