This Tiny Town In Alaska Is Like Nowhere Else On Earth
Hyder, Alaska is a village that is tucked in the forest along the Alaska-Canadian border. This tiny place is isolated from the rest of Alaska by the vast Tongass National Forest. In this crazy town, they celebrate all the holidays both American and Canadian and you’re sure to have an excellent time. The residents depend on Canadian services for most of their needs, but they still hold onto to their Alaskan pride and wave the U.S. flag. Head to Hyder in the furthest corner of Alaska for an extreme adventure. This is one of the best places to visit in the entire state, without a doubt!
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Hyder lies on just 14.8 square miles of land, separated from the next closest Alaskan town, Ketchikan, by 75 miles of forested islands and ocean. At the last census, 87 proud Alaskans live there. This is the size of some of the typical small towns in Alaska.
Lying at the most extreme point on the southeast panhandle, Hyder is both Alaska's southernmost and easternmost town. They accept both American and Canadian money.
The only road out of town leads two miles down to nearby Stewart, British Columbia. There are no American controls at the border, but there is a Canadian border station about 100 yards from Hyder.
Hyder may be technically on American soil, but Hyder has a Canadian area code for phone calls, they use Canadian utilities, use Stewart's emergency services, and and use Pacific Time instead of the Alaska Time Zone. This is one of the most unique places in Alaska! Not many towns can claim they use another country’s services.
The Alaska Marine Highway ferry ran from Hyder to Ketchikan for years, but was cancelled in the 1990s. Hyder is now only accessible to the rest of Alaska by floatplane or private boat.
Hyder had it's own fire station, but organizers accidentally burned down the fire hall with the fire engine inside during a 4th of July American Independence Day fireworks celebration.
Currently, the only publicly available transportation is the Taquan Air floatplane that arrives twice a week with U.S. Mail at the Hyder Seaplane Base.
Alaska State Troopers have jurisdiction, but there are no officers permanently stationed in the town. Residents are permitted to openly carry weapons in this wild place in the last frontier.
Hyder is a magically beautiful town. The lagoon off the main road is an oasis for watching wildlife from birds to beavers and muskrats, and the occasional bear.
Wildlife viewing opportunities are endless in the area. The Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site is a day-use recreation area in the Salmon River valley with information about local plants and animals.
Look for nesting Canada geese, harlequin ducks, common mergansers, mink, beaver, bald eagles, and the occasional wolf. Also look for brown and black bears feeding on salmon from mid-July through early September.
The town is also the location of the annual Hyder Seek, a gathering of long-distance motorcyclists who travel from all over North America every Memorial Day weekend.
It is a popular trick for travelers to pop into Hyder to check Alaska off their list without driving the full Alaska-Canadian Highway. Visit the wilderness town of Hyder on the edge of Alaska and you'll agree it's worth the journey.
The only road into Hyder, Alaska is through Canada. There used to be a ferry that would run all the way to this small town, but that stopped in the late 1990’s. Now the only direct route from Hyder into the rest of the state of Alaska is the Taquan Air floatplane that arrives on the Hyder Seaplane Base. Otherwise you must travel out by road.
Do you need a passport to enter Hyder?
If you’re traveling by road through Canada, you don’t need a passport to enter into Alaska, but you do need a passport to exit back through Canada on International Street. The only border station that you’ll need to pass through is located in Canada. This is a great spot for someone traveling through Canada who wants to pop over to see the amazing sights that Hyder has to offer, or to visit Canada’s 5th largest glacier, Salmon Glacier. The only road access to Salmon Glacier is through the town of Hyder!
What are the best things to see in Hyder?
The most popular item to see are the bears. Hyder is known for great bear watching, especially in the summer time. Visitors head to the Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site to watch the bears fish during the summer time. There’s a wonderful observation deck where you get a front row seat watching some of Alaska’s most interesting wildlife. Many others travel up to Salmon Glacier, but you’ll want a hardy car as the road isn’t paved and there are many potholes.
