1. Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk

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Anchorage, AK

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Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk

4.8 (30 reviews)
Open • Open 24 hours

Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk Photos

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The entrance sign for Potter Marsh Boardwalk.
Seth A.

Potter Marsh Boardwalk is a pleasant introduction activity for beginning the scenic, Seward Highway Drive. It's located just 11 miles south of downtown Anchorage. The boardwalk pathway is only half a mile long, but it provides visitors with a leisurely stroll through a wetlands landscape and a chance to take in fresh air while spotting under the radar wildlife. According to anchorage.net...there are 130 different bird species that make their home in Potter Marsh. That's the ultimate prize for photography enthusiasts coming here. When I stopped by in early morning in the middle of June, I was the only person walking around which offered a quiet setting for appreciating the simple outdoors. Despite the fact that I had a lot of stops planned for the day on the 125 mile journey down to Seward, but just taking 30 minutes to explore along the boardwalk started things off on the right note for me. And...even though there were going to be more dramatic sights to see later on (Bird Point, Turnagain Arm Viewpoint, Girdwood, Portage...etc), I kind of liked having some alone time to collect my thoughts. Some extra notes... - Entrance is free here, though other stops along Seward Highway did charge $5 day fees. - The boardwalk is located just past the parking lot. - There are restrooms beside the parking lot. Potter Marsh Boardwalk is a good way to get out into nature for being situated so close to suburban Anchorage. I'm glad I didn't overlook it and took time to visit.

This cutie stopped to pose.
Joni B.

I just want to get the word out that this place is not a venue for your jogging sessions. To the guy who visited on Saturday, Sept. 5th (2020) to just loudly jog on through, you were disruptive to all who were there enjoying the peaceful healing of this place. Also, there are signs posted that say pets are not allowed, food is not allowed and drones are not allowed. I have seen all 3 rules being ignored. Please respect this place, and find the appropriate trail to jog, a dog park to take your dog, a proper large area to fly your drone (and not disturb the wildlife) and your car to eat your fast food in. Thank you!

A mother moose and her calf
Nathan B.

This is a great place for many reasons. I stopped by once for a few minutes and then tonight I went for a guided bird tour led by an Audubon biologist. It was educational and wonderful. Not only was I able to see a variety of birds, but saw Salmon, a moose with her baby, and bear with her two cubs as well. Background information about all the animals was wonderful. I found out Eagles mate for life or until they have a couple rounds of bad litters (nests, chicks?!) The path is all in boardwalk so it provides and great variety of viewing options. It is not a short boardwalk though. There has to be at least a 1/2 mile of boardwalk sand some of it is as much as 8 or more feet above the ground. Even though it was raining, the walk was teeming with wildlife. Bathrooms are available and dogs ARE NOT allowed. All those on the bird tour were friendly and respectful! Don't have your own binoculars? They provide pairs! Very impressed.

Arvi G.

Views are great. Also love how accessible the trail is. It's a boardwalk, so it's great taking my parents here as well as my nephew. Bring some binoculars to catch some bird sightings!

Great info
Judith M.

Who doesn't have a boardwalk specially one with stunning scenery and lots of wildlife on the edge of an urban metropolis? This place has everything you want to proximity parking bathrooms lots of signage and even distant viewing binocular stands. Background sounds scape from the shooting range & the freeway is quickly left behind. Check it out!

Judy N.

My husband will pull over and snap pics when he sees interesting wildlife. Currently there are Mallard ducks and Trumpeter Swans consistently there right now. Enjoy and be careful along the hughway and mindful of the photographers.

Jeanee V.

Great place to take a break and walk on the pier to view beautiful nature and wildlife. Perfect for people that want to take an easy stroll on a flat surface. I've been here several times and it never gets old because the scene is always changing. Tides come in and out and you can always spot animals if you take your time there. Great place for nature photographers. Absolutely love this place!

Lovely walks on wooden boardwalks. 6-2018
Carla C.

June 2018: bird watching fun and lots of boardwalk for the kids to run their hearts out. Early summer residents: Arctic terns, minnows, swallows, geese with babies, beaucoup tourists!

Ruby C.

We visiting Potter Marsh boardwalk as we were driving back to Anchorage and it was conveniently located right off of Seward highway. In fact from the highway, you can see people walking on the boardwalk since a portion of the boardwalk parallels the highway. There was lots of parking and the boardwalk is free to visit. We peered into binoculars and walked the full length of the boardwalk. Even though we didn't see much wildlife except for a few ducks and fish, it was still nice to stroll along the boardwalk. The boardwalk is in great condition so it's suitable for young kids and elderly.

Can you spy the 2baby moose ?
Sharon D.

Potters Marsh wildlife Boardwalk is the perfect place to go for a short and very sweet evening walk ! You will see flora and fauna and young and old families , and if you are lucky you might even encounter Two bran- spankin new baby moose !

Sarah K.

This was an easy walk to view the marsh, birds, and a distant Turnagain Arm. We didn't see any big animals while we were there for 40 minutes, but we know they come here because we saw the fur from a caribou. Anyone can walk the boardwalk and enjoy the weather here.

Sockeye Salmon? Wildlife everywhere!
Zara R.

Gorgeous walk way that gives you a grand glimpse to the wildlife that Alaska offers. Possible sightings are of moose, various birds, and fish! If you're visiting Alaska, this stop is a must!

Gail P.

The wooden Potter Marsh boardwalk winds 1,550 feet from a parking area through the marsh and across watery openings and is a perfect wildlife viewing area. Located at the southern end of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, the boardwalk is right off the Seward Highway. It is a bird-lover's delight: Canada geese, northern pintails, canvasback ducks, red-necked phalaropes, horned and red-necked grebes, and northern harriers use this wetland. Look for eagle nests and Arctic terns, shorebirds such as yellowlegs, and occasionally trumpeter swans are present during spring and fall migration. Of course there are moose who frequent the area year-round. May and June are good times to see them foraging--sometimes very close to the boardwalk. 5 YELP STARS for Potter Marsh Boardwalk. It highlights the natural beauty of Alaska and gives nature lovers an excellent opportunity to be right up on the action. Potter Marsh is one of the most accessible and scenic wildlife viewing areas in all of Alaska.

Some of the wildlife we came across at Potter Marsh.

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7 years ago

There is always some changing going on at the marsh. Great for folks that play PokémonGo!

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Great viewing spot! We take all of our visitors to Potter Marsh! The boardwalk to handicap accessible too!

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Ask the Community - Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk

Are there benches along this boardwalk?

Yes there are benches. And not noted elsewhere, picnic tables by the parking lot.

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Review Highlights - Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk

“Great opportunity to see wildlife such as moose, bald eagles, tree swallows and we even saw a beaver!”

Mentioned in 4 reviews

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Point Woronzof Park

Point Woronzof Park

4.4(14 reviews)
9.8 mi

When you're hitting the views in Anchorage, definitely drive out past Earthquake Park to stop here…read more The view is incredible! You can even hike or ride a bike out here on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. The road on the way to the point is very pretty. We visited in the fall and the color was incredible, all yellow and gold. Watch for moose as you drive, you'll likely spot one in the woods just off the road! The beach is also accessible here, just a short walk down a gravel slope from the parking lot. I took the time to walk down the path to the beach. Very nice rocks down there if you're into that...I like rock hunting as well, so it was a nice way to spend a few minutes too. The sunsets and mountain views are amazing from here, you definitely need a shot of a sunset from this point. The mountains in the distance make a really nice backdrop for the color. We were lucky enough to catch the tail end of one and it was amazing! If the northern lights are on, this will also be the place to take a shot of them over Anchorage. You'll see the skyline in its entirety to your right from the bluffs. :) Go see!

If you like quirky parks with loud jets flying over, this is the perfect place! I stumbled upon it…read morewhile exploring around Anchorage, and it was such a fun spot to spend some time on a beautiful sunny day. There's a large parking lot, complete with a couple of outhouses and (at least on the day I visited) a hot dog vendor, too. The parking lot sits well above the beach area, where I walked around and did plenty of people-watching before heading out to the point and the very colorfully painted structure that (maybe?) I think has something to do either with airplane or sea navigation. Surrounding the point were zillions of painted rocks. It was local art gone wild and I loved it! At regular intervals, giant jets flew over upon takeoff from the airport (which is mere yards away). If you don't like loud jets, I would not recommend this beach. But if you do, well, you've come to the right place!

Photos
Point Woronzof Park - Winter views

Winter views

Point Woronzof Park
Point Woronzof Park

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Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk - parks - Updated October 2026

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