Cordova, Alaska

Childs Glacier near Cordova, Alaska

Cordova is a uniquely Alaskan community, shaped by its dramatic natural setting, rich cultural heritage, and friendly residents. Cordova is a working town, nestled in the heart of a spectacular wilderness, that still looks to the ocean and forests for its livelihood.

Visitors to Cordova enjoy the pleasures of a sophisticated small town along with Alaska’s great outdoors.

There are many roads in the Cordova area, allowing easy access to glaciers, lakes, rivers, forests, mountains, and all of the local great outdoors.

Copper River Highway

This is the major road in the Cordova area, running from Cordova to Miles Lake and the Million Dollar Bridge. It is a beautiful scenic drive, with many side roads. The road runs through the Copper River delta where visitors can see wildlife such as Bald Eagles, Trumpeter Swans, Moose, Beavers, an occasional Bear and a variety of other birds and animals.

Childs Glacier near Cordova

Glacier Viewing

There are several glaciers near Cordova. The most famous is Childs Glacier, a tidewater glacier that frequently calves new icebergs. Visitors can view the towering 100m tall glacier face and ice crashing into the river from the calving glacier from the viewing platform about 400m across the river from the glacier. The glacier is located about 77km from Cordova near the Million Dollar Bridge and Lake Miles. Sheridan Glacier can be viewed from the bridge over the Sheridan River 15 miles from Cordova or you can take a 15 minute walk from the end of Sheridan Glacier road and actually be at the face of the glacier.

Million Dollar Bridge and Miles Lake

The Million Dollar Bridge offers beautiful views of Lake Miles and the Cordova River in their mountain setting. The bridge originally cost about a million dollars when it was built in around 1910 for the railroad to haul copper ore from the Kennicott mines to the port of Cordova. The bridge was damaged in the 1964 earthquake but has been rebuilt.

Birds, Copper River

The Copper River and Copper River Delta

The Copper River is the largest and most significant river in southcentral Alaska. The Copper River Delta, a 100 km arc formed by six glacial-fed river systems is partially accessible by the highway. Stretching across 283,000 hectares, the delta is the largest continuous wetland on the Pacific Coast of North America. Its myriad tidal marshes, shallow ponds and outwashes are used by millions of birds and waterfowl as staging areas during the spring and fall migrations as well as nesting areas in the summer.

Bird Watching

Cordova is a popular destination for bird watchers. May is the prime month for birders, a period when as many as 20 million shorebirds rest and feed in the tidal flats, including 7 million western sandpipers and the entire population of west coast dunlins.The famous Copper River Delta Shorebird Festival is held each May in conjunction with the spring migration.

Mount Eyak Ski Area

The ski lift services 30 runs with a vertical drop of 267m. Elevation at the top is 366m and annual snowfall is 889 cm. Ski and snowboard rentals are available as well as nearby lodging. The chair lift provides a stunning panorama of Cordova, Prince William Sound and a portion of the Copper River Delta.

Copper River WILD! Salmon Festival - July

This festival celebrates salmon and promote the health and sustainability of local salmon runs. There are a wide variety of food, art, music, road races and educational events over the course of several days.

Access: Scheduled jet service (45 min. from Anchorage) and Alaska State Ferry service from Valdez, Whittier and Seward. Charter aircraft service also available.

Location: Cordova is located at the southeastern end of Prince William Sound in the Gulf of Alaska. The community was built on Orca Inlet, at the base of Eyak Mountain. It lies 83 air km southeast of Valdez and 240 air km southeast of Anchorage.

Population: 2,298.

Accommodations: 4 hotels/motels; 18 bed and breakfasts; 13 restaurants/cafes.