A remote coastal community featuring an active fishing harbor, expansive wetlands, and access to rich marine ecosystems and glacier-filled landscapes.
General Information
How to Get There
From Anchorage (~150 mi by air/ferry): Travel via commercial flight or ferry service across Prince William Sound directly to town, as there is no road connection to the highway system.
Overview
Cordova is a fishing town near the mouth of the Copper River, at the head of Orca Inlet on Prince William Sound, with no road to the rest of Alaska; it is reached by ferry or plane. Commercial fishing (the Copper River salmon) is the main industry. It has the Cordova Historical Museum (Copper River and Northwestern Railway) and the Ilanka Cultural Center (Eyak, Alutiiq, Ahtna, and Tlingit history), and the Shorebird Festival is in May.
Highlights
- Copper River Highway: a 48-mile road to the Million Dollar Bridge and Childs Glacier
- Hiking: Eyak River, Alaganik Slough, Pipeline Lakes, McKinley Lake, and Saddlebag Glacier trails
- Mount Eyak: a small ski area with a single chairlift
Things to Do
Visit One of Alaska's Most Remote Coastal Communities
Cordova is a small fishing town located on the eastern edge of Prince William Sound and near the Copper River Delta. Accessible only by air or ferry, the community is surrounded by glaciers, mountains, wetlands, forests, and rich wildlife habitat, making it one of Alaska's premier destinations for outdoor recreation and nature enthusiasts.
Drive the Copper River Highway
The Copper River Highway is the primary scenic route near Cordova and provides access to wildlife viewing areas, hiking trails, campgrounds, wetlands, and glacier viewpoints. The road travels through portions of the Copper River Delta and offers opportunities to experience some of Alaska's most remarkable landscapes.
Visit Sheridan Glacier
One of the area's most popular attractions, Sheridan Glacier can be reached via a relatively short hike from the Copper River Highway. Visitors can enjoy views of the glacier, icebergs floating in Sheridan Lake, and surrounding mountain scenery.
Explore the Copper River Delta
The Copper River Delta is one of North America's most important wetland ecosystems and an internationally recognized wildlife habitat. Millions of migratory shorebirds pass through the delta annually, while visitors can also spot moose, bears, trumpeter swans, bald eagles, and numerous other species.
Experience World-Class Wildlife Viewing
Cordova is known for exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities. The surrounding wetlands, coastal waters, and forests provide habitat for sea otters, brown bears, black bears, moose, salmon, shorebirds, and marine mammals found throughout Prince William Sound.
Learn About Local History and Culture
The area's museums and cultural centers highlight the heritage of the Eyak people, the history of the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, commercial fishing traditions, and the development of Cordova as one of Alaska's important maritime communities.
Top Trails
Sheridan Glacier Trail
Length: Approximately 3 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Difficulty: Easy
This popular trail follows relatively flat terrain to Sheridan Lake, where hikers are rewarded with views of floating icebergs, glacier-fed waters, and Sheridan Glacier in the distance.
Heney Ridge Trail
Length: Approximately 6.1 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: Significant
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous
Heney Ridge Trail climbs through forest and muskeg meadows before reaching elevated viewpoints overlooking Hartney Bay, Prince William Sound, Cordova, and surrounding mountains. It is considered one of the area's premier scenic hikes.
Pipeline Lakes and McKinley Lake Loop
Length: Approximately 4 to 5 miles round trip
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Difficulty: Easy
This family-friendly route travels through forests, meadows, and lake country while providing opportunities for wildlife viewing, trout fishing, and views of the surrounding mountain landscape.
Alaganik Slough Trail
Length: Short boardwalk trail
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Difficulty: Easy
Located along the Copper River Highway, this accessible boardwalk provides outstanding opportunities for birdwatching and wildlife viewing within the wetlands of the Copper River Delta.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article and official pages for Alaska.org - Things to Do in Cordova, Alaska.org - Cordova Parks & Trails, Cordova, Alaska, released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
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