Hope

The little gold-mining community of Hope sits just across Turnagain Arm from Anchorage. To visit, however, you must drive the 88 miles all the way around the arm. Your reward is a quiet little community that is accessible to but not overrun by tourists. Miners founded Hope in 1896, and the old log cabins and weathered frame buildings in the town center are favorite photography subjects. In its peak, Hope had a population of 3,000. Now, according to the 2010 census, there are just 192 residents. You'll find gold-panning, fishing, and hiking opportunities here, and the northern trailhead for the 39-mile-long Resurrection Pass Trail is nearby. Contact the U.S. Forest Service for information on campgrounds, cabin rentals, and hikes in the area.