This is a point to point hike, that for the average hiker takes several days. I'm a serious slow…read morepoke, so I always out and back the first couple miles. The hike is fairly steep, that in the summer doesn' require cleats, but walking poles or a stick is nice, especially if your knees are garbage like mine. You definitely want to being a well equipped pack and plan for everything, since this location is somewhat remote, and if something goes sideways you want to be prepared. Animal encounters are a real possibility. The weather and temperature fluctuates in typical Alaskan style as well. If you go far enough, you'll have to cross a creek, which depending on the time of day, can be unpassable. In fall the colors are absolutely stunning. I highly recommend this trail for adults. Leave the kids and pets home.

Great hike in Girdwood, more exciting and less crowded than the "other" trail in Girdwood…read more You'll pass old mining debris and wander up a hill. As things get steeper watch out for Mountain Goats! I saw a Nanny and a Billy last time I was here. Eventually, you'll get pretty close to some assorted waterfalls and then top out on the pass proper. At the top is a lovely A-frame hut (reservation only, don't mess with the people in there, give 'em some privacy!). If you continue onward you'll see great views of the Raven Glacier. We brought some ice tools and crampons so we could play around on it. It was a great time! Most people turn around here. But, if you're well-equipped, you can continue almost 20 miles, all the way to Eagle River. Definitely a must-hike in the Girdwood area. If you get back in time, I recommend dinner at Jack Sprat!

Where is all the blue ice? I don't see no trail! Well... I did see a couple of glaciers up top…read moreunder white snow, so I saw sprinkling of blue ice. This is the Tony Knowles Coastal trail of Portage. You start at Moose Flats, or Visitor's center, and walk/jog/bike/skate/meander 5 miles to the opposite end. I started at Moose Flats and it was a good time viewing natural and unnatural areas of interest. Scouted out camp spots, watched kayakers in a lake, and enjoyed walking over bridges during the jaunt. It was good, not great. So much so, that instead of walking all the way back I hitched to get the car and pick up walking companion. Then we jetted over to Byron's Glacier for a proper, albeit shorter, hike. Would come again if camping in area, but would pass for future hiking funsies due to lack of interest.

This is a flat 5-mile trail that links together the many sights and sounds of one of my favorite…read moreareas in Alaska: Portage. Despite being located a little over an hour from Anchorage, this area gets obscene amounts of snow and rain. As a consequence of all that H2O falling from the sky, the mountains in here are heavily glaciated, even though they are not very tall by Alaska standards. (tallest in the area is around 6,000 ft, with many in the 3,000-4,000 ft range) Because this trail is so flat, it's very commonly cycled. Bring your bike and make a half-day of it, or bring only your boots for a much fuller day. There are places to view Salmon here, but I can never seem get the timing right. Stuff to see in this area from/next to the trail: Explorer Peak (and Explorer Glacier): https://www.yelp.com/biz/explorer-peak-portage Byron Glacier Trail: https://www.yelp.com/biz/byron-glacier-trailhead-anchorage Portage Glacier visitor center: https://www.yelp.com/biz/portage-glacier-and-begich-bloggs-visitor-center-girdwood

This trailhead will get you to: Powerline Pass trail: which…read moreheads over to the Flattop area and eventually all the way down to the Turnagain Arm. Wolverine Peak: peak with astounding views. It's a hike with a lot of gain that never gets technical (you won't have to use your hands) nor exposed (there aren't big drops to be mindful of). Beta: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wolverine-peak-anchorage Near Point: a smaller peak in front of Wolverine. Think of it as the "Flattop of this trailhead". Beta: https://www.yelp.com/biz/near-point-hike-anchorage It's a great place to get good views of the metropolis we call "Anchorage". It's accessible in the winter as well as the summer. Word of warning about doing it in the summer: the first mile of this trail is in pretty thick brush. BE BEAR AWARE. Make LOUD NOISES. Once you get out of the brush you're probably fine, but the brush is mighty sketchy. There are also a decent amount of bears in the area. I've seen grizzlies from the summit of Wolverine.

I always hesitate to write reviews of my favorite trails and hikes because I fear increased foot…read moretraffic. But, really, this is one of my favorite trails systems. You can hike mountains, multiple trails, hooks onto power line pass for biking, carve your name on a bridge, etc... I live 10 minutes from here and try to come here at least once a week. Views are incredible and the trails can go from easy to moderate. It's a great park.

Review with an asterisk …read more.. Nice little locals-only secret. The trailhead is ambiguous and not well-marked, but there is no fee or parking charge as it's informal as trailheads go. It's straight up and can be a little brutal at times depending on the weather - but the views once you start hitting the false peaks get very good. And the views on the summit on a clear day are spectacular and panoramic. Summit for most of 2-4 hours depending on shape, pace, and weather. Highly recommend as a short but vigorous hike for those who are healthy and ballsy. Straight instead of going up will also lead to a game trail that offers XC skiing Asterisk - I am the guy whose driveway intersects with the trailhead. Thank you to Andrew H for his plea to be nice to the locals. Please be nice. I don't like being a meany when you block the street, or play in my driveway. But I will be - I live here

This is a trail that's really grown on me…read more If you're looking to get really high afterwork, it's impossible to beat! At 5,001 ft, this is the easiest way to get above 5k in the Anchorage bowl! In the winter, the mountain is frequently used by backcountry skiers but it's also used by gumby post-holers such as myself! The trailhead is at the end of Hiland road, please be respectful of all the private property in the area. It would be horrible to ruin relations with the neighbors here who are sharing their area with us! Don't part where signs say not to park and, for fucks sake, don't litter! The trail is a little hard to find at first, you'll go east for a hundred feet or so, then quickly turn left (north) and start up the mountain proper. Harp ain't technical, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and follow the ridge up. The views on the way up are good, but not great. But the views from the summit proper, are a sight to behold. The view of frightening Yukla Peak is one of the best! The views of Anchorage, the Sleeping Lady, and the Tordrillos behind them are from an angle rarely seen. We went up on the last day of January for the sunset, and it was brutally cold. We skipped summit beers, but we did get some stunning summit photos!

Nice walk, bring bear spray, very long trails miles and better, I went late in the day, couldn't…read morestay long because it started to drizzle a little and it was getting dark, great for bicycling to. I met a gentleman walking with his two dogs and he aloud me to take his photo so the people seem friendly

This trailhead is halfway between a "city walking trail" and a "hiking trail"…read more This makes it hard to review, as it's hard to know what other trails I'm comparing it to. As a city trail, it's one of the best. There is lots of tree cover, and "babbling brooks" frequently interweave with it. As a hiking trail, it's kind of a snooze. You *might* see a moose, but you probably won't see a bear. There aren't really any mountain vistas, either. It's a great trail to walk your dog after work or to go for a quick run, though.

A word of caution: this trail is BRUTAL in the winter…read more I think it's because the people of Hope rarely hike it then. The final 3 miles were pure misery, non-stop post-holing. It took us nearly 7 hours RT, this shocked my climbing partner and I both. In the summer, I imagine it can comfortably be done in half that time. The trail is mostly flat, and 5 miles, one-way. At the 5 mile mark, there are some places to camp. This would be a great trip for a beginning backpacker. Most of South-central was socked in when we hiked it, so the views at the end were just OK. Already dreaming of a warm, summery, Corona-free hike in the future. Will re-review it then. As it stands now, it's high-effort, low-reward. You'd be better served by a higher elevation, but more frequently used trail in the winter. (like Flattop, Powerline Pass, Rabbit Creek, etc)

Gull Rock Trail, located in the Chugach National Forest, is a really excellent, moderately easy…read moretrail that has a lot to see and explore. Able bodied adults, children and seniors will enjoy this trail as long as they go prepared for some terrain changes and the misty rain that enevitably descends on hikers in this part of Alaska. To access Gull Rock Trail, take Hope Highway to the end and the entrance and parking lot are on the left. If you are camping at Porcupine Campground, you can access the trail from a 2ndary trail head there as well (which carves .5 miles off the one way distance of the hike.) There is no public parking in the Porcupine Campground to access the trail, so hikers are best off parking at the main trailhead (or camping at Porcupine... make reservations online or you'll NEVER get spot !) Unfortunately I jacked up my knee right before my vacation (argh!) so I was only able to hike about half the trail but it was very enjoyable but not terribly challenging. There's some elevation changes, but not more than about 500 feet elevation gain total. The terrain, however changes a lot. There's rainforest, birch forest, pine forests, talus (rockslidy areas), views of the inlet and the mountains. It's a nice bit of everything. There's some minimal berry picking as well, but nothing particularly exciting. There are some water sources about, so if you bring a water purifier along with you you'll stay well hydrated. There's also, unfortunately ample mosquitos. It's DEFINITELY a trail you want to be prepared for wildlife encounters (bear spray/gun), injuries (first aid pack), and basic survival stuff (a way to purify water, start a fire and a space blanket). Most of the trail has cell service since across the inlet is Seward Highway (which you can see in some spots). But there are dead spots and if you get hurt, no one's gonna find you for a while, so be prepared to hunker down. We had a bear scare on the trail because in some places the brush and shrubbery is flush with the trail. That always makes me a little squirrley. Especially if you take kids with you, be prepared for large animal encounters. There's not a lot of traffic on this trail past mile 2, so it's pretty secluded for some nice quiet time with nature. Enjoy!

Great place fir kids of all ages to learn and explore. Took grandkids here until they wire us out!read more

Beautiful escape to nature with endless flat trails just outside of Anchorage, Eagle River Nature…read moreCenter is a family staple with lots of wildlife.

Great place to hike, bike, and walk your dog…read more A great place to take visitors for a breath taking view from the top.

Easy trail for most. This is a good trail for anyone visiting town there are two paths the front…read moreside and the back. I feel the back is easier but honestly not sure. I say it's easier as it's just more stairs. The front also has some but more just ups vs switch backs. *** not a hiker so terms are probably wrong. Great views and photo spots up the trail and top!!