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prince of wales island

Trails

Public land invites hikers, hunters, anglers and paddlers to sample a vast variety of forest paths. USFS trails trace a wide range of forest terrains.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE

TAKE A BEAUTIFUL WALK
Prince of Wales Island offers a variety of trails which range from short and easy to long and strenuous. Every trail will give visitors opportunities to view abundant wildlife. Many trails end at lakes, rivers, beaches or cabins perfect for fishing, picnicking and camping.

Caves and Caverns

Three trails on the island take you to see caverns, also known as karsts, and caves. All the trails are short, but worth the trip. Visit Beaver Falls Karst, Cavern Lake Trail, or El Capitan Cave Trail.

Lakes

Hike to one of the numerous lakes around the island. Some of the trails are accessible by road, where others are only accessible by boat. Visit Balls Lake, Red Bay Lake or Salmon Bay Lake.

Cabins

A few of the trails lead to forest service cabins which can be rented for one or more nights. If you visit Sarkar Lake, a short walk takes you to a rowboat by which you can access the cabin.

Salmon Spawning

During the fall, salmon can be found swimming up river and spawning. Follow the trails at Hatchery Creek, Big Lake Fish Pass, Cable Creek Fish Pass and Canoe Point.

Discover Our Trails

Enjoy a peaceful day
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Easy

Swan Song Trail

The new Swan Song Trail is across the highway from the Black Bear Lake gravel pit. It extends about four-tenths of a mile through timber fringe and tidal grass flats. A WWII-era plane that crash-landed decades ago remains on the shore. Trail users are urged to be bear-aware. Swan Song Trail leads to a tidal grass flat […]

Distance: .4 miles
Average: 30 minutes
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Moderate

One Duke Trail

The name of One Duke Trail winks at the Forest Service’s One Duck Trail off of Hydaburg Road. Like its near-namesake, One Duke Trail leads to an alpine area; Big Salt Inlet and areas around Klawock are visible from the summit. Logging road runs about a mile; ATVs are permitted on this stretch. The trail […]

Distance: 1 mile
Average: 1 hour
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Easy

Twenty Mile Spur Trail

Twenty Mile Spur Trail is located near Hollis that offers the chance to see wildlife. The trail is rated as easy and is commonly used for hiking, birding, and mountain biking.

Distance: 3 miles
Average: 1.5 hours
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More difficult

Trocadero Trail

This relatively flat trail offers good wildlife viewing and leads to Trocadero Bay, ending at Snipe Creek. From there hikers can follow another path which leads to the Trocadero Bay estuary.

Distance: 1.3 miles
Average: 1 hour
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Most difficult

Sunnahae Mountain Trail

Sunnahae Mountain Trail above Craig offers a workout and amazing views of Craig and the ocean from an alpine summit. New staircases and a gravel trail bed on the first half ease the footpath. Work is continuing to improve the trail to the summit.

Distance: 1 mile
Average: 1.5 hours
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Most difficult

Shipley Bay Trail

This more difficult 3/4 mile hiking trail extends from Shipley Bay Cabin to Shipley Lake where there is a Forest Service skiff for public use.

Distance: .75 miles
Average: 45 minutes
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