It's a winner! Alaska has so much spectacular scenery. It's everywhere you look, and this trail takes the prize for most stunning. Seriously. It looks, feels, and smells really nice. The only downside is that it's popular, so don't expect a quiet, solitary time. There are lots of people on this path, but at least it will keep the bears and moose away! ha read more

Winner, winner, chicken dinner! One of my favorite "easy hikes." The city of Girdwood is enchanting. I'm in my very own version of Beauty and the Beast whenever I'm adventuring in the area. I was grateful to have been able to experience this trail in its entirety, prior to an accidental death, and the ultimate closing of the hand tram. You can start this hike at the Alyeska Hotel (more popular) or at Crow Creek Mine (less popular). From Crow Creek Mine to the gorge it's about 1 mile. With the hand tram closed, theres no safe way to cross the gorge. From the Alyeska Hotel to the gorge, it's about 2 miles. I'd recommend starting from the hotel for a longer hike. That side also has many natural staircases, unique bridges/water sights, basically, the best photo opps. When in season, this trail offers lots of berry, mushroom, and other foraging opportunities. Highly recommend. read more

See all

I've now down this hike twice and it's one of my favorites. Located at the base of Alyeska Resort, it's probably about 6 miles round trip before you arrive at a stunning waterfall. It's literally worth the hike. A combination of dirt and gravel I would consider it to be a medium skill trail, but beginners should have no problem. I can't speak for the hand tram portion. Unfortunately that was closed, I believe due to an accident involving a hiker. You should have no problem finding parking at the resort. Bear spray recommended, as always. If you need to grab a snack before or after, there's a Kaladi Brothers café inside the resort. read more

See all

1. BEAUTIFUL trail! My favorite in Alaska 2. 5 miles total to the tram and back 3. Tram is probably inop. Someone nearly got killed on it during summer 2019 4. Beautiful bridge with a big waterfall 2 miles in 5. Bring bear spray 6. Easy trail, perfect for beginners or those not in shape 7. Lots of moss and rainforest-type scenery read more

See all

Did I seriously not write a review for this awesome little trail! I guess I was so busy hiking this summer that I didn't make time to Yelp. Hear me, oh non-Alaskans, oh hear me. If you are an inexperienced hiker and you only have to time to hike one trail while you're in the Anchorage area, THIS IS THE TRAIL YOU WANT TO HIKE. Even if you aren't terribly fit, start at the trailhead on Crow Creek Road. Hike one mile to the hand tram and the gorge and back. For mere 2 mile hike you will have a unique experience, get a some amazing photos and you'll want to kiss me. The hand tram is SO cool. The gorge and waterfall are stunning. It looks like something out of Fern Gully or Hawaii. If you go off the trail and walk under the handtram and follow the curvature of the river for about 500 feet you will get a unique view of the falls that a lot of people miss. You can also take a longer hike that's about 8 miles (I think) that will take you to the Aleyeska Resort. Catch it at the right time of year and you can pick blueberries too. If you want to berry pick, remember the blueberries aren't really on the Crow Creek side, they're mostly from the gorge to Aleyska. I really, really recommend this trail. Can you take a hint! Don't miss it!!! Directions: To get to the trail, take Seward Highway to Aleyska Highway. Then you can bear left at Crow Creek Road and drive about 3-4 miles and the trailhead will be on your right. Or you can take Seward Highway to Aleyska Highway, drive through Girdwood (you won't get lost, don't worry) and follow the signs for the Aleyska Resort. The Winner Creek Trailhead starts by the hotel and is clearly marked. Going from this direction, it's a much longer hike to get to the gorge and the falls. read more

See all

Per recommendation from my fellow Yelpers, we embarked on this one adventure. And you could tell it's a popular trail since there were so many people there. The parking lot where the trail begins were full of tourists. We had to park over at the next trail head (Nordic ski Loop) The scenery was beautiful. It's different from other trails that we partook lately. A few minutes into the hike, we were transformed into a world of tall trees, berries shrubs, and mossy ground. My favorite part has got to be the bridge by the waterfall. There's a little path next to the bridge that gave you an amazing view of the rushing water. It's so relaxing The hand-tram was supposed to be the main attraction for this trail. However, it was my least favorite part. While the view from above was amazing and trilling, to me, the handtram reviews the true nature of some human beings. While there were several people who were willing to jump in and help to pull the tram, there were far more of those who just stood there and expected other to do the work for them. At least that was how it was when we were crossing. It's saddening. It angered me to see strong capable guys just stood there and watched a girl pulling the rope by herself. And just because you're a girl, that didn't give you the excuse to just step back and let another person (guy or girl) did all the work. We should all pitch in and share the work to the best of our abilities. read more

See all

"The Flattop of Girdwood"? This trail is 3 miles *round-trip* (read: short!) on extremely well-maintained trial with very little gain. If you're visiting Alaska it's probably a must. It's different from most trails in the Anchorage metro in that it goes through rainforest rather than tundra. This means that there are no "views", to speak of. Just dense, bright green foliage, and rushing waters. It's extremely similar to your average trail in the Portland metro (Columbia River Gorge) and many in Western Washington (Olympic Peninsula). However, the terrain is quite unique for this part of Alaska (South Central), it's more like a slice of Southeast Alaska, 45 minutes from Anchorage. No boat or plane required. Let's just call out the pink elephant in the room: the hand tram. That is the reason most people do this trail, and it is quite unique. I've never seen one on any trail in the Pacific NW, and I've been on hundreds of hikes in that area. When I did this trail there were TONS of people bottlenecked at the hand tram. At least a dozen. Everyone was pitching in on the pushing and pulling. The tram was going back and forth VERY quickly. Personally, I'd rather go when no one else is there and I can take my time going across, taking in the sites, snapping photos, etc. Being that I moved here from the PacNW, I actually enjoyed the views of the little gorge better. I used to be jaded about narrow canyons of crystalline-blue water (seriously, I have a tough life, right?), but since moving to Alaska, you just don't see a feature like this as much. I scrambled down from the bridge and took photos of the area for at least 30 minutes. I think it is the real highlight of this hike. The end of the trail is a bit awkward and uneventful. I'd highly recommend doing a couple things to avoid the crowds: -go on a weekday in the summer: The days are long. The trail is short. You can do it. I know you can. -go in the winter: trail is fabulously well-graded and at a low elevation with little gain. It should be easy to do with snow on it. The green-on-white contrast might even make it more beautiful. If you're afraid of your tootsie's getting cold: welcome to Alaska, time to get new boots. I highly recommend eating at Jack Sprat before/after your hike: http://www.yelp.com/biz/jack-sprat-girdwood *edit*: I'm now seeing information that it might be longer than this, YMMV, do your research! read more

Winner Creek Trail - don't go chasin' waterfalls - Hiking Near Me - Girdwood, Alaska

See all

The Winner Creek Trail is a must try if you're in the Anchorage/Girdwood/Homer/Seward area. I actually found out about the trail from Yelp before I left for my Alaska trip and once again, I'm so thankful to Yelp for showing me the way time and time again. Winner Creek Trail is about 40-45 minutes from Anchorage and you get some spectacular views throughout the duration of the drive. Cliffs on your left, ocean on your right. Watch closely for wildlife on both sides! The trial head is a little hard to find as it is behind the ski resort but nonetheless, we found it back in early June. We actually went to hike the trail, realized we had to be at our helicopter/sled dog tour, and actually came back after the fact. The hike is different from others in Alaska in that it is rather brushy and doesn't have too great of views. The treasure of this hike is the hand tram. You can literally take a hand tram over the flowing water to the other side, hike some more, and then take it back. Everything is beautifully maintained and people are super friendly even though the trail was packed and it was quite hot. Definitely a dog friendly trail... We saw a whole bunch of dogs, families, kids, couples, etc. On the particular day and time that we hiked this trail was packed... I wish I knew this ahead of time and scheduled another day to try again or got there earlier. The hand tram was not too enjoyable because of the long lines on either side, forcing us to go too fast to really take it all in. I did, however, enjoy the hike up to the tram and the rushing water we went down to after taking the tram. I was able to take some pretty good pictures. It's awesome that this trail exists and that the hand tram is available for free to those who hike it! read more

See all

We did a family hike here. It is 5 mile roundtrip from back of Alyeska tram building Hike was very picturesque and lush green Weather was perfect Trail is very well maintained The water is gorgeous and some nice small bridges We went down to the hand tram which was very cool I got a bicep workout helping others on the hand tram. Lots of people on tram wasnt pulling their own weight which is the nature of people i assume Highly recommended for a nice relaxing kid friendly hike read more

What a fun hiking trail! The Winner Creek trail is located a few steps away from the Alyeska resort, but we felt like we were transported to a different, magical, place. We walked amongst the trees, surrounded by moss and wildlife, our imagination was running wild - it was amazing! It was an easy hike for our family. We can't wait to do this hike again! read more

Wow! How had I not found this place until now!? Bring your kids, your dogs, grandma, and buckets! We came here recently and coincidentally the blueberry festival was going on. Who needs the blueberry festival! We were able to pick so many blueberries along the trail and had our own festival. The really great plump blueberries were a bit off the trail. This hike was so worth it. The trail was well maintained and there are lots of great photo ops to include the bridge that runs over the creek, the gorge, hand tram, and overall gorgeous greenery. We accessed the trail from a different point (where road dead ends to the tramway) but you can also access it from across the tramway, ahead on the left. With those yummy blueberries in August be sure to keep an eye out for bears and be safe :-) read more

See all

Very busy trail, which can be nice if you're like me and fear bears. I haven't been truly out on the trails since 2012 after multiple bear encounters, I just couldn't handle the fear anymore lol. We decided to try this trail and the person I was with did have a gun so I felt mildly safer. Though I did not see any postings for sightings like they would do at the Campbell Creek areas. People are much friendlier on the trails. You can be greeted with a hello and a smile, which is refreshing. This is an "easier" trail but if you've been out of it like me who hasn't been to a gym in two years the turn around may be a bit tougher. It's uphill most of the way back. I did it and survived, but I could see some people having a harder time than me. We didn't do the tram as there was wayyyyy too many people waiting on both sides and the three year old with me was pretty unsure. We agreed we would go back when it wasn't a holiday (July 4th). It's a very nice trail and fairly wide compared to some I've been on (ie: Basher). We will try it again soon before winter hits. read more

Another personal favorite, the Winner Creek Trail is in Girdwood and can be located from two different areas. Off of Crow Creek Road or behind the Alyeska Resort. The trail is especially one of my favorites to take visitors to and is a good trail to access year round. Located in a temperate rain forest, the trail starts at the t-junction behind Alyeska hotel by the tram. The trail meanders through a heavily wooded forest, over boardwalks and gravel fed paths to Winner Creek Gorge and a traversing hand tram. It can be completed as an out and back trail (2.5 miles each way) or you can connect the Crow Creek Road location, though you would have to coordinate transportation back to the trailhead. That option is 5.1 miles beginning to end. It is relatively close to Crow Creek Mine, so an option is to walk to the mine and take the free Glacier Velley Transit bus that runs during the summer. Most people however turn back at the hand trip for a full out and back experience. The trail is full of stunning vistas of the surrounding mountains. In the fall it also offers some excellent berry picking. Even in pouring rain the tree canopy offers enough coverage to where you would not get soaking wet. It is also an excellent trail for snowshoeing in the winter months. The area is notorious black bear and moose habitat and I have run across both while hiking. It seems like every time I come here during the summer months I run across a black bear. It is considered a multiuse trail so people will allow their dogs off leash. Which could present a problem if they are not good with voice command as one time during my hikes another group of hikers had their dog chase after the bear and ended up bringing it back to the group. You will reach a point a few miles into the trail where you come across a second t-junction and a wide planked bridge or the option to continue on a trail to the left. To reach the hand tram, you will need to continue left. If you go across the planked bridge it leads to the Upper Winner Creek train which is more difficult and leads to open tundra, but after crossing many rock and root covered areas. There are times where it is not uncommon for the hand tram to be down. Additionally there is another trail that leads off down to the waters edge right before the hand tram. It is quite picturesque for photos or to even sit on the rock ledge and watch the gushing torrents of water below you. Winner Creek trail offers a little something for everyone. read more

Winner Creek Trail - Winner Creek Trail - Hiking Near Me - Girdwood, Alaska

See all

Fun trail near anchorage! It's not too difficult and mostly flat. However you're likely not to make a loop if you drove in and parked on one side. The highlight of the trail was the Ham Tram. It's a really green path and you'll see some great views! You'll get to see quite a bit of glacier creek. Would go if you have the time! read more

This 5 mile roundtrip hike from the Alyeska Resort has a truly phenomenal features: lush ferns, well-maintained boardwalks (for the first part of the trail), and a fabulous hand-operated tram that safely whisks you high above a creek. The grade is pretty even for most of the trail and is an out-and-back experience. I was able to hike it in 2 hours with almost no stops. What makes this trail great is that it has water features, mountain views, lush rainforest, berry-picking in the summer and fall, and the tram. Wish I could do this one every week! read more

Winner Creek Trail - Hiking Near Me - Girdwood, Alaska

For those of you who gave this trail four stars just because the hand tram isn't in operation at the time you visited is absurd! This is the most beautiful, peaceful, easy trail in all of the Anchorage/Girdwood area. You get to see lush rainforest and it is the most well maintained trail I know of. Just because the hand tram is not in operation is by no means any reason to not walk to it. It is absolutely gorgeous! The gorge and bridge are worth seeing alone. To walk from the winner creek trailhead from the hotel parking lot to the tram and back is 5.67 miles (according to nike+) If you can keep going to Crow Creek I believe it is 3.2 miles one way. Bring your camera your going to love this hike! This trail is not just for the hand tram, its for nature lovers to enjoy the outdoors and there rain forest the tram is just a perk!!!! read more

I had one day in Anchorage and decided to do this trail and the Flattop trail. Spoiler alert, I didn't finish EITHER which means I'll just have to come back here one day. I came in late May, hiked to the Hand Tram and found out that it was "out of service for the season." MAJOR bummer. There's a path near there that can lead you down to the water, and it's not too difficult - the end requires either a brave jump or an easy scramble down the rocks. From there, I walked along the creek just a bit, but stopped not too far from there and just turned back. Not sure if it's possible to continue hiking without use of the tram. Trail was really flat, easy, serene ... I saw zero hikers, other than some rafters. On my way out, another pair arrived to go rafting. It was a Friday afternoon in May around 5pm and the trail felt very secluded. There's a bathroom at the trailhead and for the most part, helpful signage. Google Maps stopped its directions a little short of the actual trailhead - if you keep going, you'll see a sign post for Winner Creek on the right side of the road, which will lead you to a parking lot with several spaces read more

Winner Creek Trail - Look for this sign on your way in - Google Maps stops a little short of the trailhead - Hiking Near Me - Girdwood, Alaska

Looking for an easy, yet still scenic trail with a little bit of adventure, this one might be the one for you. Winner Creek starts right at Alyeska Resort and leads you all the way to Crow Creek Mine. I would not plan on starting from Crow Creek, not unless you are wanting a parking ticket, or worse, your vehicle towed. Buttttt ... back to the trail. Very minimal elevation changes, which makes it great for the young and even old. Part of the trail is even on bridged through the forest, which makes the trail that much easier. Some of the bridges do go over rivers of rushing water, but note some do not have a railing. Following the crowd of people, you will hit the hand tram which sits a few stories above the gorge. This is where I would highly, highly suggest you bring gloves if you plan on crossing. I can easily see those ropes tearing up your hands by the time you make it across and then back again. If you don't have any, last time I was there, there was a spare set located on each side for users to use. I wouldn't guarantee or count on them being there again, but maybe you'll get lucky. After across, you can hike another mile or so and check out Crow Creek Mine. Without giving too much away for another review, Crow Creek Mine offers an interactive mining museum with a bunch of little historic buildings with old mining antiques scattered around the grounds. Roam the roads, pan for some gold or take a guided tour of their land. Either way makes for a unique Alaskan experience between the trail and the mines. read more

See all

This was a fabulous and beautiful and fun hike. It's a 3+ mile trail that goes from the Alyeska Resort to the Crow Creek Mine. It's windy, up and down, and very pretty. It's not exactly an easy, breezy hike, but it's by no means difficult either. It's a fairly well-maintained, nice trail. Walking through the forest is just beautiful, plus all the creeks and waterfalls and bridges and... It's awesome. There's even a hand tram! Totally fun. Definitely a bit of a work out. But note that is it note a loop. You've got to come back along the trail or some other way once you reach the end. read more

See all

I had a couple of hours to spare one morning and this was a nice walk in the woods. Although the hand tram was closed ( a little disappointing) The trail was well maintained and enjoyable. read more

I made a few mistakes when I started Winner Creek Trail: #1 - I assumed it was a loop. It isn't. #2 - I didn't bring water, a snack, or anything a reasonably experienced hiker should bring with him. #3 - When I noticed the Forest Service station was closed, I decided the best thing to do was to proceed without a map. Bad move. Nonetheless, I completed Winner Creek Trail and a segment of Iditarod Trail, and also walked a good portion of Crow Creek Road before being picked up by a couple of merciful locals with a car. The views were beautiful, the trail was well maintained, and the hand-operated tram was a blast. Didn't see any moose or black bears, but I saw a little fluffy rabbit...and that was enough excitement for me. HERE is my advice for other "newbs" attempting Winner Trail: The trail-head is near the ski lift behind the Alyeska Hotel, but you'll need to park in a gravel lot below the hotel. Remember to bring water, a camera, comfy walking shoes, a snack, and a map if you can find one. Also, be sure to turn around and head back shortly after you arrive at the hand-operated tram--unless you want to end up walking on a gravel road in the middle of nowhere.... It's a great trail! Do it. read more

This is a great day hike for begging hikers and families. I have done this hike as early as May and even with two feet of hard packed snow on the ground we were able to get to the hand tram and back in a reasonable amount of time. There are a couple of nice picnic spots next to the river on the way. The main attraction is the hand tram which is where most people either go across or turn around and head back to the hotel parking lot. The hand tram goes across Winner Creek Gorge which is pretty deep and scenic. You can make this a long loop by continuing across the tram and hiking out to the Crow Creek Mine road and back to the trail head via the Girdwood School road. This takes a lot more time though and its best to make sure that the Tram is functioning by asking around in town. read more

I'm a beginner at hiking. Not the most fit but when an adventure is at hand I'm usually up for it! I came here on my girls trip yesterday. For me it was a good challenge. I saw people hiking with kids as young as 3 and 4 on foot and probably as old at 60's-70's. We hiked to the hand tram and came back. We saw a nice gorge while out as well! I didn't do the hand tram because I'm not a fan of heights. read more

See all

There are the Upper and Lower trails. We went on the Lower and it was a great hike--not too steep but there were ups and downs. Beautiful! You'll be surrounded by nature. A must for visitors and especially locals! Make sure to try the Hand Tram! read more

See all

Remember to bring bear spray! read more

See all

Skiing was out since we were newbies and the lower slopes were frozen in the new year holiday, so we decided to "snowshoe" which translated into "ice/slush-shoe" in this freakish Alaska warm icy winter. However the trail more than made up for the disappointment with the beautiful silence of the surrounding mossy trees, snowy mountain heights glanced through the rain, and gently swaying trees with musical wind. It was like getting away from everything for a little while. We didn't quite make it to the fork given the strain of walking on pure ice, mostly uphill, but it was a good workup. The signup sheet to make sure people know you left on the trail was ominously dissolved by the rain, but we took it as a good omen. Not much snow for this trip, crossed some streams read more

This was one of my favorite trails that I did in Alaska. If you're looking for a relatively flat trail that is decently long and has great views of a creek, then this is the trail for you! It is very well shaded so it makes for a really cool (i.e., temperature) hike. Some special features of this trail is that it passes by two incredible bridges (one more precarious than the other), as well as a hand tram. Be prepared that if you do the upper and lower trails, they don't meet up and you have to cut back through town to go back to the ski resort. The trail itself is very well-groomed near the resort. The second half of the trail (if you're starting near the ski resort) is not as well-groomed and not as well-traveled (which has its pluses and minuses). The only other downside is I'm not sure the markers are accurate, but I'd take my opinion with a grain of salt. In sum, definitely a trail you should check out! read more

See all

The trail is well groomed and very wide. The hand tram is cool when you get to the middle however it is a tough job pulling the cart across so be ready to use some arm strength. read more

Winner Creek Trail - Mom and I on the hand tram! - Hiking Near Me - Girdwood, Alaska

Very pretty! Fun for all ages! People visiting from the hotel to meander and also locals coming for a day visit! People strolling and also people running the trail. Easy hike. Glad to have visited! read more

See all

A few years ago on my trip to visit my sister she took me on several hikes. This was the highlight of my visit and changed my life. It was definetely a beautiful hike and quite an adventure going across the gorge on the hand tram, something i cant believe i actually did...why? Bcuz i am a bit of a chicken and afraid of heights. What changed my life is that after the hike i was totally dying! I was really outta shape and my legs were dying. The next morning i got out of bed and pointed at my leg and told my sister this muscle hates you and this muscle says #%*# you little girl. I was in such pain but only becuz i was really not use to being active at all. Come to find out this was an easy hike for normal people but at that time I was horribly lazy. After that point I came home and started walking. After some training i did a half marathon. Now I am quite in shape if I do say so myself! I continue to walk and have done several runs and may return to Alaska next year for the Solstice Half Marathon. Thank you Vanessa and Winner Creek for changing my life :) read more

Absolutely the best hike ever!!!! Located near the Alyaska Prince Hotel, the trail is 2 miles of breathtaking beauty inside a rainforest. Narrow bridges and wooden pathways are hidden throughout the trail. Blueberries grow wild all along the trail as well, so bring a bucket for picking! The trail ends at a hand-pulled tram that is a hundred feet over a rushing river. Seriously, it looks like something out of a movie. We rode back and forth across the tram before stopping for a picnic next to a crystal blue waterfall. Great hike for kids as well. I took my 7-year-old along for the fun. Definitely worth the short drive to Girdwood to check out this trail. read more

Beautiful trail - 4 stars when the hand tram is not working. 5 stars when it's functional. The only problem - I've never known if the hand tram is working until I get there. In the summer, be on the lookout for bears - I've seen them more often than not when hiking there. read more

The winner creek trail is a long up and down the mountain trail if you go from the ski lodge, but it's worth every bit of it, to see the gorge,and to go over the hand tram. Phil read more

Beautiful and fairly easy trail. The hand tram is a lot of fun. Definitely recommend! read more

Winner Creek Trail - Views on the trail - Hiking Near Me - Girdwood, Alaska

See all

Winner Creek Trail seemed to be closed during the winter season but we still hiked it. I loved the greenery and there were many helpful signs that guide you to the mine trail, creek trail and even to the hand tram. There were about 5 parking spaces along with a bathroom. We wanted to try the hand tram but the way to get there was blocked with thick ice and all. Plus the tram was closed until it's spring (which is open now) Even though we didn't get to experience it, we hiked for a good few miles. Something different from Californian hikes. Plus, the mountain view was amazing!! If you're staying in Anchorage/Girdwood for only few days, I would suggest checking our this trail! It's forestry and so lush. There's also a lake and wooden path, but sadly it was frozen when we went. It was still beautiful though and we ended up walking though the frozen lake :D So much fun! This trail is very family and kid-friendly. read more

Winner Creek Trail - Frozen lake - Hiking Near Me - Girdwood, Alaska

See all

The trail is paved and has wooden planks to walk on. We went in the early morning and the planks had ice from the morning dew and morning frost. Be very careful and look where you step. It's picturesque and great for beginners. read more

This trail is awesome. It's got just the right amount of quick burst hills and the beautiful Rapids about a mile and a half in. The hand tram was closed the day we went which I was very disappointed about but we still got a very good hike in. The resort that this trail is on is stunning. We hiked in June so the ski lift was closed but it still had the sky tram working. Absolutely beautiful resort for skiing. read more

THis is our favorite hike in Alaska and we go there every summer. This July 2013 we went and the hand tram wasn't there so we couldn't continue to the other side. We were so disappointed. The sign said it would be back in the spring but it was already July and no tram. I am going to call about it. 907-783-3242 It is an amazing hike and fairly easy too. read more

Enjoyed the hike, but seriously think the signs UNDERESTIMATE the length of the hike. It could have been the steep ups and fiend, but felt and seemed like much more than 2.5 miles in to the hand tram from the back of the resort's tram. Heard from several people to drive to the other trail entrance off Crow Creek Rd since it is only 1 mile in to the hand tram from that entrance. The early park of the trail from the resort is mostly paved or boardwalk, but gets much steeper later on. Beautiful views. read more