Activities in Alaska
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Cycling, Driftwood Lodge
Cycling, Driftwood Lodge rents basic mountain bikes. Bike paths run between Auke Bay, Mendenhall Glacier and downtown, and from the Juneau-Douglas Bridge to Douglas. Pick up a route guide at the Centennial Hall's main visitors center. Because most of Juneau's trails are steep, mountain biking is limited, but the Windfall Lake and Peterson Lake trails are popular with off-road cyclists.
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Skagway Shore Excursion: Full-Day Tour of the Yukon
6 hours (Departs Skagway, Alaska)
by Viator
Spend time in port in Skagway enjoying a full-day shore excursion into the Yukon, Canada's westernmost territory. Explore some of North America's most stunning…Not LP reviewed
from USD$103.95 -
Young Lake Cabins
The two Young Lake Cabins have skiffs to access a lake with good fishing for cutthroat trout and landlocked salmon. A lakeshore trail connects the two cabins.
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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Hike to Birch Hill Lake
If you find yourself with an unexpected day in Bettles, which can easily happen in August, take a hike up to Birch Hill Lake. The trailhead is unmarked but can be located by first heading to the Evansville Health Clinic. Next to it is a small brown house, and the trail can be found just to the right of the house. It's a 3-mile trek to the lake and can get swampy. Wear rubber boots.
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Pyramid Mountain
Two trails, both starting on Anton Larsen Bay Rd, lead to the top of Pyramid Mountain (2401ft). Avoid the easternmost trail, accessed off the golf course, which is brush-choked and hard going. Instead, continue west to Anton Larsen Pass, where the other trail begins in the parking area on the right. It's a steep but easy-to-follow climb, straight up the mountain 2 miles to the top.
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Peterson Lake Trail
Peterson Lake Trail is a 4-mile route along Peterson Creek to its namesake lake, a favorite among hike-in anglers for the good Dolly Varden fishing. The trailhead is 20ft before the Mile 24 marker on Glacier Hwy, north of the Shrine of St Terese. Wear rubber boots, as it can be muddy during the summer. The Peterson Lake Cabin turns this trail into a delightful overnight adventure.
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Dan Moller Trail
Dan Moller Trail is a 3.3-mile trail leads to an alpine bowl at the crest of Douglas Island, where you'll find the Dan Moller Cabin. Just across the channel in West Juneau, the public bus conveniently stops at Cordova St in West Juneau and from there, you turn left onto Pioneer Ave and follow it to the end of the pavement to the trailhead. Plan on six hours for the round-trip.
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Bike Hire
The only place to rent a bike downtown is the gift shop at the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, which has mountain bikes. Ketchikan has two bicycle trails along Tongass Ave. The most scenic is the 2½-mile trail that follows the water from the downtown area to Saxman Totem Park. The other trail follows N Tongass Hwy to Ward Lake Recreation Area, a one-way ride of 6.4 miles.
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Point Bishop Trail
Point Bishop Trail is at the end of Thane Rd, 7½ miles southeast of Juneau. This 8-mile trail leads to Point Bishop, a scenic spot overlooking the junction of Stephens Passage and Taku Inlet. The trail is flat but can be wet in many spots, making waterproof boots the preferred footwear. The hike makes for an ideal overnight trip, as there is good camping at Point Bishop.
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Turnagain Arm Trail
An easy 11-mile, hike that begins at Mile 115. Originally used by Alaska Natives, the convenient route has since been used by Russian trappers, gold miners and happy hikers. The trail, with a mountain goat's view of Turnagain Arm, alpine meadows and beluga whales, can also be accessed at the McHugh Picnic Area (Mile 112), Rainbow (Mile 108) and Windy Corner (Mile 107).
reviewed
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Sockeye Cycle
Sockeye Cycle rents hybrids and mountain bikes and offers several bike tours out of Skagway that include all equipment. Its 2½-hour Klondike Tour begins with van transportation to Klondike Pass (elevation 3295ft) on the Klondike Hwy. From there it's a 15-mile downhill ride back to town, with plenty of stops to view waterfalls and the White Pass & Yukon Route.
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Gull Rock Trail
The Gull Rock Trail is an easy 5-mile, four- to six-hour walk to Gull Rock, a rocky point 140ft above the Turnagain shoreline. The trail follows an old wagon road built at the turn of the 19th century, and along the way you can explore the remains of a cabin and a sawmill. You can camp at Gull Rock, but dead spruce trees are a serious fire hazard; stick with a stove.
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Parks, Culture & Recreation Department
Before hiking Mt Ballyhoo, Bunker Hill or just about anywhere outside town, obtain a permit from the Ounalashka Corporation and check with Unalaska's Parks, Culture & Recreation Department, in the community center (next to the visitors center). PCR offers organized hikes in summer that are highly worthwhile if you're in the area longer than just the ferry stop.
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Southeast Exposure Kayaks
Ketchikan serves as the base for some of the best kayaking in Southeast. Possibilities include anything from an easy paddle around the waterfront to a weeklong trip in Misty Fiords National Monument. Rent kayaks from Southeast Exposure Kayaks, 14 miles north of town, convenient if you're paddling out of Settler's Cove State Park, a logistic headache if you're not.
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Paddling
You can spend three or four days paddling the many fjords of the park, departing from Homer and making overnight stops at Glacier Spit or Halibut Cove. Think twice before crossing Kachemak Bay from the Spit, however. Although it's only 3½ miles to the eastern shore, the currents and tides are strong and can cause serious problems for inexperienced paddlers.
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Paddling
Bluewater paddles out of Resurrection Bay along the coastline of the park are for experienced kayakers only; others should invest in a costly drop-off service. You'll be rewarded, however, with wildlife encounters and close-up views of the glaciers from a unique perspective. Most companies can arrange drop-off and pickup for the more remote Northwestern Lagoon.
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Smitty's Cove
From the Buckner Building, walk along the Shotgun Cove Hiking Trail, which winds through blueberry and salmonberry thickets to First Salmon Run Picnic Area, and then head a quarter mile down the road to your right (northeast) to get to Smitty's Cove. At low tide you can comb the beach westward, following the water's edge past the ferry terminal to the Triangle.
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Tongass Wildlife Kayaking Adventure
by Viator
lt;pgt;Experience the tranquility of the Alaskan wilderness as you paddle on the waterways in search of local fauna on a Tongass Wildlife Kayaking…Not LP reviewed
from USD$135.45 -
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Larry's Flying Service
The Arctic Circle may be an imaginary line, but it's become one of Fairbanks' biggest draws, with small air-charter companies doing booming business flying travelers on sightseeing excursions across it. Larry's Flying Service offers a 1¾-hour air-only tour, or a three-hour trip with an hour-long ground tour of Fort Yukon, just north of the circle.
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Girdwood Ski & Cyclery
Girdwood Ski & Cyclery will rent you the bikes to enjoy it.
The most scenic ride is the Indian-Girdwood Cycling Trail, a paved path that leads out of the valley and along the Seward Hwy above Turnagain Arm. A new segment built in 2005 has extended the route to Mile 103 of the highway, linking Alyeska Resort with Indian Creek 17 miles away.
reviewed
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Arctic Caribou Inn Oilfield Tour
This two-hour ordeal is the only way to gain access to the oil fields and the ocean. Taking place several times daily, it begins with a cloying corporate video and continues with a perfunctory bus ride to the waterfront, where you have the option of taking a quick, frigid dip. You must sign up for this tour a day in advance in order to clear security.
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Bird Ridge Trail
The Bird Ridge Trail starts with a wheelchair-accessible loop, then continues with a steep, popular and well-marked path that reaches a 3500ft overlook at Mile 2; this is a traditional turnaround point for folks in a hurry. Or you can continue another 4 miles to higher peaks and even better views from sunny Bird Ridge, a top spot for rock climbing.
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Cowee Meadow Cabin
This is one of three rental cabins in Point Bridget State Park. Cowee Meadow Cabin is a 2½-mile hike into the park.
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.
reviewed
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Juneau Shore Excursion: Whale-Watching Cruise and Glacier Flight
by Viator
This 5-hour shore excursion from Juneau covers the perfect duo of Alaskan attractions: whale-watching and a scenic flight over the glaciers of the Juneau…Not LP reviewed
from USD$279.00 -
Kantishna Air Taxi Flightseeing
Kantishna Air Taxi Flightseeing flies out of Kantishna and Healy. The company offers hour-long flightseeing excursions around Mt McKinley, direct flights between Kantishna and the park entrance and flights from Kantishna to the park entrance with a 20-minute detour by Mt McKinley. Two versions of a bus-out/fly-back day tour are also available.
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