Hiking the Battery Point Trail in Haines

I know I tend to write very long articles, but this time I wanted to keep things short and tell you about a wonderful hike we did in Haines, Alaska: the Battery Point Trail. During our Yukon–Alaska trip, we had not planned to visit Haines at all. It was only after chatting with a Homer resident on the Kenai Peninsula that we decided to come here. For more of our impressions and practical information, you can read our article on what to do in Haines.

I rarely write about the hikes we do abroad, sometimes simply because I run out of time, although I share many of the trails we have explored closer to home here in Guadeloupe. I thought it would be nice to put together a short article with a few photos and the story of this beautiful coastal hike in Alaska.

Since the weather had been so good since our arrival in Haines, we decided to look into this hike. It seemed fairly easy, with little elevation gain, which made it more suitable for our children. A staff member at the Haines Tourist Office had also recommended it to us. The other trails in the area also looked appealing, but their routes climbed much more steeply toward the peaks surrounding the town. Unfortunately, we ran out of time—and hiking with children also limits our options a little, haha. Anyway.

We decided not to begin at the official starting point because, according to the map, the first section followed a road on the outskirts of Haines and did not look particularly interesting. Instead, we drove to the end of the road, where there is a small parking lot. Luckily, there was still enough room for our small campervan—and I say small because we had seen some enormous ones! We were lucky: the early-morning weather was absolutely beautiful. We happily headed into the beautiful forest, which immediately drew us in. Walking through such a beautiful forest in the heart of Alaska was a real pleasure for all of us. The early-morning light filtering between the fir trees was wonderful, and we thoroughly enjoyed strolling through the forest—while quietly hoping we would not come face-to-face with a grizzly, haha!

The trees were incredibly tall, with ferns and mushrooms growing everywhere. The trail was extremely pleasant, and we only passed a handful of people along the way. The path was well maintained and crossed a few small ravines. The first part of the trail was mostly flat, which was another reason we had chosen it. Every so often, we came across a few steps, similar to the well-maintained ones we sometimes see in Guadeloupe or the many trails we encountered in New Zealand.

After half an hour of walking at a leisurely pace with the children, we reached the junction for Mont Riley, which branches off to the right. I would have liked to climb it if we had had more time, but the ascent would probably have been too difficult for the kids. We therefore continued along the trail and reached a beautiful pebble beach. We felt completely alone, surrounded by extraordinary views of snow-capped mountains. There was something magical about having the place entirely to ourselves. It was easy to imagine a bear appearing behind us, haha, but we did not see a single one during the entire hike. That was probably for the best, especially since we had not brought any bear spray and were far from everything. I mention it in my article on things to do in Haines, but there is an exceptional bear-watching spot along a river that feels a little safer, although you still need to remain extremely careful.

We continued to Kelgaya Point, where we were treated to more beautiful views across the fjord. The water was a striking turquoise green, and the setting was truly extraordinary. We took our time, played among the pebbles, and simply enjoyed being there as a family. Several small boats passed by, and sailing across those calm waters must have been wonderful. This kind of hike really makes you want to return and explore Alaska more thoroughly. We would only be there for 15 days, which felt far too short given the sheer size of the region. Still, it gave us a wonderful first glimpse of a place that immediately made us want to discover more.

We retraced our steps slightly and took the junction leading to the end of the trail at Battery Point. The trail entered the forest again for a short stretch, and even though it was already 11:30 a.m., the shade still felt distinctly cool. We were still very much in tropical mode and felt the slightest chill immediately, unlike Pascale, Mélanie’s mother, who is far more accustomed to colder temperatures. We arrived around noon under perfect weather and warm sunshine. We sat in our T-shirts, dipped our feet in the water, and ate our sandwiches. From where we sat, the colors and contrasts were magnificent: the turquoise-green fjord, the deep-green pine forest, and the rocky glaciers beneath snow-capped peaks. Although the strong contrasts made my camera settings a little tricky, photographing this environment was a real pleasure.

The children had a wonderful time in a setting that was impossible not to appreciate. We spent a good two hours there, enjoying both the scenery and the tranquility. Apart from two stray dogs that came over to say hello, we were completely alone. We set off quietly in the middle of the afternoon, retracing the same trail. The forest was just as beautiful on the way back, and there were plenty of interesting details to photograph if you took the time to look. Thanks to two Americans we met on the trail, we were even lucky enough to spot two porcupines in a tree. As I moved closer, I realized they were much larger than I had imagined. It was a lovely encounter.

On the way back, I stopped to photograph some of the mushrooms growing in the area. There were no edible ones in sight, but a few days later, we did find two porcini mushrooms in Skagway! We also recovered Louis’s coat, which we had dropped on the way out—what a relief!

In the end, we had a wonderful day on this beautiful trail. We would recommend it to families and to anyone looking for varied scenery, with forests, beaches, and mountain views along the way.

If you are planning to visit the area, take a look at our article on where to stay in Haines!

See you soon!

Written by Sylvain PONS

Twice, over a period of about 2 months, I had the opportunity to explore several corners of the United States, taking advantage of the best it has to offer. I decided to share some of my experiences with you!

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