Valdez boasts some of the most scenic and historic trails in Alaska. Ranging in terms of length and difficulty, our trails offer something for everyone. Download the full Summer Trail Map Guide PDF from Valdez Parks & Recreation.
Shorter/Easier Trails (well maintained trails less than a mile): Explore the Dock Point Trail that follows along a peninsula between the Duck Flats and Port Valdez and is home to shorebirds and bald eagles. Take the stairs up Civic Center Hill with Overlook Trail for a view "overlooking" town and Port Valdez. Enjoy a walk through the woods on the gravel path of Homestead Trail, where you'll see spawning salmon in late summer.
Moderate/Longer Trails (longer distances and/or greater elevations on gravel or paved paths): Bike, hike, jog or walk along the paved Bike Path that leads out of town for great wildlife viewing opportunities. Hike up the Meals Hill Trail for great views overlooking town and Port Valdez. Access Solomon Lake and Solomon Gulch from the John Hunter Memorial Trail. Discover Valdez's gold-rush history along the Mineral Creek Trail which follows through Mineral Creek Canyon to an abandoned stamp mill.
The "Trail of '98" (historic trails of variable length and difficulty): Hike through history on the Trail of 1898/1899 that lead prospectors from Valdez to Interior Alaska during the Gold Rush. The present trail is broken into four sections: the Keystone Canyon Pack Trail, the Goat Trail, the Wagon Road, and the Thompson Pass Pack Trail.
Challenging/Adventurous Trails (longer trails with less trail maintenance): Explore Shoup Bay Trail for an Alaskan adventure. The trail is broken into two sections. Section A is better maintained and leads from town to a remote camping site at Gold Creek. Section B continues from Gold Creek through overgrown brush before reaching Shoup Bay and viewing opportunities of Shoup Glacier.
