Town Guide
A roadless Copper River fishing town where the delta meets Prince William Sound.
Cordova sits on the eastern edge of Prince William Sound at the mouth of the Copper River Delta, and there's no road to it; you arrive by Alaska Airlines from Anchorage or by state ferry from Whittier or Valdez. That isolation keeps it a working fishing port of roughly 2,400 people rather than a cruise stop, and the commercial fleet chasing Copper River reds and kings still drives the town's calendar.
For visitors, Cordova splits into three trips in one: saltwater charters running out of the harbor for halibut, lingcod, rockfish and salmon; bank and small-boat fishing on the roadside streams of the Copper River Highway, like the Eyak River and Ibeck Creek; and Game Management Unit 6 hunting for Sitka blacktail deer, mountain goat, black and brown bear, and moose across the Sound's islands and the delta.
It rains a lot here; August and September can each see 9 to 13 inches, and services are small-town scale, so book charters, lodging, and ferry space ahead. What you get in exchange is one of the least crowded major fisheries on the Southcentral coast.
| Species | Prime Months | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| King (Chinook) salmon | Mid-May–early Jul | Copper River kings are the fish that made the town famous. Stocked kings also return to Fleming Spit near town from roughly mid-May into early July. |
| Sockeye salmon | Mid-May–Jul | Copper River reds. Fished commercially at sea and by sport anglers on delta streams and the Copper River system. |
| Silver (coho) salmon | Mid-Aug–Sep | From mid-August on, effort shifts to returning silvers in the Eyak River, Ibeck Creek and other roadside waters. |
| Halibut | May–Sep | Charters run to grounds near the entrance to Prince William Sound and out toward the Gulf of Alaska. Size and bag rules for the charter fishery change annually. |
| Rockfish & lingcod | May–Sep | Common add-ons to halibut trips. Lingcod carry their own season and size limits. |
| Sitka blacktail deer | Fall–early winter | Hunted on Prince William Sound islands such as Hinchinbrook and Montague, often from boats. No guide required for nonresidents. |
| Mountain goat | Fall | Unit 6 goat hunts are tightly managed: hunters must pass ADF&G's online goat identification quiz, and taking a nanny carries penalties. Nonresidents must hunt with a registered guide. |
| Black & brown bear | Spring & fall | Spring boat-based hunts are common in the Sound. Nonresidents need a registered guide for brown/grizzly bear (not for black bear). |
Seasons and limits change — always confirm current regulations with ADF&G before booking.
Saltwater charters stage out of Cordova's harbor and pursue halibut, lingcod, rockfish, and salmon in Prince William Sound and the nearby Gulf of Alaska. Freshwater fishing is largely do-it-yourself or guided bank and drift fishing along the Copper River Highway streams (Eyak River, Ibeck Creek, and similar waters), plus fly-out or lodge-based access to remoter delta water.
Hunting in Unit 6 is frequently boat-based: transporters and guides run hunters to islands and shoreline drainages for deer and bears, while goat and moose hunts work the mainland mountains and delta. Remember Alaska's guide rule for nonresidents: brown/grizzly bear, Dall sheep, and mountain goat require a registered guide, while deer, black bear, and moose do not. Several Cordova-area outfitters also run hunts in other parts of the state, so confirm where a listed hunt actually takes place.
There is no road to Cordova. Alaska Airlines flies daily from Anchorage to Merle K. (Mudhole) Smith Airport in under an hour, and the Alaska Marine Highway ferry connects Cordova with Whittier and Valdez, with vehicle space, though reservations are strongly recommended in summer. In town, the Copper River Highway runs east across the delta, but a washed-out bridge around mile 36 means you can drive to sights like Sheridan Glacier while Childs Glacier now requires air or boat access.
Only by air or sea. Alaska Airlines flies daily from Anchorage (about an hour), and the Alaska Marine Highway ferry serves Cordova from Whittier and Valdez. There is no road connection.
Yes. Nonresident Alaska fishing licenses run $30 for a single day or $145 for the year, and fishing for king salmon requires an additional King Salmon Stamp. Buy online from ADF&G or locally.
Nonresidents must hire a registered guide for brown/grizzly bear, mountain goat and Dall sheep. Sitka blacktail deer, black bear, and moose do not require a guide, though many hunters use boat transporters to reach Unit 6 islands.
The Copper River fishery ramps up around mid-May, with kings and sockeye running into July and silvers arriving from mid-August into September. Exact openings vary year to year.
No. A bridge at about mile 36 of the Copper River Highway is washed out, so Childs Glacier is reached by air charter or boat. Sheridan Glacier remains accessible from the drivable section.
cordova, Alaska
cordova, Alaska
cordova, Alaska