Getting to Hope, Alaska
We left Seward and drove north, then turned west along Turnagain Arm’s south shore. At the end of the road, you’ll find the quiet town of Hope. The drive takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Our Alaska Hiking Adventure Planning
Our Alaska trip centered around hiking. Out of our 14-day journey, we hiked for 11 days! We spent six months carefully planning each trail, combining:
- Reviews from AllTrails
- Top-rated trail lists I can found online
- Tips from a friend of mine who hiked here last summer
We chose day hikes instead of multi-day backpacking because:
- Alaska summers can be rainy
- There are lots of mosquitoes
- Wildlife encounters are common
- Our friends weren’t comfortable with camping
Hope Point Trail Details
Trail Stats and Experience
The Hope Point Trail Alaska offers:
- 12km round trip distance
- 1,049 m elevation gain
- Well-maintained switchbacks below treeline
- Some old shortcuts (which explains why everyone’s GPS tracks show different distances!)
- Amazing mountain and ocean views above treeline
- Beautiful Alaska fireweed flowers
Here’s a fun tip: Don’t let your eyes fool you! Just when you think you’ve reached the summit, you’ll spot another peak waiting for you. Later in our trip, while hiking Pioneer Ridge Trail, we realized this was just a warm-up!
Where to Stay in Hope
Unique Bus 49 Accommodation
Remember the movie “Into the Wild”? We stayed in a converted school bus! But don’t worry – this one’s much more comfortable than the famous movie bus (which we visited later near Denali).
We found this gem on Airbnb – search for “Bus 49” in Hope, AK. Our host Rebecca from Australia has created an amazing setup:
- A fully equipped bus with new kitchen appliances
- Clean bathroom facilities
- A separate rental cabin
- All built by Rebecca and her husband
The bus was perfect for our family of three, while our friends stayed in the comfortable cabin. The host Rebecca’s husband runs a jet ski glacier tour business in Whittier. We had a good rest after our Hope Point Trail hike!
Start Your Day at Coffee Shop Grounds For Hope
My son found this cute coffee shop online. It’s a tiny cabin that:
- Serves great coffee
- Has outdoor seating
- Sits next to the town library and used bookstore
- Offers easy access to the dock for fishing or low-tide beach walks
Hope’s Gold Rush History
Hope was once a bustling gold rush town. However, the excitement was short-lived. When gold was discovered in Canada’s Yukon Territory in 1898, most miners moved north.
