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By Heidi & Dan
Dan Blanchard, founder & CEO of UnCruise Adventures, knows Alaska.
He lives and breathes Alaska. Dan was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest and calls Juneau home.
Dan in Granite Creek Basin, near Juneau. * Selfie: Dan Blanchard
We asked Dan to share his favorite remote, “secret” places in Alaska, and while there are so many, he shared seven personal favorites.
Dan says there is magic in this list; pristine beauty that’s hard to put into words.
But Dan tried anyway. Here are Dan’s “7 Secret Places in Alaska Adventurous Travelers Should Know About” — many can be reached on UnCruise adventures.
Dan Blanchard’s 7 Favorite Secret Alaska Spots.
1. Fern Harbor, Glacier Bay National Park.
This harbor is remote and rarely visited.
We see less-common critters in this area like little grey and docile harbor porpoises, wolves, sea otters, Minke whales, river otters, and large brown bears on occasion.
There’s great kayaking with a chance to paddle through a natural arch.
Hike up the riverbank, on beaches, and across large open fields to the woods.
Small-boat excursions have a chance to get a little further out and see creatures common to the outside coast of Alaska.
Mama bear crossing river with her cubs. * Photo: UnCruise
HOW DO I GET THERE? On UnCruise’s “Wild, Woolly & WOW” itinerary aboard the 86-pax Wilderness Legacy.
2. Cascade Creek, Thomas Bay.
The Cascade Creek area has some of the best hiking with some altitude in Southeast Alaska, with beautiful waterfalls and lakes that make this hike a gem for locals and visitors alike.
Just south of the trail is the long meandering path to Patterson Lake and River.
Turquoise water from the nearby Baird Glacier is the backdrop for stories of Kushtaka (or Kooshdakhaa, “land otter man”), who is said to live and roam this area with abandon.
The tales will keep you up at night!
HOW DO I GET THERE? Get there on UnCruise’s “Wild, Woolly & WOW” itinerary aboard the 86-pax Wilderness Legacy.
3. LeConte Glacier, Mainland of Southeast Alaska.
My early years in Alaska were here.
The shallow entrance keeps the big foreign-flagged mega-ships out, which means that this most southern of all Northern Hemisphere tidewater glaciers is left to us small guys.
This is a true glacier experience with harbor seals galore, icebergs, and calvings like no place in Southeast Alaska.
Our “Glacier Gardens” small-boat and kayaking activities in the ice make this place very special to the few who visit.
Skiff exploring in Leconte ice gardens. * Photo: UnCruise
HOW DO I GET THERE? UnCruise’s “Wild, Woolly & WOW” adventure aboard the 86-pax Wilderness Legacy goes there.
4. Corner Bay, Chichagof Island.
This is a remote area where my friend Gordon Chew prospers.
Old logging roads for biking, hidden lakes, and brown bears in great numbers make this place magical.
Kayaking and small boat activities are so easy and highly satisfying.
Humpbacks are often seen right off the beach or from your small boat or SUP.
For visitors, who will only get this experience with UnCruise, Gordon shares how he and his family make a living off the land .
HOW DO I GET THERE? Check out UnCruise’s “Wild, Woolly & WOW” itinerary aboard the 86-pax Wilderness Legacy.
5. Granite Creek Basin & Mount Juneau.
My favorite hikes from downtown Juneau are along these two trails.
You can do one or both trails as a one-way or a loop together.
Granite Creek Basin is my place of peace.
Dan in Granite Creek Basin with his puppy Keku. * Photo: Megan Moran
It’s wrapped in mountains with a stream that runs cold.
Dan and Megan at the frozen waterfalls on the Granite Creek Trail. * Photo: Dan Blanchard
This is a great place for a summer skinny dip after coming off Mount Juneau.
Now, these two hikes are not for the faint of heart; doing the full loop hike takes all day and has a lot of elevation.
Strong hikers can do both, but if you’re feeling leery just take the Granite Creek Basin Route and leave Mount Juneau for another day.
Beautiful Mt Juneau, Alaska. * Photo: UnCruise
Mountain goats, wolves, pork pines (porcupines!), ptarmigan (Arctic grouse), and bald eagles adorn this route and are regularly seen. The vistas are amazing.
Bald eagle in Alaska. * Photo: UnCruise
HOW DO I GET THERE? Any UnCruise out of Juneau gives you the opportunity to hike around Mt Juneau and Granite Creek Basin before or after your cruise.
RELATED: Dan Blanchard shares his favorite places to eat in Juneau!
6. Windham Bay Wilderness.
This tight bay is home to huge salmon runs, abandoned mines, haunting stories, and obscene wilderness.
Whether on a hike, a kayak or simply strolling the river delta at the end, it is amazing.
I once (in the pitch dark of night!) had a wolf just feet off the stern of my own boat. She had wandered across the river delta at low tide and was so close to my boat, I could hear her walking in the water.
The hike between Windham Bay and Endicott Arm is one of the most satisfying I have ever had.
Moose highways on the top of the ridge between the two inlets were a great surprise.
HOW DO I GET THERE? Windham Bay is sometimes accessible on Safari Quest and Safari Explorer cruises, UnCruises’s smallest vessels.
7. Sunshine Island, Vixen Inlet.
My daughter and I stayed here on a weeklong kayak trip.
This little island is in the lee of mountains that help keep the rain away and the sunshine coming. It is a calm and peaceful island that is tucked well inside Vixen Inlet.
River Otters make their home here as do many species of birdlife. Sea Lions keep the waters around the island active and Dall’s porpoises seem to love the waters close to the island.
Sunsets during the summer months are to die for. Inside the forest line, it is like the land of little gnomes with thick green moss covering the ground.
Beautiful Dall’s porpoise. * Photo: UnCruise
HOW DO I GET THERE? Sunshine island is not accessible from any UnCruise itineraries, but check it out on your own!
PS: Before you go out exploring these secret places in Alaska, remember, all of Southeast Alaska is bear country. Visitors should either travel with a qualified backcountry guide or be well versed in bear country practices.
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HEIDI SARNA
