Developing　3D　conductive　aligned　cryogels　has　great　potential　for　skeletal　muscle　trauma　treatment　because　they　can　mimic　anisotropic　structure,　conductivity,　and　recoverable　cyclic　compression　of　the　microenvironment　of　native　skeletal　muscle.　In　this　work,　a　series　of　cryogels　possessing　3D　aligned　morphology,　conductivity,　and　excellent　anisotropic　mechanical　compression　property　based　on　gelatin　(GT)　and　polydopamine　coated　carbon　nanotubes　(PCNTs)　were　fabricated　as　skeletal　muscle　tissue　scaffolds　by　using　unidirectional　freeze　casting　technology.　The　aligned　microstructure　of　cryogels　depended　on　gelatin　concentration,　and　GT7.5　(with　the　gelatin　content　of　7.5%　w/v)　showed　excellent　aligned　structure.　Interestingly,　the　mechanical　property　of　the　aligned　cryogels　was　similar　to　that　of　native　skeletal　muscle　in　terms　of　the　dynamic　contraction　behavior　and　the　anisotropic　compression　property　due　to　the　internal　anisotropy　structure.　The　aligned　cryogel　GT7.5　with　good　biocompatibility　significantly　promoted　the　alignment　and　elongation　of　C2C12　myoblasts.　Moreover,　the　introduction　of　PCNTs　enhanced　the　mechanical　properties　of　cryogel　GT7.5　and　had　a　positive　effect　on　myogenic　differentiation　of　C2C12　cells.　The　aligned　conductive　GT7.5C2　cryogel　significantly　promoted　new　born　muscle　tissue　generation　compared　to　non-aligned　group　(GT7.5C2N)　and　non-conductive　group　(GT7.5)　in　a　rat　tibialis　anterior　muscle　defect　model.　These　data　suggested　that　the　3D　aligned　conductive　cryogel　with　conductivity　and　anisotropic　compression　property　is　a　promising　scaffold　candidate　for　skeletal　muscle　tissue　engineering.　©　2021　Elsevier　B.V.