Hiking Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway

[cruisetonowhere10]

We are somewhat frugal and enjoy hiking so we are going to hike in these three ports (I’ve hiked in two before but this is DHs first trip to Alaska.) I’m not super interested in dealing with taxis given the number of ships in a port.  We are happy to walk to get to our hike.  I’ve done some reading on All Trails but I’m looking for some recent hiker advice.  We will bring waterproof trail sneakers so wet isn’t a problem and we are an active, mobile, 50ish couple from the north east an bears/moose/etc are regular neighbors of ours.  

[FreestyleNovice]

Just got back from Alaska:

 

From downtown Juneau you can hike up Mount Roberts Trail and back by cable car I think ($55?). Or follow Gold Creek Flume to Perseverance Trail.

 

The steep walk up Gold Street to Basin Road is already a nice warm up 

 

I would not bother with the Mendenhall trails as it’s too expensive to get there for just the forest trails. Taxis like to add a hefty fee and the large bus won’t give you enough time to walk a decent trail.

 

 

[cruisetonowhere10]

3 minutes ago, FreestyleNovice said:

Just got back from Alaska:

 

From downtown Juneau you can hike up Mount Roberts Trail and back by cable car I think ($55?). Or follow Gold Creek Flume to Perseverance Trail.

 

The steep walk up Gold Street to Basin Road is already a nice warm up 

 

I would not bother with the Mendenhall trails as it’s too expensive to get there for just the forest trails. Taxis like to add a hefty fee and the large bus won’t give you enough time to walk a decent trail.

 

 

Thank you.  Definitely doing the Mt Roberts Trail and probably something from that point.  I’ve been to Mendenhall Glacier and I don’t HAVE to see that again so think we’ll just get off the ship and hike on up (views from top of Mount Robert’s if I recall we’re great.

[jean87510]

We are doing the goldbelt tram up and hiking down in Juneau.

 

Skagway we have a car rental but will probably check out trails and such during our day.

 

Ketchikan we took the bus to see the totem poles then the bus to the college or HS and followed a trail through the woods all the way to town.  We also walked around town.  We had a great inexpensive day.

 

We are there in September celebrating my 60th and will hike until we can't.

[oaktreerb]

Skagway has lots of wonderful hiking trails.  You can find a map of the trails that start at the docks online or pick one up at the visitor center in town.  Hikes are rated as to difficulty.  We did the easy Yakutania Point and Smugglers Cove hike which hikes through a wooded area along the shore.  Others like the Lower and Upper Dewey Lake have elevation and are more difficult.

[Aquahound]

We really enjoy the Dewey Lake hike in Skagway, so much so that we've done it 3 or 4 times.  If you give yourself enough time, you should be able to make Upper Dewey Lake or maybe even the punchbowl.  

 

I've done the Mt Roberts hike a couple times. It's ok.  It is steep in some parts and can be difficult. The hike at the top is pretty easy and the views are amazing.  

 

A great hike in Juneau that is free of cruise ship tourists is Salmon Creek, which takes you up to an old dam that is over a hundred years old and was the first arch dam built of its kind.  Salmon Creek reservoir is beautiful.  You will need to take a taxi to the trailhead though.  

Edited June 17 by Aquahound

[Aquahound]

3 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

 

duplicate post

Edited June 17 by Aquahound

[jean87510]

On 6/16/2024 at 9:43 PM, Aquahound said:

We really enjoy the Dewey Lake hike in Skagway, so much so that we've done it 3 or 4 times.  If you give yourself enough time, you should be able to make Upper Dewey Lake or maybe even the punchbowl.  

 

I've done the Mt Roberts hike a couple times. It's ok.  It is steep in some parts and can be difficult. The hike at the top is pretty easy and the views are amazing.  

 

A great hike in Juneau that is free of cruise ship tourists is Salmon Creek, which takes you up to an old dam that is over a hundred years old and was the first arch dam built of its kind.  Salmon Creek reservoir is beautiful.  You will need to take a taxi to the trailhead though.  

Where does it end?

[Aquahound]

4 hours ago, jean87510 said:

Where does it end?

 

It's in and out - same trail.  It ends at the salmon creek reservoir, which is behind the dam.  Elevation gain is about 350ish feet.  

[jean87510]

2 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

It's in and out - same trail.  It ends at the salmon creek reservoir, which is behind the dam.  Elevation gain is about 350ish feet.  

gotcha.  Looks really nice online.  Would love to do this in the am (we are in 9a to 8p) but do have to be back around 230p for Taku airways.  We walk pretty quick and don't break much.  Will have to put on possible hikes in September.

[cruisetonowhere10]

On 6/16/2024 at 9:43 PM, Aquahound said:

We really enjoy the Dewey Lake hike in Skagway, so much so that we've done it 3 or 4 times.  If you give yourself enough time, you should be able to make Upper Dewey Lake or maybe even the punchbowl.  

 

I've done the Mt Roberts hike a couple times. It's ok.  It is steep in some parts and can be difficult. The hike at the top is pretty easy and the views are amazing.  

 

A great hike in Juneau that is free of cruise ship tourists is Salmon Creek, which takes you up to an old dam that is over a hundred years old and was the first arch dam built of its kind.  Salmon Creek reservoir is beautiful.  You will need to take a taxi to the trailhead though.  

How do you get to Dewey Lake trail?

[jean87510]

I wish that the AK moderator could put a sticky or a sub section for hiking trails.  Or is it somewhere I'm missing?  I know I can't be the only one who loves hiking.

[cruisetonowhere10]

8 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

I wish that the AK moderator could put a sticky or a sub section for hiking trails.  Or is it somewhere I'm missing?  I know I can't be the only one who loves hiking.

That would be great.  I’d like specifics like a) get off boat b) turn left c) walk to x, d) get on trail e) check out x, y, x 😂

[jean87510]

2 minutes ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

That would be great.  I’d like specifics like a) get off boat b) turn left c) walk to x, d) get on trail e) check out x, y, x 😂

I know I can look at Alltrails but I would love it from a cruiser perspective.

[CCJack]

On 6/16/2024 at 9:43 PM, Aquahound said:

  

 

I've done the Mt Roberts hike a couple times. It's ok.  It is steep in some parts and can be difficult. The hike at the top is pretty easy and the views are amazing.  

 

 

I agree.   You have a choice at Mt. Roberts.... Hike up to the top of the tram or tram up to the top of the tram.   Either way you can then hike at the top (going higher than the tram) - and enjoy the spectacular views.   That is what we did.   The trails at the top are easy but vast.  You will not run out of trails up there, you can spend a little or a lot of time hiking up there.   

[cruisetonowhere10]

8 minutes ago, CCJack said:

I agree.   You have a choice at Mt. Roberts.... Hike up to the top of the tram or tram up to the top of the tram.   Either way you can then hike at the top (going higher than the tram) - and enjoy the spectacular views.   That is what we did.   The trails at the top are easy but vast.  You will not run out of trails up there, you can spend a little or a lot of time hiking up there.   

I’m inclined to hike both ways 🙂 I hiked one way with my kids so thinking just adults we can do both potentially plus hike the trails up top!

[Aquahound]

19 hours ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

How do you get to Dewey Lake trail?

 

It's really easy.  Follow the train tracks from the pier a couple hundred yards and the trailhead will be on your right.  If you're in town, go to Spring and 3rd (or maybe its 4th).  You'll see a trail leading behind the buildings on Spring.  You'll walk over a foot bridge and the trailhead is directly across the tracks.

Edited June 19 by Aquahound

[chakram420]

In case anyone need more info for hiking trails which you can do on your own, check out this outstanding list posted by cruiser. It lists trails at each port with info on difficulty levels and time it will take. A site to bookmark for your Alaska cruise.

 

https://profcruise.com/alaska-cruise-hiking-guide-2024/ 

 

[jean87510]

24 minutes ago, chakram420 said:

In case anyone need more info for hiking trails which you can do on your own, check out this outstanding list posted by cruiser. It lists trails at each port with info on difficulty levels and time it will take. A site to bookmark for your Alaska cruise.

 

https://profcruise.com/alaska-cruise-hiking-guide-2024/ 

 

thx.  

 

I usually do my own research but have noticed the question does come up re hiking in AK.  Hence the suggestion to make it a sticky.  This link could go there as well.

[sharon_pei]

We took city bus ($2) to airport and picked a rental car for one day (~$50) to dive to Mendenhall and hiked there. Really enjoyed it. then we drove the famous shrine and enjoyed the magnificent view for a long time. We then drove to Douglas island and i would say that's a big let down. Skip it at all cost. The historical trail on the left side of island (end of the drive way) was just a walk in the woods. We didn't do the right side of the island as at that point of time we were already too disappointed with the island. 

 

We didn't do the tram as we thought it was way too pricy for what it offers. 

[SoloAlaska]

Whaterproof boots and pack are my hiking essentials in Alaska in September. 
 

Juneau I’m planning to take the tram up then hike to gastineau and then all the way back to the ship.

 

Skagway I’ve done lower Dewey and swam in the lake which was awesome but this year the goal is Punch Bowl

 

Ketchikan I am undecided if I’ll hike or not since I’m in ward cove which I hear is difficult at best so I might just spend the day relaxing on the ship.

 

Seward I have several options but some will cost and some are free but locals have strongly stated I shouldn’t hike solo on those trails. I might have a hiking buddy for the day who is local so if I do that I will let them pick the trail.

[rcprncss]

We just got back from our cruise.  In Skagway, we did Yukutania Point Trail and Smugglers Cove one day. This one is shorter and total with the hike and walking around town it was 5 miles.

Another day, we did the Lower Dewey Lake hike. The hike itself was over 4 miles from the start of the trail. To and from the ship it was about 6 miles total. It was a beautiful hike.

[cruisetonowhere10]

5 minutes ago, rcprncss said:

We just got back from our cruise.  In Skagway, we did Yukutania Point Trail and Smugglers Cove one day. This one is shorter and total with the hike and walking around town it was 5 miles.

Another day, we did the Lower Dewey Lake hike. The hike itself was over 4 miles from the start of the trail. To and from the ship it was about 6 miles total. It was a beautiful hike.

Which is more impressive scenery/view wise?  I’ve done the first before…both mileage measurements are within our wheelhouse.

[rcprncss]

1 minute ago, cruisetonowhere10 said:

Which is more impressive scenery/view wise?  I’ve done the first before…both mileage measurements are within our wheelhouse.

Lower Dewey Lake. I would do that one first.

[cruisetonowhere10]

7 minutes ago, rcprncss said:

Lower Dewey Lake. I would do that one first.

Is it easy to navigate to from the dock?