DOT&PF, August 22, 2011: The Alaska Department of Transportation & Public Facilities is closing the Copper River Highway at mile 36 due to bridge and road damage. The closure is effective immediately and will last until further notice. High water and changing flow patterns caused gravel at the bridge approaches and bridge piles to wash away. Motorists and campers on the road were notified on Friday that the road would be closing and that they would need to vacate the area. DOT&PF is regularly monitoring the bridge at Mile 36. Updates will be posted at 511.Alaska.Gov.
The Copper River Highway begins where the Ferry Terminal road intersects with Orca Road and leads 48.6 miles northeast from Cordova across Million Dollar Bridge at the Copper River. This is a good gravel road with several U.S. Forest Service hiking trails and interpretive stops. Stop at the USFS office in Cordova for current road/trail conditions. The highway is not maintained in winter beyond Mile 12.4. Snow may prevent access to many points along the highway well into spring.
The Copper River Highway was designated a Scenic Byway in May 2011.
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The MILEPOST® Quick Reference Log
Miles from Cordova (C) shown.
- C 0 Cordova.
- C 1.3 Whitshed Road to Odiak municipal camper park, Heney Ridge USFS Trail (Mile 5.1) and at Mile 5.6 (road end), Hartney Bay, a popular birdwatching spot for the spring shore bird migration. Fi
- C 2.1 Powder House Restaurant.
- C 5.6 Bridge over Eyak River; access to Eyak River USFS Trail. Watch for trumpeter swans.
- C 5.9 Eyak River USFS Boating Site.
- C 10.7 Large paved turnout; covered pavilion with interpretive plaques about Copper River Delta/Chugach National Forest areas.
- C 12 Cordova (Merle K. “Mudhole” Smith) Airport to south.
- C 12.3 Private campground, status unknown.
Pavement ends, gravel begins.
- C 13.6 Access road leads 4 miles to the terminus of Sheridan Glacier and trailhead for Sheridan Mountain USFS Trail (2.9 miles long; difficult).
- C 16.8 Turnoff for road to Alaganik Slough Chugach National Forest Recreation Area; picnic tables, firepits, wheelchair-accessible toilets, information kiosk and boat launch. Interpretive boardwalk passes a viewing blind for watching birds and wildlife and ends at a viewing platform. Trumpeter swans, one of the largest of all North American waterfowl (6- to 8-foot wingspan), may be seen in ponds.
- C 19.1 Haystack USFS Trail and trailhead parking to south. Easy 0.8-mile boardwalk trail (lots of stairs) leads to delta overlook with interpretive signs.
- C 21.3 Pipeline Lakes USFS Trail to north, trailhead parking to south.
- C 21.5 McKinley Lake USFS Trail to north; easy 2.2-mile hike.
- C 22.1 Alaganik Slough; boat ramp, picnic tables, firepits, toilets, covered tables, wildflowers, interpretive signs.C 26.5 Flag Point. Copper River viewpoint.
- C 48.3 U.S. Forest Service Childs Glacier Recreation Area; viewpoint, picnic area, campground.
- C 48.6 The Million Dollar Bridge. Constructed from 1909 to 1910 for $1.4 million, the 1,550-foot-long steel truss bridge spans the Copper River. The north span of the bridge collapsed during the 1964 earthquake. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000, and was officially reopened to vehicle traffic in 2005.
Beyond the bridge you may drive 2.4 miles further till there is a sharp drop where most vehicles turn around. Only ORV and possibly extremely high wheel-base 4-wheel drives may be able to go further.
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