Mount Roberts Trail
Mount Roberts Trail
4.5
About
Hiking trail beginning in downtown Juneau that is great for novices.
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Mount Roberts Trail and nearby attractions
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
65 within 3 miles
Attractions
45 within 6 miles
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
576 reviews
Excellent
358
Very good
187
Average
23
Poor
5
Terrible
3
Tyler R
Boston, MA2 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
1 hour and 40 minutes from cruise ship to mountain top tram. Some steep steps, and pretty muddy. Come prepared with comfortable hiking clothes—you’ll get sweaty. Some nice views and a good alternative to the cost of a round trip tram ride (~$35). $15 one way down on the tram, but can be substituted for $15 shop and/or restaurant purchase. They didn’t check our tram tickets/receipts though. A good active activity after lounging around the ship!
Written September 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jennifer1315
Evergreen, CO23 contributions
May 2022
We are a family of four ages 62, 60, 20 and 19. We are not in particularly great shape but okay. It took us a little over two hours to hike to the top of Mount Roberts. The trail was well maintained but a little narrow. There were lots of switchbacks, tree roots, log steps and a bit of snow and mud. I used my walking stick and needed a hand from time to time to step up because I have a bad knee. It was a beautiful, exhilarating hike and we felt quite accomplished at the top. The view was spectacular and worth the hike. If you spend $15 each at the gift shop at the top, you get a free ride down on the tram. If you don't spend $15 each, the attendant just pushes you off the top. Just kidding!
Written May 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Veronica Hunter
Medford, NJ5,985 contributions
Jun 2021
I drove out my campsite, Glacier Nalu around 6:30 am to find a drive thru coffee house.
Parked my rental in the free parking lot on the corner of 8 th street and Basin Road. Walked on Basin Rd to find Mt Robert’s Trailhead sign.
The morning was not sunny and inviting, It was foggy ... but it was not windy or raining.
The trail is well marked, comfortable and steep. If you are not comfortable with hills or walking upstairs, you will feel it.
Personally, I view walking uphill as an ideal workout.
The heart and lungs feel it, the leg and derrière muscles feel it.
Cardiovascular and strength training in one session.
Once, I reached the tram with snow on the ground, I turn back to head down the trail.
An elderly man was hiking up with ease and strength. I stopped to sincerely compliment him on his hiking abilities.. He rewarded me with a genuine soulful smile.
Parked my rental in the free parking lot on the corner of 8 th street and Basin Road. Walked on Basin Rd to find Mt Robert’s Trailhead sign.
The morning was not sunny and inviting, It was foggy ... but it was not windy or raining.
The trail is well marked, comfortable and steep. If you are not comfortable with hills or walking upstairs, you will feel it.
Personally, I view walking uphill as an ideal workout.
The heart and lungs feel it, the leg and derrière muscles feel it.
Cardiovascular and strength training in one session.
Once, I reached the tram with snow on the ground, I turn back to head down the trail.
An elderly man was hiking up with ease and strength. I stopped to sincerely compliment him on his hiking abilities.. He rewarded me with a genuine soulful smile.
Written July 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
amanda5805
Duncan, Canada4,253 contributions
Sep 2019
We had some spare time while in Juneau and we decided to go for a hike on Mount Roberts Trails. There are a few different route to choice from. It is also very steep but has a well maintained trail. There is also some stunning view points over looking Juneau. If you like being outdoors and hiking this is a great place to spend a few hours while in Juneau.
Written July 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Patrick O
Mount Holly, NC1,079 contributions
Aug 2022
We hiked up to the cross. The hike was a good workout. The trail is wide in spots and also more narrow with some roots and rocks but well maintained. It is mildly strenuous but we made it considering two of us were not in great shape. Worth the hike, but if you have health issues, you should probably not hike it.
Written December 26, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
kikideli
Columbus, OH5 contributions
May 2022 • Couples
I read reviews about this trail and researched about the trail online. It said ‘easy’ trail. I have to disagree with this. I’m 36yrs and in good shape. I don’t hike regularly but I walk my dog daily. So I thought this trail will not be difficult for me. Apparently it’s not easy as I thought. I came to Juneau on the second week of May. On the top of the mountain is still covered with snow! I had a walking sneakers on and struggled with the snow a bit (see pictures I posted). I didn’t expect the trial will be all snow! Other than that, the trail is beautiful. We saw some bold eagles flying on the top of the mountain. It took us about 2 hrs to hike from the trailhead to the tram. We rode the tram down. It’s going to be a good memory when I get old that I’ve done this hike!
Written May 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Tony S
Minneapolis, MN448 contributions
Great day hike. Don't take the tram up though, you miss the rain forest and a very pretty part of the hike. We started in town with temps in the 50's and made the top in 3-4 hours. At the top it was below freezing, we were in the clouds and the wind was screaming. It was almost like climbing a real mountain. It is a real mountain!
Written April 4, 2003
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
tedkeil
Redmond, WA13 contributions
Sep 2012 • Couples
We recently enjoyed a Alaska Cruise Tour on the "Diamond Princess" and one of the stops was in Juneau. We took the tram to the top of Mt. Roberts on a previous trip and enjoyed it very much. This time a waiter in a local restaurant told us that there is a easy path up to the top and once you are there , all you need to do is spend $5.- per person in the mountain top Restaurant and you can take the tram down for free. The regular fare is $29.-.
Well, we took the trail, not realizing that it had rained very hard for the previous week. It was muddy and slippery but there are great views and we had a great time. Then we stopped in the Restaurant and were told you had to spent $10.- per person to ride the tram. We drank a bottle of wine and later to our surprise it turned out you had to pay nothing to ride down. Nobody is asking for a receipt or anything. It was a great walk and we had a great time.
Well, we took the trail, not realizing that it had rained very hard for the previous week. It was muddy and slippery but there are great views and we had a great time. Then we stopped in the Restaurant and were told you had to spent $10.- per person to ride the tram. We drank a bottle of wine and later to our surprise it turned out you had to pay nothing to ride down. Nobody is asking for a receipt or anything. It was a great walk and we had a great time.
Written November 9, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
EricOravsky
Juneau, AK33 contributions
Feb 2015 • Solo
The close proximity to town and alternate access from the Goldbelt Tram(for a price) makes this trail extremely popular. The tram is located in the middle of the Cruise ship dock downtown and the trailhead is located just after the trestle bridge on Basin Road. The initial ascent is much more friendly than its cousin across the valley, Mt. Juneau. About two miles up the trail, users will hit the Mountain House which, during the summer, is a nice bathroom stop and water fill up before continuing on. The Nature Center across the way has updated trail and weather information. There are guided and self guided tours, as well as information plaques around a half mile loop from the top of the tram.
A popular stop is Father Browns Cross, a replica on the cross that volunteers built when constructing the trail in 1908. From there, this trail is full of false summits. Mt. Roberts proper is about 3 miles of steady rocky incline ending at about 3800 feet. The last half mile along Gold Ridge is covered in beautiful alpine grasses and lush low brush. When the snow clears it is a wonderful place to nap on a warm sunny day. With a beautiful view of the ocean from the west side and a spectacular view of the Silver Bow basin and mountains beyond from the east, Roberts earns a top picnic spot for Juneau. The trail crosses very little water, making it unusual for Juneau. A bit drier alpine forest than many parts of Juneau making it great for a multitude of flowers mid summer. In the summer, Paragliders can often be seen launching from a slight outcrop not far from Father Browns cross.
All in all, this trail is a great way to gain a commanding view with minimal effort whether you take the tram or hoof it!
A popular stop is Father Browns Cross, a replica on the cross that volunteers built when constructing the trail in 1908. From there, this trail is full of false summits. Mt. Roberts proper is about 3 miles of steady rocky incline ending at about 3800 feet. The last half mile along Gold Ridge is covered in beautiful alpine grasses and lush low brush. When the snow clears it is a wonderful place to nap on a warm sunny day. With a beautiful view of the ocean from the west side and a spectacular view of the Silver Bow basin and mountains beyond from the east, Roberts earns a top picnic spot for Juneau. The trail crosses very little water, making it unusual for Juneau. A bit drier alpine forest than many parts of Juneau making it great for a multitude of flowers mid summer. In the summer, Paragliders can often be seen launching from a slight outcrop not far from Father Browns cross.
All in all, this trail is a great way to gain a commanding view with minimal effort whether you take the tram or hoof it!
Written February 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Joey J
Beech Grove, IN26 contributions
Feb 2012
This isn't really a negative review, but may sound like it at first...
I see a lot of people reviewing this trail and saying it's great. I'm pretty sure they're young or in very good condition and have good shoes to wear and plenty of time and maybe even a gps in case something goes wrong. Wonderful hike if you want to get really tired in a rainforest, but we used to live in Juneau and know this can be a slippery and somewhat arduous trail unless you are REALLY in shape or want to take a long time to get up because of frequent rest stops. It's also very possible to get lost if you take a wrong turn and there are plenty of opportunities to do that...Juneau is known for gobs of hiking trails but many are marked very poorly or not at all, and some see very little traffic and are overgrown during summer or icy during fall/winter/spring.
Beware of low-lying clouds or a day when the Mountain could obviously be socked in at any time (which happens very often) as this of course increases chance of getting lost. Because we lived there, we knew about people falling and dying in some crevice along this trail, no joke.
All this said, if you are an avid hiker and know what you're doing you'll enjoy this trail. If you're a novice, pay for the tram and take a hike from the dropoff point at the top - there aren't as many trees and the path is obvious. If you walk up the mountain from that point (well beyond the big cross) you'll end up with a grand and endless view of the mountains/glaciers lying behind Juneau. That is, if you're lucky enough to enjoy the rare clear day.
I see a lot of people reviewing this trail and saying it's great. I'm pretty sure they're young or in very good condition and have good shoes to wear and plenty of time and maybe even a gps in case something goes wrong. Wonderful hike if you want to get really tired in a rainforest, but we used to live in Juneau and know this can be a slippery and somewhat arduous trail unless you are REALLY in shape or want to take a long time to get up because of frequent rest stops. It's also very possible to get lost if you take a wrong turn and there are plenty of opportunities to do that...Juneau is known for gobs of hiking trails but many are marked very poorly or not at all, and some see very little traffic and are overgrown during summer or icy during fall/winter/spring.
Beware of low-lying clouds or a day when the Mountain could obviously be socked in at any time (which happens very often) as this of course increases chance of getting lost. Because we lived there, we knew about people falling and dying in some crevice along this trail, no joke.
All this said, if you are an avid hiker and know what you're doing you'll enjoy this trail. If you're a novice, pay for the tram and take a hike from the dropoff point at the top - there aren't as many trees and the path is obvious. If you walk up the mountain from that point (well beyond the big cross) you'll end up with a grand and endless view of the mountains/glaciers lying behind Juneau. That is, if you're lucky enough to enjoy the rare clear day.
Written March 2, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Magda S
Orlando, FL158 contributions
We will be in Juneau arriving on a cruise ship. How far is the tram area from cruise dock? Is it walking distance to get to the tram from the cruise dock? Do you need a reservation to eat at the restaurant up there? Do you recommend doing the salmon bake or a la carte lunch? Some tour companies offer this but I’m wondering is it’s something that can be done on our own.
Peter D
Leopold, Australia107 contributions
Hi you can walk from boat to tram station ,you could be as close as one boat length or four boat lengths away , as I don’t like salmon we just had light snack and ate back at the boat ,the restaurant up top not to sure about booking when we were there there were 4 cruise ships in port so fairly busy ,suggest to go to tram first line up about 1/2 hour then do rest of town when you come down
Brigid M
Santa Barbara, CA
How difficult is the hike up to Mount Roberts
63Kathyd
Winter Haven, FL849 contributions
We took the tram and hiked from there. Also, there are 2 options from there. One is steps, the other just hiking. We did the one where you just hiked and it was not bad. The people that did the one with the steps were complaining. The views are beautiful and there are plenty of places to stop and take a breather.
GiaFree
Ashland, OR2 contributions
Little confused as to the fee for taking the tram both up and down. Where is the best place to purchase your tickets? Thank You...gia
Angela C
Rowland Heights, CA90 contributions
You can pay and take the Tram up from downtown Juneau which is around $35.
Or, you can walk 1.5-2miles past downtown Juneau and then start a very intense, rooty, muddy hike of approximately 3miles, 1800 feet elevation to where the Tram would end up at if you had paid the $35.
There is an additional free nature walk at the top of the Tram near the gift shop.
There is an addtional free 1.5mile intense hike up to the peak of Mt. Roberts starting from the upper tram stop near the gift shop.
If you hike up from the bottom of the Mt. Roberts Trailhead (which is what we did), you can spend $15 per person in gifts at the gift shop and get a free ride DOWN on the tram according to the Tram people as of July 2016.
Please look at the photo I took of the Mt. Roberts trail. It's pretty much 3 miles of trail that looks like that photo the entire way. Very dangerous if slippery/raining
Sandra T
Tallahassee30 contributions
Is it easy to get to the trail from port? We won't have a car but would love to do a nice hike on our own.
Angela C
Rowland Heights, CA90 contributions
You can pay and take the Tram up from downtown Juneau which is around $35.
Or, you can walk 1.5-2miles past downtown Juneau and then start a very intense, rooty, muddy hike of approximately 3miles, 1800 feet elevation to where the Tram would end up at if you had paid the $35.
There is an additional free nature walk at the top of the Tram near the gift shop.
There is an addtional free 1.5mile intense hike up to the peak of Mt. Roberts starting from the upper tram stop near the gift shop.
If you hike up from the bottom of the Mt. Roberts Trailhead (which is what we did), you can spend $15 per person in gifts at the gift shop and get a free ride DOWN on the tram according to the Tram people as of July 2016.
Please look at the photo I took of the Mt. Roberts trail. It's pretty much 3 miles of trail that looks like that photo the entire way. Very dangerous if slippery/raining
claudiasorensen
Carlsbad, CA9 contributions
I'm taking a cruise in September and would like to do a day hike. Would Mount Roberts be a good trail to take. We will be docking in Juneau at 1:00 P.M. How long is the hike? Thanks.
AugustBDayTripster
Fort Davis, TX89 contributions
If you hike from town up to the tram stop at the end of the trail, it will take a about 90 minutes from the trailhead (plus about 20 minutes from the dock to the trailhead), depending on your fitness level and desire to pause and look around. It's steep and you will need good hiking boots. I wished I'd had my hiking pole -- it's wet and there are lots of tree roots and log steps to navigate, and I'm not as young as I'd like to think. But fitter people were bounding past me and could probably cover the 1500 ft or so ascension in much less time. There are other trails at that level you can continue on, or take the tram down. It's free if you spend $10 at the tram gift shop/restaurant. Nice views. The trail map indicates it's about 2.5 miles from the trailhead to the tram.
Amanda C
7 contributions
Can we do the trip to Mount Roberts on our own? how much time we need and how much is the ride?
Thanks
Angela C
Rowland Heights, CA90 contributions
You can pay and take the Tram up from downtown Juneau which is around $35.
Or, you can walk 1.5-2miles past downtown Juneau and then start a very intense, rooty, muddy hike of approximately 3miles, 1800 feet elevation to where the Tram would end up at if you had paid the $35.
There is an additional free nature walk at the top of the Tram near the gift shop.
There is an addtional free 1.5mile intense hike up to the peak of Mt. Roberts starting from the upper tram stop near the gift shop.
If you hike up from the bottom of the Mt. Roberts Trailhead (which is what we did), you can spend $15 per person in gifts at the gift shop and get a free ride DOWN on the tram according to the Tram people as of July 2016.
Please look at the photo I took of the Mt. Roberts trail. It's pretty much 3 miles of trail that looks like that photo the entire way. Very dangerous if slippery/raining
costeffectivemom
Conway, AR6 contributions
We will be in port in Juneau for about 6 hours. Will we have enough time to hike (NOT ride the tram) Mt. Robert and also ride the bus to Mendenhall Glacier to look around?
Linda P
Boston, MA8 contributions
That would not be enough time. The base of the Mt. Robert Trail is at the edge of town (past Basin Rd, up steep hills) and if you plan on getting to the summit, that would be an all day event. It is a moderate to difficult trail (if you are not taking taking the tram) that will take several hours. There are many, many trails in Juneau. It depends whether or not you have a car also.
Mount Roberts Trail (Juneau) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Mount Roberts Trail
- We recommend booking Mount Roberts Trail tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 2 Mount Roberts Trail tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near Mount Roberts Trail:
- (0.98 mi) Alaska's Capital Inn Bed and Breakfast
- (0.86 mi) Silverbow Inn Hotel & Suites
- (0.88 mi) Four Points by Sheraton Juneau
- (0.79 mi) Baranof Downtown, BW Signature Collection
- (0.71 mi) The Alaskan Hotel & Bar
- Restaurants near Mount Roberts Trail:
- (0.02 mi) Timberline Bar & Grill
- (0.41 mi) Twisted Fish Company Alaskan Grill
- (0.59 mi) Alaskan Crepe Escape
- (0.56 mi) Tracy's King Crab Shack
- (0.74 mi) Deckhand Dave's