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The
purpose of this page is to give you a feel for the parks and other
recreation areas that you may be hiking or backpacking in during your trip
to Alaska. Please link to the park's official website
I have provided below for more detailed information. Please remember that I have only listed parks and/or trails that I have hiked myself or someone has submitted to the site. This list should not be considered conclusive nor should you assume that hikes not mentioned are worthless. |
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NATIONAL PARKS Chugach National Forest Denali National Park Kenai Fjords National Park Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Wrangell-St. Elias National Park OTHER Matanuska Valley Municipality of Anchorage |
STATE PARKS Chugach State Park Denali State Park Kachemak State Park RECREATION AREAS Caines Head Captain Cook Nancy Lake |
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CAINES
HEAD STATE RECREATION AREA I
always make it a point of doing at least one backpack trip a year here, usually early in
the season. The best part is being able to hike along a beach and
view glaciers, eagles, sea lions, otters, and a whole slew of water
birds. I usually call this my resort
backpack trip because the living is easy. Besides an outhouse and
covered picnic areas at the end of the trail, there's nothing like having sand underneath your tent
for a good nights sleep. With a toasty fire on the beach, this makes
a great place to relieve some worldly stress. Take a day hike to Fort
McGilvray for a bit of history and an incredible view. As of 2004
there is now a newly enhanced Alpine trail with excellent views.OFFICIAL WEBSITE MAP: National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated; Kenai Fjords National Park and Chugach National Forest HIKES DESCRIBED IN THIS WEBSITE Caines Head Caines Head Alpine Trail |
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CAPTAIN
COOK STATE RECREATION AREA This
is a very small state recreation area tucked away in the northwest
corner of the Kenai Peninsula just above the small town of
Nikiski. This entire area is more suited to canoeing enthusiasts as
there are numerous lakes with portages in between. If for some
reason you are in the area, it is worth an afternoon to check out the
beach for its eerie desolate view of the Cook Inlet as well as two of
Alaska's most well known volcanoes. Otherwise, there is not that
much to the place and it is not really worth the extra time off the main
highway.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE |
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CHUGACH
NATIONAL FOREST  This area
covers the eastern section of the Kenai Peninsula starting near the end
of Turnagain Arm to the city limits of Seward, as well much of
the coastline and area of Prince William Sound east to Valdez. The main part of
the Seward Highway runs through it and this site is mainly concerned
with the trails off and near the highway. Most of the trails in this
area are valley hikes through aspen and spruce, with some trails gently
sloping up to tree line and above. This area probably has the easiest hikes
due to their slowly increasing elevations as opposed to sharp
climbs. A number of trails have 2 trailheads for through hiking, so
if you have 2 cars available, you may want to take
advantage of not having to repeat the same scenery. Most of the
hikes run alongside creeks and rivers if you are inclined to fish.
Be aware that since there are a lot of rivers with salmon runs, your chance of seeing
bear in this section of the Kenai
Peninsula runs high. OFFICIAL WEBSITE MAP: National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated; Kenai Fjords National Park and Chugach National Forest and/or* National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated; Kenai National Wildlife Refuge/Chugach National Forest *The Kenai Fjords Map
covers the southern half while the Kenai Wildlife covers the northern
section. |
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CHUGACH
STATE PARK Don't
let the fact that this park borders Anchorage steer you away from this
magical place. You may be close to Anchorage, but believe me, you
are in gorgeous wilderness when hiking these trails. As a guy from back
East, I appreciate the wide open spaces above treeline when I'm hiking in
this area. After a couple of summers here, I realized that it was pointless
to travel hours to get to scenery that was right in my own backyard. The park is
comprised mostly of deeply cut glacial valleys with plenty
of great 360 degree views. There is an incredible amount of wildlife
here with plenty of moose, bear, coyotes, dall sheep, and even the
occasional wolverine. If your trip up here inhibits you going far from
Anchorage or if you are looking for a great overnighter, this is definitely
the place.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE |
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Bird Creek Trails Bird Ridge Bird Ridge Tarns Black Tail Rocks Bold Peak Valley Campbell Creek Canyon Trail Dew Mound Trail The Dome Eagle and Symphony Lakes Eagle Peak Eagle River East Fork Trail Eklutna Lake Falls Creek Trail Flat Top Flute Glacier Football Field-O'Malley Peak Hanging Valley Hidden Valley and Lake Indian Valley Knoya Point Lower Eagle River Trail McHugh Trail and Rabbit Lake McHugh Peak Mt. Baldy Mt. Gordon Lyons Mt. Magnificent |
Mt. POW-MIA
Mt. Wolverine Near Point Penguin Peak Pepper Peak Pioneer Ridge Powerline Pass Ptarmigan Peak Ptarmigan Valley Trail Rainbow Peak Rendezvous Peak Round Top Seward Highway-Turnagain Arm Ship Creek Hill Ship Creek Trail Ship Lake Valley and The Ramp South Fork Rim Trail Suicide Peaks Tanaina Lake Temptation Peak Thunderbird Falls T'Kishla Peak Triangle Peak Turnagain Arm Trail Twin Peaks Williwaw Lakes |
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DENALI
STATE PARK
Yup! You heard right. What may also surprise you is that you
have a better chance of seeing Denali (Mt. McKinley) in this state park
than in the national park. Even if this hard to miss mountain
weren't there, this would still be a great place. The park has
great views of the Talkeetna Mountains and the Alaska Range.There are 3 rest areas with views of Denali and 3 campgrounds, one an RV park with a spectacular view of the Mountain. The Byers Lake Campground has two cabins for rent. Many people use the lake for fishing, boating, and kayaking. There are also a few hiking trails around the lake. However the gems of the park are the several hiking trails that run along the ridge of Kesugi Mountain. They are great trails in themselves, with incredible tundra and rock formations, as well as loads of lakes and tarns. However, the fact that most of the time on these trails, you'll be seeing Denali certainly adds to the flavor. Just so you don't say I didn't warn you, due to the weather conditions Denali creates in itself, you will only have a 30% chance of seeing it unobstructed by clouds on any given day. OFFICIAL WEBSITE MAP: National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated; Denali National Park and Preserve *There is a small section dedicated to the State Park. You'll probably want to combine this with USGS Topos. HIKES DESCRIBED IN THIS WEBSITE Ermine Hill Kesugi Ridge Upper Troublesome Creek Trail |
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DENALI
NATIONAL PARK Did
you go to this one first? If you are an experienced backpacker,
you've probably been dreaming of going here for a long time.  If
you're new to backpacking, the first thing you need to know is that this
is the real magilla-no trails! (with the exception of a few at the
entrance to the park). You are expected to know how to navigate
and with only 4 people allowed to a quadrant at any one time, you'd better
not expect anybody to help you out in a pinch. Oh, and by the way- this
is grizzly country. To drive home the point till you get it into your
skull, make sure someone in your team has the wilderness skills it takes
to travel in this park.If this is the kind of backpacking you're looking for, my website will not be of much help, as I have narrowed the scope to designated trails. I do want to let you know how it works in the park as there is an incredible amount of false information out there. The bottom line is to not get
too attached to any one area as you will only be able to get the permit
to backpack it 24 hours in advance. As stated above, only 4 people
are allowed to a quadrant. If someone beats you to the punch, you
can either sit around and wait or pick another quadrant. My best
advice to you is go into the welcome center and talk with the
knowledgeable and extremely friendly rangers and decide where to go
based on their advice and what's available. Just so you don't say I didn't
warn you, due to the weather conditions Denali creates in itself,
you will only have a 30% chance of seeing it unobstructed by clouds on
any given day.
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KACHEMAK
STATE PARK When
I was hiking here, it wound up being the closest I've ever come to
ending a backpacking trip in an emergency room. But even with
that, it was one of the most incredible backpacking experiences of my
life. The terrain is incredibly varied and I urge you to explore this
park thoroughly as an option if you are a visitor deciding on a
backpacking trip. Trust me, it is a much overlooked
gem. While there are many wonderful places in the southern portion
(below Halibut Cove), many of the trails are overgrown. The
northern portion's trails are better for hiking and the scenery is more
visible. The park is only accessible by water taxi (a list is of
these boats is available at the official website-see below). As
such, you are far from help. Be careful and
be prepared! Due
to the extremes in tides in the area, the "driver" will
determine when he can drop and pick you up depending on where and when
you want to go. Be prepared that if adverse weather conditions
occur, the driver may
not be able to pick you up at the designated time. You may even
have to stay over one more night. Make sure you have extra food, etc.
The
Lagoon Trail connects the northern part of the park with the southern
but there is an extremely deep, cold and fierce glacial river to
cross. Plan your trip in either section but not both. If you
feel confident, educate yourself about fording
rivers. OFFICIAL WEBSITE MAP: National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated; Kachemak Bay State Park HIKES DESCRIBED IN THIS WEBSITE China Poot Lake Trail Grace Ridge Grewingk Valley Otterbahn Trail Wosnesenski River Trail |
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KENAI
FJORDS NATIONAL PARK There
are not many trails in this park as most of the land is covered in glaciers and
a huge ice field. The park also encompasses the surrounding fjords that the glaciers carved into the Pacific
Ocean. Subsequently, the best way to view this area is with an all day boat tour
out of Seward. There are many people, if you are so inclined, who
explore the fjords in a kayak with a qualified guide. Either way,
the scenery is incredible and hopefully you will get the chance to view
whales, puffins, sea lions, otters and other marine life.Mary emailed me the following note of interest to dog owners: "...there were a lot of people we shuttled out to Aialik Bay last year who had rented cabins a year in advance, not knowing there is an enormous fine for having dogs in the cabins and within a 1/4 mile of the water. But they had driven with their dogs all the way to AK ... I always felt bad for them." Hands down- no contest!: the best day hike in the Kenai is Harding Icefield (see below). If you only do one hike- do this! OFFICIAL WEBSITE MAP: National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated; Kenai Fjords National Park HIKES DESCRIBED IN THIS WEBSITE Exit Glacier and Harding Icefield Mt. Marathon (Near Park) |
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KENAI
NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE This
area mainly covers the western section of the Kenai Peninsula. It
is mainly flat taiga with numerous lakes, and as such, its primary
recreation is suited more toward water activities, especially
fishing. Most of the hikes are short trails that end at a
lake. Most have trailheads at or near
campgrounds. The water in Kenai Lake, Skilak Lake and the Kenai
River is gorgeous. These are great hikes if you have very
small children.The entire Skilak Lake area is a great place to hang out, especially for families. There are several great state campgrounds, easy trails with great views, fishing, lots of wildlife, and some nice scenic overlooks. OFFICIAL WEBSITE MAP: National Geographic Maps Trails Illustrated; Kenai National Wildlife Refuge/Chugach National Forest HIKES DESCRIBED IN THIS WEBSITE Bear Mountain Fuller Lakes Gull Rock (starts in Chugach National Forest and crosses into the Refuge) Hidden Creek Trail Kenai River Trails Seven Lakes Trail Skilak Lookout Trail Skyline Trail |
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MATANUSKA
VALLEY  This
is not a park. It is the huge glacial valley situated north
of Anchorage extending west and ending at the Matanuska Glacier, which
in its heyday covered this entire region. There are a multitude of
lakes which is why many Anchorage residents have
weekend getaway cabins in this area. I'm sure I'll get many emails from the
natives up here due to the fact that I'm including many hikes in this
region that stretch the defined area of what is considered the "Matsu"
Valley. But due to the fact that it's mainly comprised of small
recreation areas off the Glenn and Parks Highway, I really couldn't
think of a better way to group them. And it is beyond the scope of
this site to go into detail concerning every one. However, there are two notable areas I do want to mention. The first is Hatcher's Pass, an old mining area that is rich in history as well as some very worthwhile hiking. A rough but serviceable road goes over the mountain pass and it makes a great scenic drive. The second is the Chickaloon area. I mention this because there is not a lot of details in the guidebooks on the hikes and trails in this area but it is arguably the prettiest part of the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains. So far, I've explored Nelchina Valley and I plan on really getting to know the area in the coming years. If anyone can help me, please proceed immediately to Submit Hike. Thanks! OFFICIAL WEBSITE MAP: *Use topo quad maps for most hiking in this region. HIKES DESCRIBED IN THIS WEBSITE Archangel Valley Bodenburg Butte Trail Craigie Creek Trail Gold Cord Lake Trail Golden Mint Trail Government Peak Lazy Mountain Matanuska Glacier Matanuska Peak Nelchina Valley Reed Lakes Snowbird Mine & Glacier |
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MUNICIPALITY
OF ANCHORAGE I'll
be honest with you; as an urban landscape, Anchorage isn't up there for
architectural wonder. Most of the buildings and houses are pretty
drab and unimaginative. Thankfully, we are compensated for having to
view fatal design by being only minutes, and sometimes seconds, away from gorgeous wildlife
and scenery. What the city lacks in cityscape more than
compensates with its endless trails, parks, and greenbelts intermingled
throughout the developments and neighborhoods. No matter where you live
or stay in Anchorage, you are close to
a place to quietly relax and reduce your stress level. For
summer visitors who will be in the city proper for a few days, it is highly
recommended that you rent a bike and ride the Coastal Trail. With
20 hours of sunlight, you can find the time- trust me.Ironically, I have seen more wildlife on these trails than out in the backcountry. OFFICIAL WEBSITE MAP: Anchorage and Vicinity (Alaska Road and Recreation Maps, Publisher) Anchorage's Trails & Parks Map - A brochure of all the biking, hiking, and skiing trails in the city. Go to the Anchorage Park Foundation for more information. *For Bicentennial Park, download the map linked to at the hike page site (see below) or you can purchase one at the Campbell Creek Science Center located in the park. Wigi Tozzi sent an email with information on a great site that maps out all the trails in the Municipality of Anchorage. It's very customizable and very cool! You can access it at MOA Trail Mapper. HIKES DESCRIBED IN THIS WEBSITE Anchorage Greenbelt Trails Campbell Creek Tract-Bicentennial Park Basher Trail Tony Knowles Coastal Trail |
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NANCY
LAKE STATE RECREATION AREA In
the summer, this place is a canoe trail system with short portages
between the lakes. There are some trails that don't need portage. In the winter it makes a great getaway when the
winter blues get deep. This is on the list with the suggestion
that you rent one of its 14 fee cabins and stay the night. The James
Cabin will give you the most privacy; the ones on Nancy Lake proper the
least.
OFFICIAL WEBSITE MAP: There is a detailed map provided in the brochure you will be given when you rent the cabin. You can also download the map at their website (see above). HIKES DESCRIBED IN THIS WEBSITE Nancy Lake Trails Red Shirt Lake |
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WRANGELL-ST.
ELIAS NATIONAL PARK If
you're looking for that truly, no one around, "this is really
remote!",
kind of backpacking, the Wrangell-St. Elias surpasses even Denali
National Park. With just two rough roads going into the park, few
amenities or man-made structures, and one of the
largest wilderness areas in the world, this is truly an awesome
experience. Four mountain ranges meet in this park: The Chugach,
Talkeetna, Wrangell, and St. Elias. The park is dominated by Mt.
Drum, Sandford, and Wrangell-an active volcano.Needless
to say, but let's make sure no one misunderstands: you better know what
you're doing if you want to explore this area. This is an extremely
primitive park and there are not a lot of resources available for a
rescue due to an ignorant trekker. Make sure you or someone in
your group has the skills necessary to attempt this area. One drawback is the money factor. To truly experience this park, it is often necessary to fly by bush plane to your destination, then either get picked up or walk out. Most pilots charge around $300. For the financially challenged, there are great hikes off of Nebesna Road in the northern section of the Park (see below). Another drawback for people who live Outside is the planning. There is not a lot of good information out there on where to hike and backpack. However there is one highly good source:
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Hiking
in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
