DISCOVER HOPE, ALASKA
ABOUT Hope, Alaska
ABOUT HOPE
A LITTLE OF HOPE'S HISTORY
The first gold rush in Alaska happened here - before the Klondike Stampede or the gold rush on the beaches of Nome - the first gold rush in Alaska happened here in Hope.
THE HOPE GOLD RUSH
Hope enjoyed its heyday long before Anchorage was founded. When the discovery of gold in Six Mile Creek in 1895 reached Seattle, it set off one of Alaska's first gold rushes. Within a year, more than 3,000 stampeders were headed for this slice of the Kenai Peninsula. Miners arrived in the area by boat, many rowing themselves up Cook Inlet's Turnagain Arm in dories.
HOW HOPE GOT ITS NAME
A few of these men decided to name their little town after the next person off the boat. The next person was a 17-year old prospector named Percy Hope. The community was soon a thriving commercial center with stores, hotels, social halls, community councils, post offices and saloons. Hope's heyday was short-lived. By 1898, news of the famous Klondike Gold Rush in Canada's Yukon had spread, and most miners in Hope packed up for the Klondike. Many of the original buildings are still in use in Hope, including the Social Hall which was built in 1902, and the original schoolhouse which is now the library.
HOPE TODAY
Hope, Alaska hasn't changed much since the gold rush ended. Today, Hope is a quiet, historic trip back through time. Hope is what visitors to Alaska envision about Alaska - wooded surroundings, log cabins, an old general store and friendly people. The population is anywhere between 150 and 250, depending on who you ask. The school district is a K-12, and it has about 15 children.
our hiking trails
Hope is a mecca for fat biking and back country skiers. And our trails are second-to-none in the state of Alaska. From short one-hour jaunts to multi-day explorations, Hope boasts renowned trails such as Palmer Creek, Resurrection Pass, Gull Rock, and Hope Point. When you visit, be sure to pack bear spray and a camera.
There are a couple of things you simply cannot forget when hitting the trails in Hope:
1) Your camera,
2) Your adventurous spirit, and
3) Your bear spray.
BE BEAR (& moose) AWARE
Hope is home not only to some of the finest people in Alaska, but some of our residents mosey around on four legs. Here is some helpful information that will keep you safe while enjoying some of the greatest displays of wildlife in the world.
Do you know what to do if you site a bear? Know your bear facts, and download the Alaska Bear Facts brochure by CLICKING HERE.
And CLICK HERE to download a great resource to educate your kids on bear awareness and safety.
FISHING REPORT
Hope sits tucked in the Upper Kenai Peninsula, an area world-renowned for its salmon and trout fishing. Check out the fishing report by visiting http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInforuntiming.main to see when the best fishing in the area is.
GETTING HERE
Hope, Alaska sits on the road system down the most beautiful highway just 80 miles south of Anchorage. Folks typically fly into Anchorage then take the scenic drive 1-1/2 hour south to the Kenai Peninsula.
The town of Hope is a 16-mile drive off the Seward Highway cutoff. We call that the “Hope Junction” or “The Y.” You will undoubtedly call it the most majestic drive of your entire life.
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