Taiya Inlet facts for kids
Taiya Inlet is a beautiful waterway in Alaska, a state in the United States. It's like a long, narrow arm of the ocean that stretches inland. Taiya Inlet is part of the upper Lynn Canal, which is one of the longest and deepest fjords in North America. A fjord is a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs, typically formed by a glacier.
This inlet is also an estuary. An estuary is where fresh water from rivers mixes with salty ocean water. Taiya Inlet sits in a deep valley. The town of Skagway, Alaska is at its northern end. The rest of Lynn Canal is at its southern end.
History of Taiya Inlet
Taiya Inlet got its name in 1868. The name Taiya comes from the Tlingit language. The Tlingit people are an Indigenous group from the Pacific Northwest Coast. In their language, tayee means beneath or underneath.
This waterway was very important during the Klondike Gold Rush. This was a time in the late 1890s when many people rushed to the Yukon in Canada to find gold. Taiya Inlet offered a path for ships to reach the deep-water port of Skagway.
Smaller boats could also travel further up the inlet to Dyea, Alaska. Dyea is now a ghost town, meaning it's abandoned. Skagway and Dyea were like main doors to the gold fields. From Skagway, people took the White Pass trail. From Dyea, they used the Chilkoot Trail. Both trails were very difficult journeys for gold seekers.
Taiya Inlet Today
Today, Taiya Inlet is still used for travel on the water. The Alaska Marine Highway uses it for ferries that carry people and cars. It's also a popular spot for fun activities like fishing.
A group called the Taiya Inlet Watershed Council works to protect this special area. They help keep the water clean and healthy for all the plants and animals that live there.
