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Skagway · Alaska · United States
Chilkoot Lake Nature and Wildlife Viewing from Skagway
Starting From
From $275.00 per person
Current Project Expedition rate
Experience inventory, live availability and secure booking provided by
Project Expedition
The Experience
What your day looks like
Leave the crowds of Skagway behind and visit Chilkoot Lake State Park in Haines. Your tour begins with a high-speed catamaran ride along the steep-walled fjords that connect Skagway to Haines. Over a dozen unnamed waterfalls drop hundreds of feet from both sides of the boat. Bald eagles and harbor seals are often seen on this journey. Upon arrival in Haines, meet your naturalist guide for a small-group driving tour (14 guests maximum) to scenic and wildlife-rich Chilkoot Lake State Park. This park has it all: a turquoise lake surrounded by snowy mountain peaks, a salmon-filled river flowing into the sea, and important Tlingit cultural sights. Depending on the season, bald eagles, harbor seals, and brown bears can be seen here. As you drive through the park, your guide knows the best places to stop for scenery and the possibility of wildlife spotting. Supplied with extra binoculars and a powerful spotting scope to bring the wildlife in close, your guide explains how the animals fit into the Chilkoot's complex ecosystem. May, June, and July feature an explosion of wildflowers with bald eagles nesting along the lush river. Beginning in August, pink salmon—the smallest and most abundant of the Pacific salmon varieties—begin their run up the Chilkoot River to spawn. This is the best opportunity to see brown bears as they are often witnessed feeding along the banks of the river. Make sure to bring your camera to take advantage of the numerous photo opportunities. Enjoy lunch on your way back to Haines. Board the Fast Ferry to Skagway and return to your ship with memories of an unforgettable adventure.
At a Glance
The experience, in brief
- Join Chilkoot Lake Nature and wildlife viewing tour
- Opportunity to see brown bears as they are often witnessed feeding along the banks of the river
- The best places to stop for scenery and the possibility of wildlife spotting
Your Itinerary
Your day, step by step
Day 1
Skagway
Wildlife Safari.
Before You Go
What to know before booking
Included
Haines-Skagway Fast Ferry
Not Included
Guide Gratuities
Meeting & Pickup
In Skagway, we meet at the three Cruise Ship Docks in Skagway or or pick up from local hotels and B&Bs within a 2-mile radius of downtown.
Languages Offered
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Before Booking
Please note that car seats are required for children under 4, and boosters for children 4-7. Kindly indicate how many children require car seats or boosters on the booking request.
Planning Notes
Hotel pickup offered: Yes Confirmation: Manual By Business
Traveler Impressions
What travelers are saying
2026-06-25
4.00 / 5
It started with the a ride on the local ferry to Hines. This was a really nice ferry and they had a director pointing out all the eagles and other wildlife along the way. We were met by a guide who drove us arroundthe whole area in a van. Lunch was a nice turkey sandwich but we had to eat in the van because of areal rules now. A state park on the drive was closed because of a closing due to budget cuts. We seen no wildlife and the weather was foggy which is not this tours fault. It was nice and would have been nicer if the area was alive with wildlife and a sunny day. We did enjoy it and the tour guide was very good.
2025-08-12
5.00 / 5
Great adventure. We saw one bear and her cubs loved the whole adventure
2025-07-29
4.00 / 5
Great guide pointed out many sights on the fly while we drove by. We enjoyed walking around suspension bridge area. We were hoping to see more animals and our other tour was canceled so the team was great helping us scramble and get another tour. This tour would be very good for folks that are less mobile . Thank you all.
2025-07-29
5.00 / 5
Our guide was fantastic! I believe her name was Katherine. She was knowledgeable and willing to share.
2025-07-28
5.00 / 5
Or tour guide was terrific! Saw lots of eagles, some salmon, mountain goats, and beautiful scenery!
2024-08-06
5.00 / 5
Great day with an awesome guide!
2024-06-17
4.00 / 5
Scenery was awesome; guide was knowledgeable—I was particularly impressed with the contrast of the Chilkat and Chilkoot rivers/ecosystems on opposite sides of the mountain range. The tour included lunch—which was good—but was also supposed to include beverages (at least water) which it did not… Also: that the meeting point for the ferry is at Railroad Dock (and not the RR station in town) was confusing—might be good to clarify that more in the informational text/email.
2024-06-11
5.00 / 5
We enjoyed it so much. It was nice to have time to explore on our own!
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