Day hiking the Crow Pass Trail in Girdwood, Alaska
The TL;DR
This might be my favourite hike in Alaska. The stunning valley views, creek crossings and waterfalls make it easy to forget about the switchbacks on this one. Topped off with a tiny cabin by a lake just a mile short of Raven Glacier. 😍
📍 Crow Pass, Crystal Lake and Barnes Mountain Trail
🥾 10km, 600m
⏰ 4 hours
🗺️ AllTrails
Quick tips:
Consider hiking the extra mile for views of Raven Glacier.
Take care on the creek crossings as trail conditions vary.
You’ll want your waterproof shoes, layers and hiking poles!
The Crow Pass, Crystal Lake and Barnes Mountain Trail is a moderate day hike near Girdwood, Alaska. Even on a cloudy day, views along the trail are incredibly rewarding. I was already taking photos on my drive to the trailhead!
As you hike alongside the valley and admire distant waterfalls, you’ll notice the trail splits off into a couple different directions. Be sure to take the Monarch Mine route to check out the abandoned mining equipment. There are a handful of worn in paths that might lead you astray from the proper trail, but I found it fairly easy to keep on in the right general direction.
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I’d recommend downloading an offline map of the area to help - I use maps.me!
Soon enough you’ll reach Crystal Lake, where you can camp or book the Crow Pass cabin for an overnight stay. You’ll find a pit toilet there as well.
By Crystal Lake, I met another couple of hikers who encouraged me to trek on to Raven Glacier just a mile ahead. Unfortunately, the weather began to turn as I approached views of the glacier. The wind picked up so much that it swiped the rain cover right off my backpack!
In my hurry to get back to the car, I gave up on carefully stepping on stones through the creek crossings. Waterproof shoes would come in handy for this trail. Watch the adventure unfold in the mini vlog.
If you have any questions about the hike, drop a message for me in the comment section below!
