Tongass National Forest
Managed by United States Forest Service
106,143 acres1.7 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Cape Spencer Lighthouse · Photo: United States Coast Guard · Public domain–Not graded
Outdoors in Elfin Cove
More than half of Elfin Cove’s land is conserved: 97%
97% of Elfin Cove’s land is conserved, about 104,938 acres. The biggest trail networks: Tongass National Forest (1.7 mi). 1.8 miles of mapped trail cross Elfin Cove.
Conserved land
97%
104,938 acres · of 168.4 sq mi of land
Trails
1.8 mi
0.0 per sq mi of land
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
3,205 ft
Crag Mountain
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Tongass National Forest, with 1.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Pleasant/Lemusurier/Inian Islands Wilderness
Nature preserve
4,178 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yetWebsite ↗
Who protects it
104,938 conserved acres
97% of Elfin Cove’s land. Water is left out: Elfin Cove has 168.4 square miles of land and 35.9 of water, so the share counts land only. Who manages Elfin Cove’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
U.S. Forest Service104,530 ac
State natural resources477 ac
Bureau of Land Management4 ac
National Forest · 104,530 acState Other or Unknown · 477 acNational Public Lands · 4 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 1 of 3 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tongass National Forest National Forest | U.S. Forest Service | 104,530 | Open |
| State Tentatively Approved (ta) State Other or Unknown | State natural resources | 477 | Unknown |
| Anchorage Field Office National Public Lands | Bureau of Land Management | 4 | Open |
Things to do
11 places to go in Elfin Cove
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Peaks in Elfin Cove
Crag Mountain3,205 ft elevation · In Tongass National Forest
DirectionsMount Althorp2,923 ft elevation · In Tongass National Forest
DirectionsVein Mountain2,359 ft elevation · In Tongass National Forest
DirectionsBasalt Knob344 ft elevation · In Tongass National Forest
DirectionsPlus 7 peaks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
When to get out
August is the best month for walking in Elfin Cove
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 7.1 | 9.3 | 11.6 | 14.3 | 16.7 | 18.2 | 17.5 | 15.3 | 12.7 | 10.1 | 7.7 | 6.5 |
| High (°F) | 36 | 38 | 40 | 46 | 52 | 56 | 58 | 59 | 56 | 48 | 40 | 37 |
| Rain (in) | 10.5 | 8.0 | 7.8 | 5.8 | 4.7 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 7.9 | 12.2 | 14.5 | 12.3 | 11.8 |
June is the driest month (3.6 in) and August the warmest (highs of 59 °F). 14.5 inches fall in October, the wettest month. The climate in Elfin Cove →
Questions about parks and trails in Elfin Cove
Where can I hike in Elfin Cove?
The longest trail networks: Tongass National Forest, 1.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Elfin Cove’s trails?
Tongass National Forest and Pleasant/Lemusurier/Inian Islands Wilderness don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Elfin Cove?
81,038 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Elfin Cove or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 1,364 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Elfin Cove neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →