- Homestead Trail
The Homestead Trail in Valdez is a 1.4 mile out and back trail that begins through the forest, passes by a salmon-filled stream, then shoots out into the bay. Max has never seen wild salmon before and he had so much fun chasing them through the stream. The trail is very flat and easy. At the bay, you will be greeted by 360 degree mountain views. We did this trail in the rain and fog, but still found it beautiful. There is a free, easy parking lot and the trail was not too crowded. It is a popular spot for people to walk their dogs.
2. Dock Point Trail
The Dock Point trail is a 1 mile loop with some elevation gain where you have aerial views of mountains, Port Valdez, and Valdez Duck Flats. There is beach access right by the trailhead and parking lot. This trail is very short, but very scenic with lots of smells for Max.
3. Solomon Lake Trail
This trail is a 3.5 mile out and back trail leading to Solomon Lake. The trail begins with an intense incline, then levels out, followed by a steep descent to a bridge. After the bridge, you will climb up two more hills before reaching a waterfall. Next you will cross a bridge that takes you across the top of the waterfall. One more climb up another long hill and you will reach the dam and lake. The trail is much easier on the way back, with only one incline. It is well labeled with blue hiking signs along the whole way. We got in quite a workout with this trail.
4. The Fat Mermaid
The Fat Mermaid is a bar and restaurant with really cool nautical vibes inside. It is located right on the port, so Max and I took a stroll to see the boats before heading to the restaurant. In the summertime, The Fat Mermaid has a patio where your dog can join you to eat. It was raining the day we went, so I opted to order food to-go. I shared my Alaskan halibut with Max and he loved it!
5. Glacier View Park
Located about 5 miles outside of Valdez, Glacier View Park is accessible down a pothole ridden dirt road, just past the airport. Up until the 1950’s, Valdez Glacier extended all the way to Glacier View Park. Now, only a small shelf of rocks is visible on the far shore. Icebergs can be seen in the lake all year long and some even float to shore in the summertime. While there, I saw a company drive up to the lake and drop off kayaks for people. I’m not sure if they kayaks are dog-friendly, but this would be a really cool experience if they are.
6. Richardson Byway Waterfalls
Rudleston Falls, Horse Tail Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls are three waterfalls that are accessible right off the Richardson Scenic Byway, about 18 miles from town. The three waterfalls are all located very close to each other and require no hiking to get to, as they are on the highway itself. This is a short, easy drive to see a quick three waterfalls.
7. Thompson Pass
Thompson Pass is about a 35 minute drive from Valdez up the Richardson Scenic Byway. This was my favorite activity in Valdez and I actually did it twice. Thompson Pass is in the Chugach Mountains. There is a pull-out right off the highway where you can park and view the mountain terrain, but for the best 360 degree views I recommend walking down the trail further out. There is also a rocky road where I saw a car drive out and camp. There were indeed campfires out on the rocks as well. I didn’t trust my driving skills, so Max and I parked and walked down the trail. Some of the view can be obscured by clouds and it can be quite windy and chilly, but it was still worth the walk out to view the mountains.
8. Worthington Glacier
You can’t talk about Valdez and not mention Worthington Glacier. You will pull into a large parking lot to access Worthington Glacier and walk down a paved path to an observation deck. Beside the observation deck is a somewhat obscure path that goes around the deck and then down and out to a river, a lake, and the glacier. It is easy to miss. The closer you get to the glacier, the colder and windier the weather becomes. With a raging river flowing from it, it was not possible to touch the glacier, but you can still get quite close. Despite the popularity of Worthington Glacier, I only saw one other group there.
