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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Hyder
Go for one night, mid-July to early September, to see bears at Fish Creek; skip it outside that window — the road in is 3 km from Stewart, BC.
Hyder is a one-block Alaska town of under 100 people at the head of the Portland Canal, reachable by road only through Stewart, British Columbia. It exists on this site as a border curiosity and a salmon-run bear-viewing stop: the Fish Creek platform runs mid-July to early September, and the rest of the year there is almost nothing to do. Most travellers sleep in Stewart and drive over for the day.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mid-Jul–early Sep (salmon run and bear viewing)
- Avoid
- Oct–May (viewing site closed, most businesses shut)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget US$60–100 excl. bed · Mid US$120–200 excl. bed · High US$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Poison control 1-800-222-1222
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | US$3–5 |
| Burger or chowder at the seasonal food stand | US$15–25 |
| Beer at the Glacier Inn | US$6–9 |
| Fish Creek observation site, per day | US$5 |
| Campsite with pay showers | US$20–45 per person |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KTN · Ketchikan International
- Seaplane to Hyder about two days a week, 55 min each way (check current schedule)
Typical fares
- Seaplane Hyder ↔ Ketchikan
- about two days a week, 55 min each way; fare on request (check)
- Fish Creek observation site
- US$5 a day, payable at the Forest Service office or local vendors
- Drive Stewart → Hyder
- 3 km, under 10 min; no toll1.9 mi, under 10 min; no toll
Get around
Walk the whole town in minutes. Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site is north of the border on a gravel road: drive there. No public transport, no taxi.
See and do
Known for
- Fish Creek bear and eagle viewing
- Unguarded US–Canada border on International Street
- Glacier Inn and the 'Hyderized' shot
- Road-only access via Stewart, BC
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Stewart, BC | Drive or walk 3 km northeast on the only road outDrive or walk 1.9 mi northeast on the only road out | Under 10 min by car |
| Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site | Drive north of the border on the gravel road | About 15 min |
| Ketchikan | Taquan Air seaplane, about two days a week | Check |
Sleep
- Hyder (International Street)
- One block of rooms, a campground and the bar; book ahead in bear season or you will sleep in Stewart.
- Stewart, BC
- 3 km northeast; the practical base for most visitors — bed, restaurant and fuel availability: check.1.9 mi northeast; the practical base for most visitors — bed, restaurant and fuel availability: check.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Where is the bear viewing site? | Where is the bear viewing site? |
| Can I pay in Canadian dollars? | Can I pay in Canadian dollars? |
| Is the border open? | Is the border open? |
| Where is the nearest fuel? | Where is the nearest fuel? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Canada guards its side of the border: a single-entry Canadian visa will not get you back in from Hyder.
- Hyder is in the US but runs on Pacific Time and the BC +1-250 area code; Canadian dollars are the everyday currency.
- The Fish Creek site is open mid-July to early September only, 6:00–22:00, with a small daily fee (check).
- Fuel, groceries and most services are in Stewart — fill up before you cross.
Very low crime; the real risks are bears at Fish Creek (stay on the platform, never approach), the unlit gravel road at dusk, and border paperwork — check your Canadian visa allows re-entry before you cross.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Hyder yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Fish Creek bear and eagle viewing
- Unguarded US–Canada border on International Street
- Glacier Inn and the 'Hyderized' shot
- Road-only access via Stewart, BC
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- US Forest Service — Fish Creek Wildlife Observation Site: www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r10/specialplaces/?cid=fsbdev2_038787
- Taquan Air: taquanair.com/
- Wikivoyage: Hyder, revision 5326990 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5326990
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Hyder
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Poison control1-800-222-1222
No consulates in Hyder; nearest consular help is in Vancouver, BC or Anchorage, AK (check).
Hyder uses Pacific Time and the BC +1-250 area code despite being in Alaska.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/hyder). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.