Parks, Trails, & Open Spaces

Cordova Parks, & Open Spaces

Cordova has a number of parks and open spaces for public use and enjoyment. The facilities located on our parks may include seats and picnic tables, playgrounds, public toilets, paths, lights, parking areas and trash cans.

Parks

Parks and open space recreation areas with the city limits of Cordova include:

 

  • Hollis Henrichs Park .  11 acres.  Includes picnic tables, restrooms, Odiak Pond, boardwalk and gazebo  Located at 300 Chase Avenue.
  • Nettie Hansen Park. A small neighborhood park with playground equipment. Located at 401 Browning Avenue.
  • Nirvana Park. 17 acres. Cordova’s oldest park located on Eyak Lake. This densely wooded park includes day-use recreation facilities, a creek flowing through the site and is also home to historical gravesites of the native Eyak people.  The park includes a gravel parking lot, porta-potty and a group fit pit/talking circle. A short trail connects the park /cemetery to Nirvana Spit.  Swimming is allowed on the Spit. Nirvana Park is located on Lake Avenue.
  • Noel Pallas Children’s Memorial Playground.  Swing set and various play structures, picnic tables, trash cans and a the Orca Inlet pump track. Located at 101 South First Street. Across the street from Cordova Municipal Park.
  • Cordova Municipal Park. 2 acres.  Located across from Cordova Jr/Sr High School the park features a small gravel softball or little league diamond, bleachers, scoreboard and restrooms.  Located 100 South First Street.
  • Orca Inlet Recreation Area. 7 acres with a full-sized baseball diamond, and a grass multipurpose open space. .A portable restroom trailer is available in summer.  No dogs are allowed on the Ballfield. Located at 1451 Whitshed Road.
  • Breakwater Park and Trail. Located at the end of Nicholoff Way. A short trail extends along the Cordova Harbor breakwater. The park also includes a Veteran’s Memorial, picnic table, benches and trash can.
  • Fisherman’s Memorial. A remembrance spot for local fishing community to honor their loved ones.  Located on Nicholoff Way.
  • Odiak Camper Park.  12 RV spaces, and 4 tent platforms. A number of sites have picnic tables and fire-rings,. There is also a combined restroom/shower building. Primarily used for seasonal camping over the salmon fishing season.  Located at 1401 Whitshed Road.
  • Eyak Lake Skater’s Cabin.  a 16’x20′ single story wood cabin ,accessible vault restroom, and day-use beach area with fire-rings and BBQ grill.  Located at 2210 Power Creek Road.
  • Fleming Spit Recreation Area including a fish cleaning, restrooms, kayak launch and sport fishing area. Located adjacent to the Prince William Sound Science Center on New England Cannery Road (Route 10)

 

*All restrooms area open seasonally from May 1 to September 30.

Trails

The City of Cordova maintains 2 several walking/hiking trails with city boundaries.

Cordova City Area

The Breakwater Trail, 118 Nicholoff Way. (Currently closed to Harbor construction project).

The Breakwater Trail provides excellent views of the town of Cordova, its harbor, the surrounding mountains and islands, and sea and bird-life. The trial starts are the being of the Breakwater by the Veteran’s Memorial.  The 3 foot wide trail allows pedestrians to walk along the harbors edge, ending with interpretative signage and a bench to take in the views down Orca Inlet. The trail is near Cordova’s amenities, as well as harbor restroom facilities at the Harbormaster’s office.

Trail length: 0.23 mi

Elevation gain: 0 ft.

Trail facilities: Restrooms at near by Harbormaster’s office, picnic table, trash cans, dog waste bags station.

Odiak Pond Boardwalk, entrance via Hollis Heinrich’s Park, 612 Chase Avenue.

This out and back boardwalk trail takes visitors across Odiak Pond, walking over wooden boardwalk to the northeast corner of the pond after walking 400ft through a wooded area south of the Cordova Community Medical Center. A covered pavilion at the center of the walk provided great viewing for pond-life, including birds, and features a picnic table for visitor use. Restrooms are provided at the trail head at Hollis Heinrich’s Park.

Trail length: 0.18 mi (one-way)

Elevation Gain: 27ft (out and back)

Trail facilities: Restrooms, trash can, picnic table, bench, covered pavilion. Parking lot adjacent to Hollis Heinrich’s Park

Eyak Mountain Trail, entrance via 5th Street

This historic trail begins where the town meets the forest, passing through a mature spruce-hemlock forest before reaching open muskeg fields with stunning views of Cordova Harbor and Eyak Lake. The trail is a consistent, steady climb over rocks and roots, often crossing small inlets of flowing water. The trail brings hikers to the Mambo Ski Trail and also to a flat area with a great viewpoint looking south. Eyak Mountain Trail can be combined with trails of the Mt Eyak Recreation Area (Ski Hill) and further on to the Eyak Peak Trail, O’Leary Intertie Trial, and on to Crater Lake trail for a more challenging loop.

Trail length: 1 mi

Elevation Gain:646 ft.

Trail facilities: on-street parking, signage board at trailhead.

Mt Eyak Recreation Area (Ski Hill)

Hidden Cabin Trail

Originating at the Mt Eyak Ski Area base. this gravel trail ascends a part of the Hidden Valley Ski Trail and culminates at the Hidden Cabin, operated by the Sheridan Alpine Association (SAA) The Cabin can reserved through SAA and is accessible year-round. The cabin includes an outhouse, table, firewood, bunks, wood stove, and an outside fire pit. Potable water is not available at the site. The cabin measures 16’x 20’ and sleeps 4 – 6.. A covered deck keeps you and your gear dry during inclement weather.

Trail length: 0.46 mi

Elevation Gain:330 ft.

Trail facilities:  parking lot at ski hill base, cabin, outhouse.

CAT Route

This route is maintained by SAA to serve maintenance needs of the ski area. It is open to visitors and provides great views of both Orca Inlet and Mt. Eyak from the top of Tripod Hill. The road is a fully gravel surface, bringing walkers/bikers to the terminus for the Mt. Eyak chairlift and the warming shelter. Users can find a picnic table at the summit of Tripod Hill for public use and great 360-degree views. The trail is designed for winter use, but during other seasons, you can hike and bike the trail. During winter recreation users can ride the single seat chair lift to the top and ski/snowboard down the trail.

Trail length: 0.59 mi

Elevation Gain:445ft.

Trail facilities:  parking lot at ski hill base, picnic table.

 

 

Cordova Comprehensive Trails Plan.

The Cordova Comprehensive Trails Plan is an initiative of the Cordova Trails Committee, a sub-committee of the Parks & Recreation Commission.

During the past two years we have been working with the National Parks Service, Rivers Trails and Conservation Assistance program (RTCA) to develop a comprehensive trails plan for the City of Cordova and surrounding area. This is a multi-phase process that includes:

  • Identifying and mapping existing trails in the area
  • Identifying possible trail improvements and expansions
  • Working with local landowners and land managers to identify shared trails management desires
  • Public outreach within the Cordova community to determine what the public and businesses want in a local trails system
  • Creating a final draft of a comprehensive trails plan that will guide our efforts in the coming years with implementing a shared vision of a Cordova trails system.

 

Open House

Tuesday September 20, 11am to 8pm.

Lower Atrium, The Cordova Center.

 

Come along to our open house and find out more about the Cordova Trails Plan.

Fill our out survey and contribute to our map:

Survey Link: https://forms.gle/Xk7qGNdEijNasZE59

Map Link: https://nps.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=87ab27ae2eae445db9f38ccacee3bf63