adminIn the summer of 2016, I took a trip to Haines, Alaska, on a religious retreat.
Haines is a small town located in the northern part of the Alaska Panhandle, near Glacier Bay National Park and Reserve.
The population is 1,713. Coming from a larger suburb of Seattle, I was a little unsure of spending multiple weeks in such an isolated place.
However, this was one of the best experiences of my life.
Alaska is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. It is very different than the rest of the United States– it feels far more isolated. In a way, this was very peaceful.
We stayed at a small campground a couple miles from town right by the water. We were able to see views of Rainbow Glacier.
Photo from Unsplash
While it was a little bit alarming to see bears and moose near our campground, it was also very peaceful. It felt as though we were truly immersed in nature.
We got to participate in many fun activities on our trip, such as hiking, kayaking, and swimming. There was no cellphone service or WiFi where we stayed, so we were forced to disconnect and spend time focusing on living in the present.
Photo from Unsplash
Alaska is very serene, especially in small towns such as Haines. I would only recommend it to people who are comfortable disconnecting from every day life.
Despite the isolation, the weeks I spend in Haines were life-changing.
