lower dewey lake hiking trail

For most hikers this is a great hike, some seasonal workers even do it on their lunch break. In the early season there may be some icy spots in the shadows. It may be muddy a little in spots after a rain, and around the north side of the lake there can be some mud. There are great peaceful views of the lake once there, the best spots are on the southern end. For sedentary or senior walkers it can prove challenging, it will certainly get your heart beating! The trailhead is next to the railroad tracks, DO NOT WALK ALONG THE TRACKS FROM 2nd AVENUE!Better to take the trail on the west side of the creek and then cross the tracks at a right angle, so you can see any trains coming! Even if you only go up to the first overlook of the harbor, its worth the view and certainly cheaper than a helicopter flight! Ask at the visitor centers for trail maps and conditions if you feel unsure of yourself.

Easy to find the trail from the cruise ship. It is a pretty steep climb at times and be slippery. So make sure you wear good shoes and take plenty of water. However when you get to the lake it is just beautiful.

I would say this trail is moderately strenuous, it just goes up the side of the mountain and has some rock steps. The map shows it being 1/2 mile but it seemed longer than that. There are a couple spots to stop and look down on the town and harbor. There is an outhouse near the top close to the lake. Also, there are quite a few areas that are muddy. Once at the lake, the views are amazing. We had great weather and calm wind so we had a great reflection of the mountains in the lake. Depending on your fitness level, the hike to the lower lake may take a minimum of 15 minutes. There are several other trails that branch off from this area and will take longer to complete.

Easy access from the south side of Skagway if you are walking to the trail. You can leave the tourists behind in no time and be relatively alone as you ascend the trail. Parts of the trail can be quite slippery if it is raining (as it was when we hiked), but you have to be prepared- it is southeast Alaska after all. Trail loops around the Lake with picnic tables in a couple spots, so you can lounge and enjoy the scenery if the weather cooperates. Very nice!

We stopped in Skagway on a cruise. We had an excursion first thing in the morning, walked through the town and went on a shorter hike before lunch. After lunch we went on this hike. The 1/4 mile or so of the hike is all up hill. I was glad our hike was uphill at the beginning so it would be downhill at the end when we were exhausted. After the first part of the hike, it leveled off and was a nice relaxing afternoon. Wish we had time for the Upper Dewey Lake Trail!

We were tired of the tourist traps and expensive tours at each cruise stop so in Skagway we opted to do some hiking on our own. We stopped at a tourist information center one block into the town, picked up a trail map, and headed uphill toward Lower Dewey Lake. The trail looped around the lake, but on way back we turned right and headed out to Reid Falls. The trail got steep at times, but if an overweight late-fifties couple can keep up with the kids, than its safe to call it moderate. And both the lake and the falls are well worth the trip. You can see highlights of our experience at http://youtu.be/jc4vX8kzZ90

We took the trail to Lower Dewey Lake and then to Sturgill Landing. The trail was very steep and muddy on the climb to Dewey Lake. Once you get to the lake, it is very pretty and the trail circles the lake (total distance to do this is about 2 miles RT). The trail to Sturgill was about 4 more miles. It was a very nice trail thru the woods. If it is raining, it will probably be very muddy but still worth the hike. The trail starts near the railroad tracks and is well marked.

This is a good little hike and well worth it. As you approach the lake the trail forks and the right fork leads you to an overlook where you can look down on the cruise ships and town. The left fork takes you to the lake and give you access to an even longer hike to the fjord-view if you want a long hike.

Stopped In Skagway on a cruise, and wanted to do some hiking away from the tours/excursions, and we came across the Lower Dewey Lake Hiking Trails. The trails are listed as moderate difficulty. I would have to agree. There are several areas that are steep and narrow. The trails are well marked, but often just rocks. We continued on to Icy Lake and Upper Reid Falls, and the views are amazing. It was very quiet and we encountered few other people. Definitely worth the time and effort.

Had a nice morning hiking to Lower Dewey Lake, waiting for our afternoon excursion. The trail is well marked and of moderate difficulty. There are several sections that are steep, with rocks and roots, so this is not a good hike if you are not sure footed. Beautiful views once you reach the lake. We didn't have time to hike around the entire lake, but the trail appeared relatively flat once you got to that point. Nice morning break after being on the cruise ship for a few days!

Wanted to spend some of Skagway away from the cruise ship crowds in town. We also did a river float in the a.m., shopped after, and took the White Pass Scenic Railway at 4:15 p.m. Be aware this is a steep hike, and the 2 men (early 50's) in our group only made it 1/4 of the way....I'm in my 50's, my sister late 40's, and we made it to the lake, which was nothing spectacular, but did enjoy the hike, and would recommend it if you don't want to spend your entire day in port shopping. There were some nice views. You need to be in good shape to do this hike on the way up, down was a breeze. We had a bear bell attached to a backpack, just in case.August 5, 2014

The view from above Skagway is beautiful. The hike is strenuous for some and I recommend good hiking shoes or good foot wear. There are many rocks to climb over. When you reach the Lake it is a nice place to relax and enjoy the wooded surroundings and nature at its best.

We were happy to find this 2 hour walk right behind the town. The opening switchbacks were a good workout and afforded a great view of the harbor. The hike around the lake was enjoyable scenic places to stop for a break.

The trail to Lower Dewey Lake is fairly short, but rather steep and pretty constant uphill. The view of the lake at the top is a bit ho-hum. Perhaps we are a bit biased coming from Colorado, where we have many trails that end with spectacular lake/mountain views. It is still a very pleasant, moderately difficult hike. Our favorite part was the fact that we practically had the trail to ourselves the whole time, in spite of the town being mobbed with cruise ship tourists. It was a great way to escape the crowds and enjoy a little peace and seclusion, even if the lake itself was only average.

It's not a long hike but you will definitely get a work out. Be careful, it has a lot of steep areas and the rocks can be slippery. The lake is not all that impressive but if you like to hike, you will enjoy this trail.