Hiking activities in Alaska
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Indian River Trail
- Sitka, USA
- Activities › Hiking
This easy trail is a 5½-mile walk along a clear salmon stream to Indian River Falls, an 80ft cascade at the base of the Three Sisters Mountains. The hike takes you through typical Southeast rain forest, and offers the opportunity to view brown bears, deer and bald eagles.
The trailhead, a short walk from the town center, is off Sawmill Creek Rd, just east of Sitka National Cemetery. Pass the driveway leading to the Public Safety Academy parking lot and turn up the gated dirt road. This leads back to the city water plant, where the trail begins left of the pump house. Plan on four to five hours round-trip to the falls.
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Homestead Trail
- Homer, USA
- Activities › Hiking
This 6.7-mile trek from Rogers Loop Rd to the City Reservoir, just off Skyline Dr on Crossman Ridge Rd, is a 2½-mile walk to Rucksack Dr, which crosses Diamond Ridge Rd. Along the way you pass through open meadows with panoramic views of Kachemak Bay and Mt Iliamna and Mt Redoubt on the other side of Cook Inlet. The trek continues another 4.2 miles, following Rucksack Dr and Crossman Ridge Rd to the reservoir. Cars are banned from both dirt roads.
To reach the trail, head out of town on the Sterling Hwy and turn right on Rogers Loop Rd across from the Bay View Inn. The trailhead is a half-mile farther, on your right.
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Hiking to Uniktali Bay
The area has few developed trails, but an enjoyable day can be spent hiking to Uniktali Bay, a round-trip of 8 to 10 miles. From Captains Bay Rd, turn east on a gravel road just before you pass Westward Cannery. Follow the road for a mile to its end; a foot trail continues along a stream. In 2 miles, the trail runs out, and you'll reach a lake in a pass between a pair of 2000ft peaks.
Continue southeast to pick up a second stream that empties into Uniktali Bay. The bay is an undeveloped stretch of shoreline and a great place to beachcomb. From time to time, glass floats from Japanese fishing nets wash ashore.
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Pioneer Ridge Hiking Trail
Pioneer Ridge Hiking Trail is a 5.7-mile route from Knik River Rd that climbs the main ridge extending southeast from Pioneer Peaks (6400ft). You'll climb through forest until you reach the alpine tundra at 3200ft. Once on the ridge, South Pioneer Peak is a mile to the northwest, North Pioneer Peak is 2 miles. Scaling either requires rock-climbing experience and equipment. To the southeast, the ridge leads toward Bold Peak, the Hunter Creek drainage and eventually Eklutna Lake.
To reach the trailhead, turn onto Knik River Rd, just before crossing the river on Old Glenn Hwy, and follow it for almost 4 miles.
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Windfall Lake Trail
Montana Creek Trail and Windfall Lake Trail connect at Windfall Lake and can be combined for an interesting 11½-mile overnight hiking trip. It is easier to begin at the trailhead at Montana Creek and follow the Windfall Lake Trail out to the Glacier Hwy. The 3½-mile Windfall Lake Trail begins off a gravel spur that leaves the Glacier Hwy just before it crosses Herbert River, 27 miles northwest of Juneau.
The trail has been improved considerably in recent years and now features the newest USFS cabin in the Juneau area. Windfall Lake Cabin sleeps six and is open as a warming shelter during the day.
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Glacier Lake Hiking Trail
The most popular hike in Kachemak Bay State Park is this 3½-mile, one-way trail that begins at the Glacier Spit trailhead, near the small Rusty Lagoon Campground. The level, easy-to-follow trek proceeds across the glacial outwash and ends at a lake with superb views of Grewingk Glacier. Camping on the lake is spectacular, and often the shoreline is littered with icebergs. At Mile 1.4 you can connect to the 6½-mile Grewingk Glacier Trail, with a hand-tram and access to the face of the glacier.
If you don't have time for the entire hike, there are excellent views less than a mile from the tram.
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Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge
A handful of trails, each less than 2 miles round-trip, wind through the farmlands and forests of Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge, an old dairy farm that's become a birders' paradise. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game seeds the area with bird-luring plants, attracting more than 100 species annually, including Sandhill cranes. The Farmhouse Visitor Center, adjacent to the Fish and Game office and reached by the MACS Red Line, has trail guides, bug spray and a list of recent sightings.
Volunteers lead one-hour nature walks at 19:00 Monday through Friday and 09:00 Wednesday.
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Dude Mountain Trail
Ketchikan's Dude Mountain Trail is an alpine trek reached from Revilla Rd by turning right on Brown Mountain Rd, 5 miles from N Tongass Hwy. At the end of Brown Mountain Rd is the trailhead for Dude Mountain Trail, which begins as a boardwalk through stands of old-growth spruce then becomes a trail as you follow a narrow ridge to the 2848ft peak.
It's a mile's trek and a gain of 1200ft to the top, but once there you're in open alpine and can easily ridge-walk to Diana Mountain (3014ft) or Brown Mountain (2978ft). Plan on two hours for the round-trip to Dude Mountain.
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Seduction Point Trail
This trail begins at Chilkat State Park Campground and is a 6½-mile, one-way hike to the point separating Chilkoot and Chilkat Inlets. The trail swings between forest and beaches, and provides excellent views of Davidson Glacier.
If you have the equipment, this trail can be turned into an excellent overnight hike by setting up camp at the cove east of Seduction Point. Carry in water and check the tides before departing, as the final stretch along the beach after David's Cove should be walked at low- or midtide. The entire round-trip takes nine to 10 hours.
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Petersburg Mountain Trail
On Kupreanof Island, the 3½-mile Petersburg Mountain Trail climbs to the top of Petersburg Mountain (2750ft), which offers views of Petersburg, the Coast Mountains, glaciers and Wrangell Narrows. Plan on five hours for the round-trip. To get across the channel, go to the skiff float at the North Boat Harbor and hitch a ride with somebody who lives on Kupreanof Island. On the Kupreanof side, head right on the overgrown road toward Sasby Island.
You can also call Tongass Kayak Adventures, which runs hikers across the channel for a charge.
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Sheep Creek Trail
SE of Juneau along Thane Rd, is a scenic 3-mile walk into the valley south of Mt Roberts. The trailhead is 4 miles from Juneau, at a staircase on the gravel spur to a Snettisham Power Plant substation. The trail is fairly flat in the Valley, from where you scramble up forested hillsides to the alpine zone. Once above tree line, many hikers follow the power line to reach the ridge to Sheep Mountain (4238ft).
You can continue from Sheep Mountain over Mt Roberts, returning to Juneau along the Mt Roberts Trail. This is a 10- to 12-hour day hike.
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Winner Creek Gorge Hike
Winner Creek Gorge Hike is an easy and pleasant hike that winds 5½ miles through lush (and sometimes muddy) forest, ending in the gorge itself, where Winner Creek becomes a series of small cascades. You can also connect to the National Historic Iditarod Trail for a 7.7-mile loop. Either way, you'll cross the gorge on an ultrafun hand-tram.
The most popular trailhead is near Arlberg Rd: walk along the bike path past the Alyeska Prince Hotel, toward the bottom of the tram. Look for the footpath heading into the forest.
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Root Glacier Trail
Beginning from Kennicott Glacier Lodge, the Root Glacier Trail is a 3-mile round-trip route past the mine ruins to the sparkling white-and-blue ice. Hike northwest of town and continue past an unmarked junction to Bonanza Mine, less than a quarter mile away. Along the way you cross Jumbo Creek; a plank upstream makes fording this creek easy in normal water conditions.
Another half mile further on campsites overlook the end of Root Glacier; nearby you'll find an outhouse and a storage bin (to keep bears out of your food).
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McRoberts Creek Valley Hiking Trail
The backcountry hike up the McRoberts Creek Valley Hiking Trail provides an easy approach to 6119ft Matanuska Peak. The trail reaches the tree line in 2½ miles and 3880ft Summit Ridge in 9 miles. The trek to Matanuska Peak is a serious 18-mile endeavor. To reach the trailhead, take Old Glenn Hwy from Palmer toward Butte and turn left onto Smith Rd at Mile 15.5.
Follow Smith Rd for 1.4 miles, until it curves into Harmony Ave. There is no parking at the South Fork trailhead, so leave the car at the bend in the road.
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Otterbahn Trail
The Otterbahn Trail was famously created by local high school students, who dubbed it the 'we-worked-hard-so-you-better-like-it trail.' The trailhead lies behind Susan B English School, off Winfred Ave. Lined with salmonberries and affording great views of Graduation Peak, it skirts the coastline most of the way and reaches Outside Beach in 1½ miles. Make sure you hike it at tides below 17ft, as the last stretch runs across a slough that is only passable (legally - property above 17ft is private) when the water is out.
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Termination Point
This is a popular hike. The 5-mile loop starts at the end of Monashka Bay Rd and branches into several trails near Termination Point, a spectacular peninsula that juts out into Narrow Strait. Most hiking is done in a lush Sitka spruce forest that shelters you even on the most blustery of days. Be warned, however, that the inland portion of the loop can be confusing at times. If you're nervous about your navigational skills, simply hike the coastal half of the loop and then backtrack.
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Beaver Lake Hike
- Sitka, USA
- Activities › Hiking
This short trail starts from Sawmill Creek Campground, which is reached from Sawmill Creek Rd, 5½ miles east of Sitka. Across from the former pulp mill on Sawmill Creek Rd, turn left onto Blue Lake Rd for the campground; the trailhead is on the campground's south side.
Although initially steep, the 0.8-mile trail levels out and ends up as a scenic walk through open forest, muskeg and marsh areas to Beaver Lake, which is surrounded by mountains. Plan on an hour round-trip.
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Hope Point
- Hope, USA
- Activities › Hiking
Hope Point is steeper and a bit more difficult, following an alpine ridge 5 miles for incredible views of Turnagain Arm. Begin at an unmarked trail along the righthand side of the small Porcupine Creek. After 0.3 miles, the trail leaves the side of the creek and begins to ascend an outcrop with good views. From here, you can follow the ridge above the tree line to Hope Point (elevation 3708ft). Except for an early-summer snowfield, you'll find no water after Porcupine Creek.
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Deer Mountain Trail
This 3-mile walking trail begins near the city center and provides access to the alpine world above the timberline and wonderful views of the town.
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Rock Creek Trail
The moderate 2.3-mile Rock Creek Trail leads west to the park headquarters and dog kennels. It's far easier hiking this trail downhill from the headquarters end, where the trail begins just before Park Rd. From here it crosses Rock Creek but doesn't stay with the stream. Instead, it climbs a gentle slope of mixed aspen and spruce forest, breaks out along a ridge with scenic views of Mt Healy and George Parks Hwy, and then begins a rapid descent to its end at the Taiga Trail.
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Carl E Wynn Nature Center
- Homer, USA
- Activities › Hiking
Located on the bluffs above Homer, this is highly recommended for families and anyone interested in the area's ethnobotany. With a few short interpretive nature trails, one of them boardwalked and wheelchair accessible, this is a grand place to learn which plants can be used to heal a cut, condition your hair or munch for lunch. Naturalist-led hikes leave at 10:00 and 14:00 daily in summer. It also has a slate of lectures and other programs; call the center for a schedule.
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Princess Tours
Offers a 1½-hour tour to Mendenhall Glacier (around US$19) and a three-hour Mendenhall Glacier & Salmon Hatchery Tour (adult/child around US$37/around US$27). Another offering from Princess is its unique Historic Juneau Gold Mine Tour, which visits the remains of the Alaska Gastineau Mine and its mill (adult/child around US$59/around US$35). The three-hour tour heads underground via a conveyer tunnel to explore the mill ruins and ends with a little gold panning.
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West Turner Lake Cabin
West Turner Lake Cabin is one of the most scenic and is by far the Juneau area's most popular cabin. It's 18 miles east of Juneau on the west end of Turner Lake, where the fishing is good for trout, Dolly Varden and salmon. A skiff is provided.
The cabin is within 30 minutes' flying time from Juneau; air charters such as Alaska Seaplane Service and Wings of Alaska will cost around US$500 round-trip from Juneau, split among a planeload of up to five passengers.
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Crow Pass Trail Hike
The highly recommended Crow Pass Trail Hike is a short but beautiful alpine hike that features gold-mining relics, an alpine lake and often there are Dall sheep on the slopes above. It's 4 miles to Raven Glacier, the traditional turnaround point of the trail and 3 miles to a USFS cabin. Or you can continue on the three-day, 26-mile route along the Iditarod Trail to the Eagle River Nature Center. The trailhead is 5.8 miles north of Alyeska Hwy on Crow Creek Rd.
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Anton Larsen Pass
This 5-mile loop is a scenic ridge walk and a far easier alpine hike than Barometer Mountain. The trail begins just north of the gravel parking lot at the pass on the left side of Anton Larsen Bay Rd. A well-defined trail leads you through meadows; at a fork the trailheads right to cross a bridge and climbs to a broad alpine ridge. Once on top, use the rolling ridge to skirt a distinctive, glacial valley before descending back to the fork in the trail.
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