My favorite activity in Anchorage was spending time with the animals at Alaska SPCA. You can read all about my experience in the post Volunteer Vacay.
This article is part of Anchorage Home Base: Work + Play in Alaska.
IN THIS ARTICLE
We live near an entrance to the trail and find ourselves walking it almost every day. The entire path is paved and is popular for walkers, runners, bicyclists, dogs and strollers. Some people have seen moose along the trail, but we never have. However, we regularly see eagles, mallard ducks, sandhill cranes and many other birds. The scenery varies along the trail and includes marshland, views of the Sleeping Lady, and lots of planes coming and going (commercial airlines landing at the Anchorage airport, massive Air Force planes and fighter jets, and smaller personal aircraft and charter flights). You can easily rent bikes (including e-bikes) to explore the trail; we even saw Segway tours once. The 11-mile trail (each way) offers something for everyone and is a wonderful way to spend a few hours. Earthquake Park, Point Woronzof and Kincaid Park (mentioned below) are along the Coastal Trail. If I had to choose just one section, I’d likely select the area between Westchester Lagoon and Lyn Ary Park because of the scenery and wildlife.
This educational center has traditional housing constructed on-site to help visitors better understand the Alaska Native cultures, peoples and way of life. Though you can enjoy a self-guided walking tour, you’ll learn the most if you join in on a guided tour (offered regularly throughout the day). After your tour, head back to the main building to check out the museum; then hang around for the live demonstrations. We loved the singing and dancing as well as an explanation of the traditional games Alaska Natives play.
It was cloudy the day we hiked to Rabbit Lake, but it was still beautiful.
This trail in the Chugach State Park, about a 30 minute drive from downtown Anchorage, starts out moderately steep and then leads into a rocky meadow, of sorts, that follows alongside a creek. The lake is just on the other side of the meadow. Nice views along the way, and the lake offers a relaxing spot for a picnic. This wasn’t my favorite hike, but it was a cloudy/misty day so that could be affecting my impression. All in all, it was a long hike but not too steep and the views along the way and lake at the end made for a lovely day. In case you’re interested in our hiking stats: 9.44 miles, 3:59 hours, 1850 elevation gain, 1147 calories
Walk a series of boardwalks through the marsh to spot birds and maybe even a moose. This beautiful marshland is a serene place for meditation and bird watching. It does get busy throughout the day, but I’d imagine it’s quieter during the morning hours, and likely the wildlife sightings are better then. We only stopped by once on our way back from Girdwood, but if we lived closer, I’d love to visit daily.
This park is located near Alaska SPCA where I volunteer, so I walk the trails with a dog on a regular basis. The lake is pretty and typically busy with people fishing. The trails are popular for biking and walking dogs, and there is a playground, fitness equipment and picnic tables. This is the only place I actually saw moose (in the wild) during my month in Alaska. I wouldn’t consider it a tourist destination, but it’s a nice place to walk if you’re in the area.
Part museum and part nature, Earthquake Park tells the story of the massive 1964 earthquake (measured 9.2 on the Richter scale) and resulting tsunami that destroyed much of southcentral Alaska. You can drive to the park or reach it along the Coastal Trail. The information at the park is limited. If you’re interested in learning more about the earthquake, check out the links below, both from USGS. Not far from Earthquake Park, Point Woronzof Park offers an up-close view of planes coming in to land and a far off view of Denali on a clear day.
1964 Alaska Earthquake Damage Photos
1964 Quake: The Great Alaska Earthquake (video)
We never got around to biking the entire Coastal Trail (next time!), so instead we decided to walk/hike on each end and several places in the middle. I’d seen gorgeous photos from folks hiking the Bluff Trail at Kincaid, so we made a last-minute decision to check it out on our final night. First off, it’s not a super easy trail to find, even using Gaia maps. The park has a plethora of connecting trails, many of which are unnamed. We did find the trail, but it was more like a game trail than one meant for humans – narrow and overgrown. I was not at all prepared for this and was wearing shorts, just perfect for snuggling up close with all the stinging nettle and cow parsnip taking over the trail! Nevertheless, the views really were stunning and the entire experience was quite an adventure! From the bluff, you can see the beach below and an array of mountains, including Denali on a clear day. We were really in the treetops with eagles perched only a few feet above our heads. We didn’t want to do the entire trail since we were heading out the next day and had lots to do, so we tried to take a connector trail that was entirely overgrown and had become impassable. Thankfully another connector farther down wasn’t too bad, and we eventually found our way back. Definitely wish I had been wearing pants, but all in all, a wild way to end our vacation in Alaska! You can drive to the park or reach it along the Coastal Trail. MAP
For adventures outside Anchorage, check out: Activities Outside of Anchorage.
