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The Crow Pass Trail climbing through alpine meadows

Trail

Crow Pass Trail (Historic Iditarod Trail)

Classic 23-mile traverse from Girdwood over Crow Pass to the Eagle River Nature Center, past mining ruins and Raven Glacier.

Reference 136

Chugach State Park · Alaska State Parks

Season months
Jun–Sep
Distance
23.1 mi[1]
Elevation gain
2100 ft[2]
Difficulty
Strenuous
Route type
Point to point
Access modes
Road · Hike
Bikes allowed
No
Motorized allowed
No
Has cabin or shelter
Yes
Hazards
Unbridged stream and river crossings, including the Eagle River ford; avalanche danger in winter and spring; rocky route and cold, wet weather.
RoadHike

Follows part of the historic Iditarod supply route for 23.1 miles one way (GPS-measured) between the Crow Pass Trailhead at the end of Crow Creek Road in Girdwood (managed by Chugach National Forest) and the Eagle River Nature Center. Gain is about 2,100 feet to the pass from Crow Creek or 3,100 feet from Eagle River. Most hikers take two to three days. Shorter outings: from Crow Creek, a mine site at 2 miles, Crystal Lake and the Forest Service cabin at 3 miles, and the pass and Raven Glacier at 4 miles; from the nature center, Echo Bend at 3 miles, Heritage Falls at 4.5 miles and Twin Falls at 9 miles. The Eagle River ford can be difficult. ADF&G recommends use only from June to September; avalanche danger is high in winter and spring. Look for marmots, ground squirrels, mountain goats and Dall sheep.

  1. [1]Distance: 23.1 miles (Alaska State Parks, Crow Pass Trail brochure (GPS measured)); also reported as 23.2 miles (Alaska State Parks, Chugach State Park Recreational Opportunities), 28 miles (ADF&G Crow Pass Trail viewing page). All footnotes
  2. [2]Elevation gain: 2,100 ft from Girdwood (Alaska State Parks, Crow Pass Trail brochure); also reported as 2,500 ft (Alaska State Parks, Chugach State Park Recreational Opportunities). All footnotes

In pictures

The Crow Pass Trail climbing through alpine meadows
Reference 136

Hiking · Backpacking · Wildlife viewing

Sources

Last updated 2026-11-13