perseverance national recreation trail

Perseverance is by far Juneau’s most popular downtown local trail. With connections to the Flume trail, Granite Creek, Silver Bow Ruins, Gold Falls, The Glory Hole, Red Mill, Mt. Juneau, and Mt. Roberts it is no wonder. I run this trail almost daily through the summer and often use it to garner some late season spring skiing. From thick forest to raw high steep valley walls down to Gold Creek, Persy, as the locals say, is a highly stimulating trail just steps from the edge of town.In the summer salmon berry patches are thick and delicious and in the Autumn the alpine blueberries are delightful as well.A small side trail can also bring you down to beautifully clear Gold Creek Falls. Be cautious if you venture down, the edges are steep and slippery, but can be safely viewed from a few sections.Persy is open for pedestrians and mountain bikers who both frequently use the trail so please be courteous and follow the signs so everyone can continue to use this incredible trail. It is often used through the winter to reach prime slope ski spots for everything from hill play to crazy. With more fat tire bikes around, expect to see more bike traffic through the winter as well.

Perseverance is a favorite among Juneauites and should be for visitors looking to get off the beaten tourist track and get some exercise. It's well-maintained, though muddy in places further along if it's been really rainy (which is most of the time in Juneau, haha), and beautiful. It's not too steep at all (not like Mt. Juneau), so it can be tackled by people of various fitness levels. Best done on a non-rainy day to see/appreciate the full beauty, but it's still nice on a rainy day.

I jog in this trail every week! I had no idea there was a page for it here. The trail is very well-maintained, clean and safe, and it starts pretty close to urban areas. There is a beautiful lake about 40 min. in, and scenic stops with benches and even pic-nic areas all over.

If you have time for several miles of well maintained trail, I recommend the one. Plenty of scenic stops with a few benches, and a great way to visit young geology. Bug dope in the summer and access to raingear is wise.

we hiked to a lake about 4 miles in (8m RT), and it was glorious. Muddy in places, tho we did not wear full mud boots and were OK (they'd had a dry spell, so we may have been lucky). Lots of waterfalls, river views, rocky outcrops, and even a bear! Best hike of our trip.

The Perseverance Trail is a popular trail with Juneau locals and it is easy to see why. The trail starts only a couple of miles from the government buildings and waterfront. The road to the trail head is not paved but it is a very good, though narrow road and there is parking. You can either drive to the trailhead or walk from old town. (The last couple of city blocks before you get out of town are quite steep.) This same road passes the "official" trailhead for the Mt. Roberts trail (but not the only trail up/down Mt. Roberts).The start of the Perseverance trail is fairly steep but in a short distance, it levels out and is easy from there on to the end. It is a good surface and the scenery is wonderful, with lots of opportunity for photography. The entire trail is about 3 miles but you can go any distance and still enjoy the time.There is a secondary trail to “mine ruins”. This is very steep and leads to a few ruins of the large gold mine that was once in this canyon. I would not recommend it unless you really want to see everything in the area. This is part is fairly difficult for not much of a reward.Overall, this is a wonderful place to hike.

This trail and the Flume trail are fantastic. The trails are well maintained and suited for all ages of hikers. Highly recommend these trails!

Lovely hike. Six miles takes around three hours and is a nice way to spend the morning in the Juneau area. Locals use the trail as a jogging path so it is maintained and easy to follow. The end of the trail leads to a pretty trail, the view along the way is excellent.

The scenery along this trail was awe inspiring! To get to the trail from downtown Juneau,it is up, up, up! We saw people taking cabs. However, coming from The Best Western Country Lane Inn, we (both 63 years old) took a city bus to the State Office building, took their elevator to the 8th floor, and when we walked out the 8th floor doors, we had eliminated some of the upward climb. Once we got through the initial upward climbing, not rugged, just upward, we did not find the trail itself extremely strenuous, just beautiful!. We walked the entire perseverance trail (not including the miners ruins) and back. On our way back, we started to walk the Flume Trail, which looked very interesting, but we just ran out of time. Wish we had more time there. Also, although it rained the whole time we were there and drainage on the trail was good, it can be WET, WET, WET, so dress appropriately and walk with care.

We walked from downtown Juneau to Ebner Falls view and then back. Would have liked to continue, but unfortunately didn't have enough time. To me, it's a moderate hike as there's quite a bit of uphill. Also keep in mind that it's a bit of a walk from downtown to Basin Road and then to the start of Perseverance Trail, before you even start the trail itself. There are a couple of car lots if you have a car, but we didn't find it necessary. We had a beautiful sunny day (as were most of our days in AK) and the views are spectacular. There are a lot of locals - young adults, families, older people. I wouldn't call it crowded, but you do have company on the trail, which we prefer. Take plenty of water and plenty of time to just enjoy the awesome views. It's a beautiful respite from the masses that can accumulate in town!

Yes, toward the top-- I had to persevere!! Lovely hike thru the woods-/ up hill... Moderate.. I loved the mining shafts and winding streams-- fantastic wooden trail, part of way z(wooden road)

I just returned from Juneau and this trail was fabulous. It's a bit steep in the beginning but it gets better. At the beginning there are also lots of waterfalls and a pretty steep drop off so be careful. We went all the way to the end and then hiked up to the mining ruins...I would advise against taking that part of the trail. The unexpected climb up the mountain left us pretty tired and there was no ruins to see. I wish to be back there today....

My partner and I walked this trail on a beautiful, sun shining day before continuing on to climb mt juneau. Easy to walk to the trailhead from town which we ended up doing, even though a friendly juneau local kindly offered us a lift! The waterfall is gorgeous - definitely worth a visit. Mt juneau is a much more difficult climb but views from the top were stunning. For mt juneau, I would recommend good hiking boots and that you carry a camelbak. We saw a flock of dall sheep from the top too!

What an awesome trail that is easily accessible from town. Moderate difficulty. Not too long. Gold creek running beside you is stunning. Waterfalls are gorgeous. Plenty of hikers/joggers so you feel safe but not crowded at all. If you have a baby, bob stroller will NOT work - use a baby pack. About halfway, make sure to sit on the rock that is jutting out into the stream - amazing.

If you are a hiker "stuck" on a cruise ship, we have a fantastic plan for you. Rent a car from Juneau Car Rental. They have a satellite office on the pier, a mile or less walk from your boat, depending on your liner. Whatever you pay for the car, it will cost less that an "excursion". Drive to the Mendenhall Glacier. It's about a 30 minute drive, easy to find, and easy to park. There are lots of trails to choose from. Then drive to the Perseverance Trailhead, also easy to find and easy to park. Magnificent trail with lots of wildflowers and waterfalls. Steep for a very short stretch, then basically flat. You can get to the Perseverance trailhead from the pier by foot, but it is a long, and very steep walk. We made PB&J sandwiches at breakfast on the boat and had a very nice picnic. If you plan to hike in Alaska, bring raingear and waterproof footwear.