Gold Creek Flume Trail (from Juneau cruise port) Things to do in Juneau Alaska 🏔 Alaska cruise tips

Hi there!

The Gold Creek Flume Trail is a leisurely walk that you can do directly from the cruise port if you’re looking for a couple of hours of relatively easy walking.

You can have the experience of walking through the hills of residential neighborhoods to get to the trail, and then you can walk the tree-lined boardwalk trail.

I did the Gold Creek Flume Trail in September 2023, having arrived to Juneau on a Princess cruise ship.

I had a full day in Juneau. I did a whale watching tour in the morning, and then after the tour asked for a drop-off at the alternate location of the Tracy’s King Crab Shack restaurant since we would be passing by it (“shack 2” that’s a bit further away from the cruise port). And then after I finished eating my crab bisque over rice, I started the walk to the trail.

See below for details on how to make the Gold Creek Flume Trail a part of your day in Juneau cruise port!

 

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There are partner websites that are included below.

 

 

First: Juneau tours you need to know about!

1. Mendenhall Glacier visitor center + whale watching combo
   • THE top 2 things Juneau is known for!
2. The Blue Bus glacier express shuttle
   • Round trip transportation with 2 hours at Mendenhall Glacier visitor center
3. Lighthouse + whale watching combo
   • Your boat lands on a small island so you can walk to the lighthouse!
4. Whale watching only tour
   • Spend more time out on the water = chances for more whale sightings!
5. Juneau Icefield helicopter flightseeing with wilderness glacier landing
   • Walk on ancient ice. Epic Alaska excursion you will remember forever!

 

 

Now, here’s a bit about the Gold Creek Flume Trail!

Basic trail information

The Gold Creek Flume Trail is a leisurely walk on a tree-lined boardwalk.

It’s around 0.7 miles one-way.

You can do the hike round-trip, or you can do it as a one-way trail. Both ends of the trail will connect to streets around downtown Juneau.

One of the main trailheads is located at the end of a residential street.

If you’re looking for a casual couple of hours in Juneau and a quiet walk is your idea of a good time, then the Gold Creek Flume Trail can be perfect.

Because you can walk to the Gold Creek Flume Trail through the streets of downtown Juneau and residential neighborhoods, this makes it one of the free things to do in Juneau.

You also have the option of making your walk even longer by continuing on the more rugged Mount Roberts Trail to get to the tram station and beyond.

If you decide to go to the tram station, you can hike around there to see the totem poles and go to the Chilkoot theater to watch the Native Alaskan informational show. Once at the tram station, you can take the tram down directly to the cruise port!

 

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Is the Gold Creek Flume Trail worth it?

I did the Gold Creek Flume Trail after I had been to Juneau a couple of times, so it wasn’t on my high priority list during my first Alaska cruises even though I had heard about it. (I did excursions and Nugget Falls on my own.)

But here are reasons why you may want to do it during your cruise ship visit!

 

You can walk to the Gold Creek Flume trailhead from the cruise port.

The Gold Creek Flume Trail is something you can do on your own when you’re in Juneau cruise port.

You’ll spend more time walking to and from the trail compared to walking on the trail itself, but you can think of it all as part of your leisurely walk in Juneau!

In order to get to (and from) the trail, you’ll be walking on regular roads through downtown Juneau and residential neighborhoods.

It’s hilly in Juneau!

If you do it this way, the cost to do the Gold Creek Flume Trail will be FREE!

 

👆 Map: Juneau cruise port to Gold Creek Flume Trail and back to the cruise ship. Explore the map.

 

 

It’s a nice leisurely walk with mountain views.

If you’re looking for an easy going couple of hours in Juneau, the Gold Creek Flume Trail can be perfect.

The trail itself is an easy boardwalk trail with views of the forest all around you.

 

👆 You can do the Gold Creek Flume Trail from the cruise ship!

 

If you have a full day in Juneau, you can do a Juneau excursion in the morning, and then follow it up with a nice walk through downtown Juneau and the Gold Creek Flume Trail in the afternoon!

 

The Gold Creek Flume Trail connects to a trail that leads to the Mount Roberts tram.

You can do the Gold Creek Flume Trail as a standalone trail, or if that’s not enough, then you can extend your walk by hiking the Mount Roberts Trail to the tram station!

This is the Goldbelt Tram which is also called the Mount Roberts tram.

When you start the Gold Creek Flume Trail at Evergreen Avenue, if you keep walking, you will end up at Basin Road.

Just across the street is the trailhead for Mount Roberts Trail, and it’s this trail that will lead to the tram.

This is a real hike through the forest that is basically uphill the entire way until you get to the tram.

Then once at the tram, you can take the tram down, and you will basically be at the cruise port!

 

👆 Map: Juneau cruise port to Gold Creek Flume Trail to Mount Roberts tram. Explore the map.

 

👆 Gold Creek Flume Trail to Mount Roberts Trail to Goldbelt Tram!

 

If you do it this way, your cost to do the Gold Creek Flume Trail will be the cost of the tram ride down, which will be around $20 per person. (Cost in 2023.)

Once at the tram station, you will buy $20 in souvenir gifts or food and drink at the restaurant there, and that will be your ticket down. Basically there is no way to buy a one-way ticket, and that’s your way to do it! To get on the tram, you will show a receipt that has a minimum $20 purchase.

You can do this in the opposite direction, starting with the Goldbelt Tram directly from the cruise port, but I personally wouldn’t recommend doing it that way for a couple of reasons.

First, it will cost more. There is no one-way ticket, so you’ll end up paying $50 for a Goldbelt Tram ticket when starting from the cruise port.

Second, if you start with the tram, there’s a good chance there will be a long line just to get on the tram. Considering you need to pay more AND possibly wait for a long time… well…!

So, I think it’s just more relaxing by starting off on your own terms… and cheaper!

 

See more things to do around the Goldbelt Tram.

 

 

Map: Juneau cruise port to Gold Creek Flume trailhead

Cruise ships dock in downtown Juneau.

The walk to the Gold Creek Flume trailhead can be longer or shorter depending on which specific dock your cruise ship is docked at.

If you’re at the dock furthest away, it could be an extra 10-15 minute walk compared to the one that’s closest.

But as long as you don’t mind walking, you can walk to the Gold Creek Flume trailhead from the Juneau cruise port!

 

👆 Map. How to get to Gold Creek Flume trailhead: Juneau cruise port to Gold Creek Flume trailhead walk. Explore the map.

 

 

How much time do you need?

You can do the Gold Creek Flume Trail as a one-way point-to-point walk, and the trail itself might be around a 20 minute walk one way.

Walking to the start of the Gold Creek Flume Trail at Evergreen Avenue from the cruise port might be around a 40 walk.

Walking from the end of the Gold Creek Flume Trail at Basin Road to the cruise port might be around a 30 walk.

So if you are doing the Gold Creek Flume Trail as a walking loop from the cruise port, it’s good to give yourself 2 hours.

You want to give yourself 1.5 hours to walk from the end of the Gold Creek Flume Trail at Basin Road to the Mount Roberts tram.

At the top of the tram station, you want to give yourself time to look around the gift shop to make your $20 purchase.

Then, you want to give yourself maybe 20-30 minutes in case there’s a line for the tram ride down.

Walking from the tram station at sea level to your cruise ship might be 5 to 10 minutes.

So, how much time it takes all depends on how you want to do the Gold Creek Flume Trail!

You might give yourself anywhere from 2 hours to 4 hours to go from ship to ship!

Meaning, time starting from the cruise ship to arriving back at the cruise ship!

 

 

Cost

There is no entry fee for the Gold Creek Flume Trail, so it’s possible to do your Gold Creek Flume Trail excursion for free!

If you do the Gold Creek Flume Trail only without the Mount Roberts Trail add-on, where you walk to and from the cruise port, then there is no cost for anything!

If you do the Mount Roberts Trail add-on to go to the Goldbelt Tram, then it will cost $20 per person to take the tram back down to the cruise port.

 

 

What to wear hiking the Gold Creek Flume Trail

If you will be doing only the Gold Creek Flume Trail (and not continuing on the Mount Roberts Trail), then you will be fine to be generally prepared for walking in the rain.

Since you’ll either be walking on the road or on a boardwalk, you won’t have much of a situation where you need to prepare for potentially hiking in the mud.

No matter what you’re doing (hiking or not), it’s a good idea to prepare for rain in Juneau.

This includes waterproof shoes and general rain gear.

One of the best waterproof shoes to have is Merrell hiking shoes or Salomon trail running shoes.

Rain gear can include a proper rain jacket and rain pants, or if you want to keep it simple (and cheap), I think it’s fine to opt to wear a $5 poncho from Walmart for the Gold Creek Flume Trail!

But it can also be nice to have a regular poncho or rain jacket for your cruise too.

 

 

Reviews

Before doing any hiking in Juneau or any other Alaska cruise ports, it’s a good idea to read through the reviews so you can know what to expect. This can also often give you an idea of current trail conditions.

Read the reviews for the Gold Creek Flume Trail:

• google maps
• alltrails

 

 

I did the Gold Creek Flume Trail on September 6, 2023. Your experience may vary!

 

 

More hikes in Juneau

Depending on how much time you want to spend hiking, how much effort you want to put forth, and what the weather is like (or come prepared for the rain!), here are more hikes for you to consider:

• Goldbelt Tram to totem poles, Father Brown Cross, or Gastineau Peak
• Mount Roberts Trail to Goldbelt Tram (as outlined above, except without the Gold Creek Flume Trail!)
• Nugget Falls Trail
• Photo Point Trail
• West Glacier Trail
• How to see the Mendenhall Glacier

 

More walks during your cruise: Juneau | Ketchikan | Skagway | Icy Strait Point | Sitka | Victoria | Seattle | Vancouver

More walking: Hiking in Alaska cruise ports

More for your cruise: All things Juneau on the blog!

 

HAPPY HIKING THE GOLD CREEK FLUME TRAIL!