Alaska is crazy-beautiful. And one reason a cruise ship is such a great way to see the state is that you can take in a remarkable amount of that beauty right from the boat.

But Brent and I are also big hikers, and we always try to seek out new trails wherever we go in the world.

After taking nine — yes, nine! — Alaska cruises, we’ve discovered something that really surprised us: there are some amazing hikes very close to where the cruise ships dock. Often they’re even within walking distance.

And to be clear: these aren’t just “pretty good” hikes. These are some of the most spectacular hikes we’ve ever done anywhere in the world.

Yes, Alaska is just that incredible.

Most cruises stop at these Southeast Alaskan ports of call: Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, and Skagway (in addition to viewing glaciers in Glacier Bay, College Fjord, and Yakutat Bay, where passengers don’t get off the boat).

And most cruises end (or turn around) in Seward or Whittier, both near Anchorage.

Here are five truly spectacular hikes at these various ports of call, and a couple of others that may also be worth doing — all within a couple of miles from the docks.

Ketchikan, Alaska

If your boat is coming from the south, Ketchikan is probably your cruise ship’s first port of call — hence its nickname, Alaska’s First City.

Several trails leave from the edge of the city, but we think one is far and away the best:

Carlanna Lake Trail

This hike is almost two miles of graded trail that gains only 150 feet of elevation — the trail continues after that, but is less well maintained and gains elevation rapidly.

The first half skirts the lovely Carlanna Lake — the city reservoir.

But the second half of the hike is through a temperate rain forest, and this is where things get really interesting.

It’s an utterly otherworldly landscape of lush moss and fallen trees, many in weird shapes with their grand roots exposed.

Why all the fallen trees? Because Ketchikan gets nearly 14 feet of rain per year, leaving the ground super-saturated. Combine that with powerful winds funneling through the narrow channel Ketchikan sits on, and the trees fall — and now the trunks, roots, and moss have all gradually fused together.

The Carlanna Lake Trail leaves from the edge of town, but it’s a bit of a trek from the cruise ship docks — almost four miles. But it’s very easy to reach by bus: the Green Line goes back and forth along the waterfront. Any cab will take you there too, and if you ask for a card, you can call to have them pick you up when you return.

And the good news is that there are only black bears in this area — not the far more dangerous brown (or grizzly) bears.

Sitka, Alaska

Many cruises omit Sitka. While the sail-in is very attractive thanks to all the islands dotting Sitka Sound, the town itself is small and lacks any big attractions.

That said, we recommend two hikes here, one outstanding:

Totem Trail

This hike may not be “spectacular,” but it’s great for all ages and fitness levels.

It’s a one-mile crushed gravel trail through a display of 18 Tlingit and Haida totem poles. It also starts a mere twenty-minute walk from the cruise ship docks, along a lovely waterfront park.

Gavan Hill Trail

The second hike is the Gavan Hill Trail, located less than a mile from downtown — but you can also access it from Totem Trail via the Sitka Cross Trail.

The trail is just over three miles, but be warned: the last two miles climb 2,400 feet in elevation, in a section nicknamed “the Stairmaster.”

When in port, we always do the Totem Trail and then at least part of the Gavan Hill Trail. The lower section passes through long stretches of another fantastic and otherworldly Alaskan landscape: muskegs, a kind of acidic peat bog.

There are grizzly bears in this area, so the best time of the year for hiking is when the salmon are running in nearby Indian River. At that point, the bears will be well-fed and far more interested in these fish than you.

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