Gull Rock: Long, beautiful, and full of bikes
I’m always tempted to describe the Gull Rock trail as “flat,” but the truth is that its constant, rolling hills add up to a not-at-all-insubstantial 2,430 feet of elevation gain in a round trip hike. All those hills, plus lots of roots and a few rocks to avoid, are also what makes this forested trail a wildly popular trip for mountain bikers in the summer.
Still, as long as you’re not hitting Gull Rock on the bikiest of bike-tastic days, this remains a fantastic hike. In my experience the bikers and hikers do tend to coexist reasonably well, although that depends on each type of trail user being alert to the presence of the other.
This is hike 69 in my guidebook Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska, and one of three fantastic hiking trails near Hope, Alaska.
| Round Trip: 11.6 miles | Nearest community: Hope |
| Elevation gain: 2,430 feet | Typical season: May to October |
| Parking fee: No fee | Nearby trails: Hope Point, Palmer Creek Lakes (AKA Palmer Lakes, Twin Lakes) |
Gull Rock Trailhead Directions
From Anchorage, drive south on the New Seward Highway. At mile marker 56.5, take the signed right (west) turn onto the Hope Highway. Look for the marked Chugach National Forest trailhead on your left, about 500 feet before the road ends at the Porcupine Campground. This is the same trailhead you use to access the Hope Point trail.
If you’re staying at Porcupine Campground, there is an alternative access to the Gull Rock trail from right inside the campground. I don’t believe it is signed, but it should be visible on the campground maps and is also visible on the topo maps that are used as a base for most GPS tracking apps.
Hiking to Gull Rock
You can start the Gull Rock trail from the official trailhead (about 500 feet before the end of the road in Hope), or by using the “old” trail access from Porcupine Campground. Either way, once you’ve struck the Gull Rock trail itself, the rest of the hike is very straightforward, with one small exception that I’ll type out below. Otherwise, just keeping hiking.
Here’s the “exception”: The first time I did this trail, I was suckered into thinking a really pretty cove was the end of the trail, because the trail vanished into a thick patch of brush right after. But if you keep pushing through (and chance one stream crossing on slippery logs — also your last water source for overnight campers — you’ll pass through a clearing with a couple of primitive campsites and arrive at your oh, so worthy goal: Views like what you see in the featured image of this post here.
I can see the appeal of biking this trail because once you’ve hiked it enough, the relative flatness/consistency can get a little monotonous — by Alaska standards, anyway. But the views at the very end of the trail are ridiculous, and this is a great overnight backpacking destination. So I keep coming back.
Brush and Avalanches
Heads up: The end of the trail gets quite brushy by midsummer, and for winter/spring travel please note that the trail crosses a known avalanche chute.
Lisa Maloney
A long-time Alaskan, Lisa has written three award-winning guidebooks including "Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska" and "50 Hikes Around Anchorage." She also served as senior editor of Alaska magazine and has written hundreds of newspaper columns and magazine articles about her adventures around the state. Learn more about her at http://maloneywrites.com.
