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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 (1.9 mi), under 10 min; no toll1.9 mi (3 km), under 10 min; no toll
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
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 (1.9 mi) northeast on the only road outDrive or walk 1.9 mi (3 km) 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 (1.9 mi) northeast; the practical base for most visitors — bed, restaurant and fuel availability: check.1.9 mi (3 km) 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.