Gunsight Mountain

The feel

The trail starts at the back of a lot beside the Alascom tower in Tahneta Pass, the headwaters of the Matanuska River, and crosses a confusion of ATV trails. There is no trailhead sign and no trail markers. Above the tangle you bear left to a large level patch of tundra, then follow an open meadow above tree line.

The last stretch climbs 1,400 feet in 1.25 miles along the rim of a huge cirque, where the deep notch that names the mountain is the gun sight. The narrow summit ridge ends at the south summit, 6,641 feet up, with views east over Tahneta Pass.

What to expect

Route and terrain

Out and back, 7.7 miles total, with 3858 ft of gain. The first part is a maze of ATV trails and alder, then tundra and a broad open meadow, and the final climb is steep.

Time

About 5.5 hours.

Crowds and best time

Few other hikers are expected. Best from July through September.

Parking

A turnout or lot by the Alascom tower in Tahneta Pass, off an abandoned part of the Glenn Highway. No parking fee.

Fees and passes

No parking fee.

Hazards

One group found no existing trail through the alder, where moose paths helped. The later sections were steep and need careful foot placement. Grizzly bear scat has been noted from the many ground squirrel colonies.

Season and access

The trail is multi-use, and snowmachines use it in winter.

Mingo says

Plan for July through September, when the climb is best. Keep your eyes on the broad ridge above you to the left whenever the route gets confusing.

Before you go

• Carry bear spray and call out as you move through the alder.
• Turn left at the first trail junction and right at the second.
• Allow most of a day, since the round trip takes about 5.5 hours.

Written October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.