Things to do in Southeast Alaska
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Denver Glacier Trail
This trail begins at Mile 6 of the White Pass & Yukon Route, where the USFS has renovated a White Pass & Yukon Route caboose into the Denver Caboose, a rental cabin of sorts. The trailheads up the east fork of Skagway River for 2 miles, then swings south and continues another 1½ miles up the glacial outwash to Denver Glacier. Most of the trail is overgrown with brush, and the second half is particularly tough hiking.
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Alaska Fjordlines
Offers a day cruise to Juneau aboard the fast Fjordland, a 65ft catamaran. Continental breakfast is served on the way down, and on arrival in Juneau, passengers transfer to a bus for a tour of Mendenhall Glacier and the city. You're on your own there for lunch, then a light dinner is served onboard during the return trip.
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Days of '98 Show with Soapy Smith
Skagway has Southeast Alaska's best and longest-running melodrama. The entertaining and lively Days of '98 Show with Soapy Smith covers the town's gold-rush days and the full story of Soapy and his gang. Four shows are offered daily in summer; the evening show is preceded by an hour of 'mock gambling.'
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Hangar on the Wharf
A waterfront restaurant in Merchant's Wharf with tables perched right over a seaplane dock. The view of the channel and all the activity buzzing and floating around greatly improves whatever you ordered. Better than the food is the restaurant's large selection of imported beers and microbrews.
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Bullwinkle's
Okay, they have this strange fascination with a moose and his friend, Rocky the flying squirrel. But they're doing something right at Bullwinkle's - it's Juneau's oldest pizza parlor. No doubt it's the cheap pitchers of beer (around US$8 to $13.75).
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Starfire
Order pad Thai or spicy drunken noodle here and then enjoy it with a beer on the outdoor patio.
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Perseverance Trail
Perseverance Trail off Basin Rd is Juneau's most popular city center trail and provides access to two other popular treks: Mt Juneau Trail and Granite Creek Trail. Together, this system of trails can be combined into a rugged 10-hour walk for hardy hikers, or an overnight excursion into the mountains surrounding Alaska's capital city.
To reach Perseverance Trail, take 6th St one block southwest to Gold St, which turns into Basin Rd, a dirt road that curves away from the city into the mountains as it follows Gold Creek. The trailhead is at the road's end, at the parking lot for Last Chance Mining Museum. The trail leads into Silverbow Basin, an old mining area that still h…
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Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve
In 1982 the state reserved 48,000 acres along the Chilkat, Klehini and Tsirku Rivers to protect the largest known gathering of bald eagles in the world. Each year from October to February, more than 4000 eagles congregate here to feed on spawning salmon. They come because an upwelling of warm water prevents the river from freezing, thus encouraging the late salmon run. It's a remarkable sight - hundreds of birds sitting in the bare trees lining the river, often six or more birds to a branch.
The eagles can be seen from the Haines Hwy, where turnouts allow motorists to park and view the birds. The best view is between Mile 18 and Mile 22, where you'll find telescopes, inte…
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Stan Price State Wildlife Sanctuary
Named for an Alaskan woodsman who lived on a float house here for almost 40 years. The sanctuary includes an area that has been closed to hunting since the mid-1930s, and due largely to the former presence of Price and his visitors, the bears here have become used to humans. The bears are most abundant in July and August, when the salmon are running.
Most visitors to Pack Creek are day-trippers who arrive and depart on floatplanes. Upon arrival, all visitors are met by a ranger who explains the rules. You must leave all food in a cache provided near the south sand spit. You may not leave the viewing sand spit to get closer to the bears, although you may use a small observ…
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Mt Roberts Trail
Mt Roberts Trail is a 4-mile climb up Mt Roberts that begins at a marked wooden staircase at the northeast end of 6th St. It starts with a series of switchbacks, then breaks out of the trees at Gastineau Peak and comes to the tram station. From here it's a half-mile to the Cross, where you'll have good views of Juneau, Douglas and the entire Gastineau Channel. The Mt Roberts summit (3819ft) is still a steep climb away through the alpine brush.
If you hike up, you can ride down the Mt Roberts Tramway to S Franklin St for only around US$5. And if you purchase around US$5 worth of food or drink at the visitors center on top, the ride down is free.
This trail near the internat…
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West Glacier Trail
West Glacier Trail is one of the most spectacular hikes in the Juneau area. The 3.4-mile trail begins off Montana Creek Rd past Mendenhall Lake Campground and hugs the mountainside along the glacier, providing exceptional views of the icefalls and other glacial features. It ends at a rocky outcropping, but a rough route continues from there to the summit of Mt McGinnis (4228ft), another 2 miles away.
Allow five hours for the West Glacier Trail, or plan on a long day if you want to tackle the difficult Mt McGinnis route.
The moderate West Glacier Trail begins off Montana Creek Rd and hugs the mountainside along the glacier. With incredible blue-ice views, it is one very spe…
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Mt Ripinsky Trail
The trip to the 3563ft summit of Mt Ripinsky (also known as the South Summit) offers a sweeping view of the land from Juneau to Skagway. The route, which includes Peak 3920 and a descent from 7 Mile Saddle to Haines Hwy, is either a strenuous 10-hour journey for experienced hikers or an overnight trip.
To reach the trailhead, follow 2nd Ave north to Lutak Rd (the road to the ferry terminal) and past the fire station. Leave Lutak Rd when it curves right and head up the hill on Young St. Turn right along an old, buried pipeline and follow it for a mile to the start of the trail, just as the pipeline heads downhill to the tank farm.
The North Summit has a benchmark and a high…
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Chichagof Island's Western Shoreline
Chichagof Island's Western Shoreline is one of Southeast Alaska's best blue-water destinations for experienced kayakers.
Unfortunately, the trip often requires other transportation, because few paddlers have the experience necessary to paddle the open ocean around Khaz Peninsula (which forms a barrier between Kruzof Island's north end and Slocum Arm, the south end of the West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness). Either rent a folding kayak and then book a floatplane or hire a water-taxi service to take you there.
The arm is the southern end of a series of straits, coves and protected waterways that shield paddlers from the ocean's swells and extend over 30 miles north to Lisiansk…
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El Capitan Cave
At El Capitan Cave, 11 miles west of Whale Pass, you can take a free, two-hour, ranger-led cave tour offered at 09:00, noon and 14:00 from Thursday through Saturday in summer. Tours are limited to six people and involve a 370-step stairway trail. Contact the USFS Thorne Bay Ranger Station for reservations (required at least two days in advance; no children under 7).
One of the most unusual aspects of POW's geology is the broad cave system found in the north end of the island. The karst formation is an area of eroded limestone concealing underground streams and caverns, and it includes more than 850 grottos and caves. The caves received national attention in the mid-1990s …
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Dewey Lakes Trail System
This series of trails leads east of Skagway to a handful of alpine and subalpine lakes, waterfalls and historic sites. From Broadway, follow 3rd Ave southeast to the railroad tracks. On the east side of the tracks are the trailheads to Lower Dewey Lake (0.7 miles), Icy Lake (2½ miles), Upper Reid Falls (3½ miles) and Sturgill's Landing (4½ miles).
Plan on taking an hour round-trip for the hike to Lower Dewey Lake, where there are picnic tables, camping spots and a trail circling the lake. At the lake's north end is an alpine trail that ascends steeply to Upper Dewey Lake, 3½ miles from town, and Devil's Punchbowl, another 1.25 miles south of the upper lake.
The hike to…
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Naha Bay
From Settler's Cove State Park, it's an 8-mile paddle to Naha Bay, the destination of an excellent three- or four-day adventure. At the head of the bay is a floating dock where you can leave your kayak and set off down the Naha River National Recreation Trail. The scenic 5.4-mile trail follows the river up to Jordan and Heckman Lakes, both of which have USFS cabins.
The fishing here is good and black bears are plentiful - in August you might see them catching salmon at a small waterfall 2 miles up the trail from Roosevelt Lagoon.
A narrow outlet connects Naha Bay with Roosevelt Lagoon. You don't have to enter the lagoon to access the trail. Kayakers wishing to paddle into …
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Beaver Falls Karst Trail
The short, wheelchair-accessible Beaver Falls Karst Trail offers an above ground caving experience - its boardwalk leads past sinkholes, pits, underground rivers and other typical karst features.
One of the most unusual aspects of POW's geology is the broad cave system found in the north end of the island. The karst formation is an area of eroded limestone concealing underground streams and caverns, and it includes more than 850 grottos and caves. The caves received national attention in the mid-1990s when paleontologists from the University of South Dakota discovered the remains of a man dating back 9500 years in one, and the almost perfect remains of a brown bear that d…
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Oliver Inlet
On Admiralty Island's northeast coast is Oliver Inlet State Marine Park. A 0.8-mile portage tramway connects the inlet to scenic Seymour Canal, known for one of the world's greatest concentrations of nesting bald eagles and a large population of brown bears. Seals, sea lions and whales also spend the summer feeding in the canal. The paddle to Oliver Inlet is 18 miles and involves crossing Stephens Passage, a challenging open-water crossing (for experienced kayakers only).
At the south end of the portage tram from Oliver Inlet is the state's Seymour Canal Cabin, which rents for around US$25 a night and can be reserved through the DNR Public Information Center. To avoid the…
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Harbor Mountain Trail
- Sitka, USA
- Activities › Hiking
This trail is reached from Harbor Mountain Rd, one of the few roads in the Southeast providing access to a subalpine area. Head 4 miles northwest from Sitka on Halibut Point Rd to the junction with Harbor Mountain Rd. A parking area and picnic shelter are 4½ miles up the rough dirt road.
Another half-mile further is the parking lot at road's end, where an unmarked trail begins on the lot's east side. The trail ascends 1½ miles to alpine meadows, knobs and ridges with spectacular views. From here a trail follows the tundra ridge to the free-use shelter on the saddle between Harbor Mountain and Gavan Hill, where you can pick up Gavan Hill Trail. Plan on spending two to fou…
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Gavan Hill Trail
- Sitka, USA
- Activities › Hiking
Gavan Hill Trail ascends almost 2500ft over 3 miles to Gavan Hill peak. The trail provides excellent views of Sitka and the surrounding area. From the trail's end, the adventurous hiker can continue to the peaks of the Three Sisters Mountains.
Gavan Hill is also linked to Harbor Mountain Trail. Halfway across the alpine ridge is a free-use USFS shelter available on a first-come, first-served basis; it's 3½ miles from the Gavan Hill trailhead, a hike of three to four hours.
From Lincoln St, head north up Baranof St for six blocks. The trailhead and a small parking area is reached just before the cemetery gate at the end of Baranof St. Camping is good in the trail's alpine …
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Yakutania Point & AB Mountain Trails
The Skagway River footbridge, reached by following 1st Ave west around the airport runway, leads to two trails of opposite caliber. For an easy hike to escape the cruise-ship crowds turn left from the bridge and follow the mile-long trail to picnic areas and lovely views at Yakutania Point and Smugglers Cove.
Nearby on Dyea Rd is AB Mountain Trail, also known as the Skyline Trail, This route ascends 5½ miles to the 5100ft summit of AB Mountain, named for the 'AB' that appears on its south side when the snow melts every spring. The first 30 minutes is along a well-defined trail through a hemlock forest to a view of Skagway. After that the trail is considerably more challen…
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Mt Verstovia Trail
- Sitka, USA
- Activities › Hiking
This 2½-mile trail is a challenging climb of 2550ft to the 'shoulder,' a small summit that's the final destination for most hikers, although it's possible to continue climbing to the peak of Mt Verstovia (3349ft). The view from the shoulder on clear days is spectacular, undoubtedly the area's best.
The trailhead is 2 miles east of Sitka, along Sawmill Creek Rd; look for a large sign for the trailhead near a lone restaurant (which changes names so frequently that it shall here remain nameless). The Russian charcoal pits (signposted) are reached within a quarter-mile, and shortly after that the trail begins a series of switchbacks. It's a four-hour round-trip to the should…
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St Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church
Built in 1894 against the backdrop of Mt Juneau, the onion-domed church is a photographer's delight. Inside are Russian icons, original vestments and religious relics, while adjacent to the church is a small gift shop filled with books, matreshkas (nestling dolls) and other handcrafted items from Russia.
This church, named for a saint known as the protector of mariners, probably hears more camera clicks than any other building in Juneau. The octagon-shaped structure was built in 1894 and wins the prize for being the oldest Russian Orthodox Church in the southeastern region. There are exhibits of Russian icons within, as well as original vestments and religious relics. Tou…
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Cavern Lake Cave
Cavern Lake Cave features an observation deck allowing visitors to peer into the cave's mouth at the gushing stream inside.
One of the most unusual aspects of POW's geology is the broad cave system found in the north end of the island. The karst formation is an area of eroded limestone concealing underground streams and caverns, and it includes more than 850 grottos and caves. The caves received national attention in the mid-1990s when paleontologists from the University of South Dakota discovered the remains of a man dating back 9500 years in one, and the almost perfect remains of a brown bear that dated 45,000 years in another. Both let scientists speculate how the last…
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Mt Edgecumbe Trail
- Sitka, USA
- Activities › Hiking
The 6.7-mile trail begins at the USFS Fred's Creek Cabin and ascends to the crater of this extinct volcano. Views from the summit are spectacular on a clear day. About 3 miles up the trail is a free-use shelter (no reservations required).
Mt Edgecumbe (3201ft) is on Kruzof Island, 10 miles west of Sitka, and can only be reached by boat because large swells from the ocean prevent floatplanes from landing. Stop at the Sitka Convention & Visitors Bureau for a list of local operators who will drop off and pick up hikers. Actual hiking time is five to six hours one-way, but by securing Fred's Creek Cabin, you can turn the adventure into a pleasant three-day trip, with two nigh…
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