Herring Cove Trail, Alaska, United States

5CAFamily 5:00 PM Feb 25, 2023

One of my all-time favorites!
LOVED this trail--just gorgeous! The parking lot was crowded, but we managed to find a spot. We did not have time to walk all around Beaver Lake, so I will have to try another day. We sat at the lake and enjoyed our lunch before heading back to the Herring Cove Trailhead parking area.

5kasejason 5:00 PM Aug 26, 2012

Part of an Awesome Loop Hike
We had read about the Herring Cove Trail here on TripAdvisor and decided to take a cab out to try it. Our driver warned us of bears in the area and we did see evidence of recent bear activity (large feces on the trail). Despite the danger, we greatly enjoyed the hike. There were several waterfalls and many nice views along the way. The trail only went one way and then connected with the Beaver Lake Trail. We hiked on this second trail until we reached the Sawmill Creek Campground and then hiked Blue Lake Road back to the Fortress of the Bear. We were then able to take the free shuttle from the Fortress of the Bear back into town. If I were to do it all over again, I think I would have taken the Fortress of the Bear shuttle to the Fortress of the Bear first (stopping for some bear pictures of course). Then I would hike up Blue Lake Road to Sawmill Creek Campground. I would next hike the Beaver Lake Trail to the Herring Cove Trail. Once that was complete, I would hike on Sawmill Creek Road back to the Fortress of the Bear, returning via the free shuttle. This would add a few miles to the hike, but it would mean a great deal of money saved (no cab fares). This grand loop would amount to about 7 miles total and would encompass a wide variety of natural sights. If you go, bear spray might not be a bad idea. You wouldn't want to get yourself in trouble out here. We only saw one other person during our entire hike and the trail didn't seem to heavily populated.