Alaska by Area: Kenai, Anchorage, Mat Su and Turnagain
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- Hikes 445 easy · 18 moderate · 21 hard.
- Crow Pass Trail (Eagle River end)Hard
Eagle River
4.9
- 11 mi
- 1,420 ft
- ~5.5 hr
- dogs
🅿️ $5 day use · Alaska State Parks pass covers it
4.9 on AllTrails ↗Details & conditions
Best window
Jun-Sep
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
Moderate
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Popular (near Anchorage)
👶 Kids
Leave the littles home
Grade
129 ft/mi
- historic Iditarod
- Heritage Falls
- river
The north end of the historic Iditarod route from the Nature Center, Echo Bend, Heritage Falls and, for through-hikers, the famous Eagle River ford.
- Eagle & Symphony LakesModerate
Eagle River
4.8
- 9.6 mi
- 850 ft
- ~4.5 hr
- dogs
🅿️ $5 day use · Alaska State Parks pass covers it
4.8 on AllTrails ↗Details & conditions
Best window
Jul-Sep (snow lingers high)
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
Low (breezy/high)
Bears
Common, make noise
👣 Traffic
Popular (near Anchorage)
👶 Kids
Older kids only
Grade
89 ft/mi
- alpine lakes
- valley walk
- wildflowers
Two lakes, one milky glacial green, one deep blue, kiss across a skinny isthmus at the end of a gentle valley walk.
Fishing 4242 in range, sorted ⚡ best right now.- Beach Lake
Eagle River
Stocked lake with rainbow trout and land-locked king salmon
- Landlocked salmon
- Rainbow trout
- Arctic grayling
Access: From MP 20.9 Glenn Highway to Take South Birchwood exit and turn west past Chugiak High School. Drive roughly 0.9 mile to Beach Lake Road. Take a left on Beach Lake Road and drive 2 miles to Beach Lake. This lake is best fished from a canoe or inflatable.
- Beach Lake (Chugiak) 🐣 STOCKED
Chugiak
A quiet Chugiak park lake for trout, paired with ski and horse trails most anglers miss.
typically peaks May-Sep- Rainbow trout
Access: End of Beach Lake Road in Chugiak, inside Beach Lake Park. Trail network with small shore access.
Bars & Breweries 3519 breweries · 16 bars.- Double Shovel Cider Co.
Anchorage
4.8
Alaska's cidery with rotating food trucks daily and non-alc pours. Kids welcome too.
Hours: Daily noon-9pm summer hrs, call to confirm
- Turnagain Brewing
Anchorage
4.8
Ten-barrel Anchorage brewery est. 2018 specializing in Belgian-style and sour beers, with 16 taps in its King Street tasting room.
Hours: Wed-Sun (closed Mon-Tue); Sat 12-9pm summer hrs, call to confirm
Biking 125 paved · 5 singletrack of 12 rides.- Beach Lake Trails
Chugiak
Chugiak's quiet forested playground, fast, flowy loops the locals guard like a secret.
- 10 mi network
- Intermediate
More details
🛞 Surface
Singletrack
Season
May-Oct (fat bike in winter)
- Campbell Creek Trail
Anchorage
Mellow paved greenbelt through south Anchorage. Salmon and moose.
- ~7.5 mi one-way
- Easy
More details
🛞 Surface
Paved
Season
May-Oct
Camp & RV 114 developed · 3 primitive · 4 RV.- Eklutna Lake Campground
Chugiak
4.7
A glacier-fed turquoise lake ringed by peaks, with a paved trail hugging the shore and pull-in sites in the spruce.
- 50 sites
- $20/night
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable via reserveamerica.com
🔧 Vault toilets, water, trailhead, bike/kayak rentals nearby
- Eagle River Campground
Eagle River
4.4
A wooded riverside retreat just off the Glenn Highway where the milky Eagle River rushes past the sites.
- 57 sites
- $20/night
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable via reserveamerica.com
🔧 Vault toilets, water, river access, picnic shelter
Events 63Sights 4141 sights across 12 flavors, 8 indoors.- Chugach State Park - Glen Alps
Anchorage
4.8
The half-million-acre wilderness at Anchorage's back door. Glen Alps is the gateway: Flattop, Powerline Pass and berry-heavy tundra, all a 20-minute drive uphill.
Access: Road ($5 day-use parking); trailhead hub
dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/chugach/chugachindex.htm ↗ (907) 345-5014
- Eagle River Nature Center
Eagle River
4.8
Log lodge, spotting scopes and glacier-valley trails, Chugach wilderness with the guardrails on.
Don't miss · Flattop Mountain · Moderate · 3.3mi
- Hikes 136 easy · 4 moderate · 3 hard.
- Byron Glacier TrailEasy
Portage/Whittier
4.8
- 2.8 mi
- 100 ft
- ~1 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jun-Sep
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
High (Jun-Jul)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Iconic, expect company
👶 Kids
Great for kids
Grade
36 ft/mi
- glacier
- kid-friendly
- icebergs
Flat stroll to a glacier snowfield. Snowball fight in July? Absolutely.
- Portage PassModerate
Portage/Whittier
4.8
- 4.2 mi
- 1,400 ft
- ~2.5 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jul-Sep (snow lingers high)
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
Low (breezy/high)
Bears
Common, make noise
👣 Traffic
Iconic, expect company
👶 Kids
Older kids only
Grade
333 ft/mi
- glacier
- lake
- pass
Short steep climb over the pass to a jaw-dropping glacier-and-lake view. Whittier weather gambles apply.
Fishing 2020 in range, sorted ⚡ best right now.- Airstrip Pond
Whittier
One of the Portage Valley ponds, stocked with rainbow trout by Alaska Fish and Game and lightly fished.
- Rainbow trout
Access: From MP 48.1 on the Seward Highway to Drive east on Portage Glacier Road for 1 mile to the paved road on north side (Moose Flats Recreation Area). Turn in and follow to Airstrip Pond.
- Beach River
Whittier
Beach River is located Montague Island is in the Gulf of Alaska at the entrance to Prince William Sound. USFS cabin available for rent by calling 1-877-444-6777 or visiting www.recreation.gov
typically peaks coho salmon mid august, pink salmon mid July- Coho (silver)
- Pink (humpy)
- Halibut
Access: Access float plane (40 minutes from Cordova, 60 minutes from Seward) or boat (65 miles from Cordova, 70 miles from Whittier, 100 miles from Seward).
Bars & Breweries 31 breweries · 2 bars.- Girdwood Brewing Company
Girdwood
4.7
A spacious beer garden with fire pits, rotating food trucks, and good dogs always welcome.
Hours: Summer: daily 11am-10pm summer hrs, call to confirm
- Sitzmark Bar & Grill
Girdwood
4.3
Alyeska's base-area apres-ski bar. Ski boots, sun decks, and cold ones.
Hours: Winter-season venue at Alyeska, closed in summer summer hrs, call to confirm
Biking 52 paved · 2 singletrack of 5 rides.- Alyeska Bike Park
Girdwood
Alaska's only lift-served downhill. Berms with a sea view.
- 10+ mi lift-served
- All levels
More details
🛞 Surface
Singletrack
Season
Jun-Sep
- Bird-to-Gird Path
Girdwood
Iconic paved Turnagain Arm ride. Beluga bonus.
- 13 mi one-way
- Easy-Mod
More details
🛞 Surface
Paved
Season
May-Oct
Camp & RV 119 developed · 1 primitive · 1 RV.- Williwaw Campground
Portage
4.7
The showpiece of Portage Valley, tucked beneath hanging glaciers with a salmon-viewing boardwalk right in camp.
- 60 sites
- $18-$28/night
More details
Season
Mid-May-mid-Oct
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable via Recreation.gov
🔧 Flush toilets, water, salmon-viewing deck, interpretive trails
- Black Bear Campground
Portage
4.7
A small, quiet loop deep in the rainforest of Portage Valley, close to glaciers and moose meadows.
- 12 sites
- $14/night
More details
Season
Mid-May-mid-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
First-come, first-served
🔧 Vault toilets, water, bear lockers
Events 13Sights 1919 sights across 9 flavors, 1 indoors.- Byron Glacier Trail
Portage
4.9
Flat stroll to a hanging glacier and summer snowfields, accessible ice for the whole crew.
Access: Road + easy 0.8-mi walk to the snowfield
- Portage Lake
Portage
4.8
Milky-teal lake calving mini-icebergs beneath sheer peaks, the pullout view alone is worth it.
alaska.org/detail/begich-boggs-visitor-center ↗ (907) 783-2326
Don't miss · Byron Glacier Trail · Easy · 2.8mi
- Hikes 296 easy · 8 moderate · 15 hard.
- April Bowl & Hatch PeakModerate
Hatcher Pass
4.9
- 3.5 mi
- 1,250 ft
- ~2 hr
- dogs
🅿️ $5 day use · Alaska State Parks pass covers it
4.9 on AllTrails ↗Details & conditions
Best window
Jul-Sep (snow lingers high)
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
Low (breezy/high)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Steady traffic
👶 Kids
Older kids only
Grade
357 ft/mi
- alpine tarn
- ridge summit
- panoramic views
Climb past a turquoise tarn to a breezy ridge and Hatch Peak, with all of Hatcher Pass sprawling beneath your boots.
- Lane Basin LoopModerate
Hatcher Pass
4.8
- 3.1 mi
- 688 ft
- ~1.5 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jun-Sep
Route
Loop
🦟 Bugs
High (Jun-Jul)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Steady traffic
👶 Kids
Older kids only
Grade
222 ft/mi
- hidden basin
- waterfall
- wildflowers
A quiet basin loop with a waterfall the crowds at Reed Lakes never see.
Fishing 3535 in range, sorted ⚡ best right now.- Alexander Creek (Susitna)
Willow
Once Southcentral's premier road-less king creek, now a silver-and-pink fly-in with a cautionary pike story.
typically peaks Jun-Aug- Chinook (king)
- Coho (silver)
- Pink (humpy)
- Rainbow trout
- Northern pike
Access: No road access. Reached by powerboat up the Susitna or by floatplane from Anchorage or Willow. Lodges near the mouth.
- Big Lake (Big Lake) 🐣 STOCKED
Wasilla
Mat-Su's busiest recreation lake: invasive pike, stocked trout, and fall silvers on the same water.
typically peaks Jun-Sep- Northern pike
- Coho (silver)
- Rainbow trout
- Arctic char
- Burbot
Access: Big Lake North and Big Lake South State Recreation Sites, both with boat launches off Big Lake Road. Heavy summer boat traffic.
Bars & Breweries 145 breweries · 9 bars.- Bleeding Heart Brewery
Palmer
4.8
Palmer taproom + kitchen famous for its 'SunDay BrunchDay', beer and biscuits, together at last.
Hours: Tue-Wed noon-8pm, Thu-Sat noon-9pm, Sun 10am-6pm, closed Mon summer hrs, call to confirm
- Matanuska Brewing
Palmer
4.7
Full comfort-food menu, outdoor seating, live tunes, high chairs for the littles.
Hours: Daily 11:30am-9pm (Palmer taproom) summer hrs, call to confirm
Biking 71 paved · 4 singletrack of 7 rides.- Crevasse Moraine Trail System
Palmer
Mat-Su Borough trail system with about 6.7 miles of loop trails on glacial moraine ridges, used for hiking, biking, running and horseback riding.
- ~13 mi network
- Easy-Mod
More details
🛞 Surface
Singletrack + gravel
Season
May-Oct
- Government Peak Rec Area
Palmer
Mat-Su Borough recreation area on Hatcher Pass with groomed ski loops, singletrack mountain bike trails and views of Pioneer Peak and the Chugach Range.
- ~13 mi network
- Easy-Mod
More details
🛞 Surface
Singletrack + gravel
Season
May-Oct
Camp & RV 4117 developed · 13 primitive · 11 RV.- The Springer RV & Campground
Palmer
4.9
Rustic Butte-area retreat off the Old Glenn with mountain views.
- 34 sites
- $35-65/night
springercampak.com ↗ (877) 987-2267
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable
🔧 Full hookups (30/50A), showers, laundry, WiFi, dump, fire rings
- Government Peak Recreation Area
Palmer
4.8
A modern Hatcher Pass foothills camp with trails webbing into the alpine and a rushing mountain creek.
- 11 sites
- $15/night
More details
Season
Jun-Sep, weather permitting
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable online
🔧 Vault toilets, water, trailheads, picnic pavilion
Events 18Sights 2828 sights across 11 flavors, 1 indoors.- Reindeer Farm
Palmer
4.9
Feed a reindeer, meet a moose, admire the Pioneer Peak backdrop. Peak Alaska farm day.
- Knik Glacier
Palmer
5
A 25-mile Chugach ice field feeding the Knik River, reachable by 6x6, jetboat or helicopter tour from the Butte.
Access: Guided jet-boat / off-road tour, or a long trek from the Knik River Public Use Area
Local pour · Bleeding Heart Brewery · Palmer
- Hikes 83 easy · 3 moderate · 2 hard.
- Curry Ridge TrailModerate
Talkeetna
4.8
- 7 mi
- 1,100 ft
- ~3.5 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
May-Oct
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
High (Jun-Jul)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Quieter, earn it
👶 Kids
Older kids only
Grade
157 ft/mi
- Denali views
- tundra tarns
- boardwalk
Boardwalks and switchbacks climb to tundra tarns and a jaw-dropping Denali view. Kesugi Ken's crown-jewel day hike.
- Little Coal Creek TrailModerate
Talkeetna
4.5
- 6.2 mi
- 1,906 ft
- ~4 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jul-Sep (snow lingers high)
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
Low (breezy/high)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Quieter, earn it
👶 Kids
Older kids only
Grade
307 ft/mi
- alpine ridge
- Alaska Range views
- tundra
The quickest ticket onto Kesugi Ridge: a steady climb to open tundra and Alaska Range views, no overnight pack required.
Fishing 88 in range, sorted ⚡ best right now.- Byers Lake (Denali State Park)
Talkeetna
Quiet clear lake under Denali views. Lake trout, whitefish, and burbot, best from a canoe.
typically peaks Jun-Sep- Lake trout
- Whitefish
- Burbot
Access: Byers Lake Campground on the Parks Highway with a boat launch and lakeside trail.
- Clear Creek float for rainbow trout, Arctic Grayling, and Dolly Varden
Talkeetna
Drop off float trip from upper Clear Creek down to confluence with Talkeetna River. Plan for 3-4 days.
typically peaks June-August- Rainbow trout
- Arctic grayling
Access: Fly-in to upper Clear Creek via helicopter. Pick up at mouth by boat or float to Talkeetna.
Bars & Breweries 41 breweries · 3 bars.- Denali Brewing
Talkeetna
4.6
Farm-to-table grub, a big sunny deck, and leashed pups welcome on the patio.
Hours: Daily 11am-10pm (Twister Creek/Main St brewpub) summer hrs, call to confirm
- Fairview Inn
Talkeetna
4.6
1923 roadhouse where climbers and legends have propped up the bar for a century.
Hours: Daily 8am-1:30am (Fri-Sat to 2:30am); seasonal summer hrs, call to confirm
Biking 42 paved · 1 singletrack of 4 rides.- Kesugi Ken Campground Trails
Talkeetna
A little over 2 miles of paved and gravel walking trail through the campground complex, explicitly built to double as an easy bike loop in summer and a ski loop in winter; not a destination ride, but a legitimate easy spin for anyone camped here.
- ~2 mi network
- Beginner
More details
🛞 Surface
paved and gravel campground paths
Season
year round: bike in summer, ski in winter
- Talkeetna Lakes Park
Talkeetna
Wide skate and classic trails circle the lake system south of Talkeetna, with fishing docks and trails for hiking, biking and jogging.
- ~8 mi network
- Easy-Mod
More details
🛞 Surface
Singletrack + gravel
Season
May-Oct
Camp & RV 168 developed · 6 primitive · 2 RV.- K'esugi Ken Campground
Talkeetna
4.8
Modern Denali State Park campground with big-mountain trails and an interpretive center.
- 42 sites + cabins
- $20-35/night
dnr.alaska.gov ↗ (907) 745-8950
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable
🔧 Flush toilets, water, cabins, trailheads, RV pull-throughs
- Susitna Landing
Talkeetna
4.8
Riverside camp and boat launch at Kashwitna, a hotspot for king and silver salmon runs.
- 50 sites
- $20/night
adfg.alaska.gov ↗ (907) 746-6300
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
First-come
🔧 Toilets, boat launch, riverfront, fish cleaning
Events 4Sights 1212 sights across 5 flavors.- Talkeetna Roadhouse
Talkeetna
4.6
A 1917 log roadhouse still slinging sourdough hotcakes the size of hubcaps to mountaineers and vagabonds.
- Byers Lake
Trapper Creek
4.5
Mirror-still lake with a loop trail and Denali reflections, the postcard shot without the crowds.
Access: Road (Parks Hwy, Denali State Park)
Local pour · Denali Brewing · Talkeetna
- Hikes 115 easy · 3 moderate · 3 hard.
- Matanuska Glacier TrailEasy
Glacier View
4.8
- 1.6 mi
- 173 ft
- ~1 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jun-Sep
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
High (Jun-Jul)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Quieter, earn it
👶 Kids
Great for kids
Grade
108 ft/mi
- glacier walk
- guided
- ice
Actually walk onto the ice: a guided route onto the glacier terminus via Glacier Park's private toll road. Crampons and a guide required.
- Lion's Head TrailHard
Glacier View
4.7
- 2.1 mi
- 997 ft
- ~1.5 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jun-Sep
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
Low (breezy/high)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Quieter, earn it
👶 Kids
Leave the littles home
Grade
475 ft/mi
- glacier views
- scramble
- cliff-top
A short, steep scramble up a rock outcrop with a jaw-dropping look straight down onto the Matanuska Glacier. Crosses a private easement, check in at the posted number.
Fishing 4646 in range, sorted ⚡ best right now.- Copper River (Chitina dipnet)
Glennallen
Legendary resident dipnet fishery in a roaring glacial canyon. Rich, red Copper River sockeye and kings.
typically peaks Jun-Sep- Sockeye
- Chinook (king)
Access: Chitina area dipnet sites off the Edgerton Highway. Boat charters run the canyon. Serious hazards, use caution.
- Crosswind Lake
Glennallen
Crosswind Lake is a remote lake accessible by snowmachine in winter and by air. Summer access by ATV is very difficult in the wet terrain. It is a large (9,182 acres) clear lake with a maximum depth of 120 feet.
typically peaks Year-round: Crosswind Lake provides for both open water and ice fishing opportunities.- Arctic grayling
- Lake trout
- Burbot
- Whitefish
Access: Crosswind Lake is primarily a fly-in lake or winter access. Most people access it in winter on well groomed trails from Lake Louise or Tolsona Lakes along the Glenn Highway. Trails are between 14 and 18 miles in length and take 30 - 60 minutes to travel in winter.
Bars & Breweries 61 breweries · 5 bars.- Eureka Roadhouse
Eureka
Roadhouse at Mile 128 Glenn Highway with a restaurant known for the Eureka Burger, a convenience store, and a full-service bar. Also offers motel rooms and RV sites.
Hours: 8am to 8pm daily; some aggregator sources note Tuesday closures, unconfirmed on the official site summer hrs, call to confirm
- Lake Louise Lodge
Lake Louise
Lakefront lodge on Lake Louise Road off the Glenn Highway, with an on-site restaurant and bar/lounge.
Camp & RV 123 developed · 2 primitive · 7 RV.- Sheep Mountain Lodge
Sheep Mountain
4.8
A classic roadhouse with cabins, a sauna, and 12 miles of trails out the back door.
- 6 RV sites
- Call for rate
More details
Season
summer
🎟️ Reserve
First-come
🔧 First-come hookups, restaurant, sauna & hot tub, cabins
- Slide Mountain Cabins & RV Park
Eureka
4.9
High-country hookups near Eureka Summit, a handy base for Gunsight and Belanger.
- ~15 sites
- Call for rate
More details
Season
May 20-Sep 7
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable
🔧 Full hookups, big-rig friendly, showers, dump, WiFi, playground, cabins
Sights 1212 sights across 7 flavors.- Matanuska Glacier
Glacier View
4.7
Drive right up and walk onto 27 miles of glacier, one of the few you can touch by car.
Access: Private toll road at Glacier Park + a guided walk onto the ice
- Wrangell-St. Elias NP Visitor Center
Copper Center
4.7
The gateway to the largest national park in the U.S., bigger than Switzerland. The Copper Center center frames the Wrangell volcanoes; the park itself is gloriously roadless.
Access: Road (Richardson Hwy, mi 106.8)
Local pour · Eureka Roadhouse · Eureka
- Hikes 254 easy · 10 moderate · 11 hard.
- Primrose TrailModerate
Seward Hwy
4.8
- 8 mi
- 1,500 ft
- ~4 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jun-Sep
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
Moderate
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Steady traffic
👶 Kids
Older kids only
Grade
188 ft/mi
- waterfall
- to Lost Lake
Climb past a hidden falls toward the Lost Lake high country from the north end.
- Hope PointHard
Hope
4.8
- 5 mi
- 3,600 ft
- ~4.5 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jul-Sep (snow lingers high)
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
Low (breezy/high)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Steady traffic
👶 Kids
Leave the littles home
Grade
720 ft/mi
- very steep ridge
- Arm views
Relentless ridge straight up from Hope with nonstop Turnagain Arm views. Bring water and grit.
Fishing 2828 in range, sorted ⚡ best right now.- Carter Lake Trail
Moose Pass
Remote walk in lake. 3.4 mile hiking trail to Carter and Crescent Lakes. It is a short but steep climb (first 1.5 miles, 986 ft) through spruce/hemlock forest to a wide subalpine valley of meadows surrounded by mountains. Snow can remain in this area until early June. This trail is well maintained, but is muddy during spring snowmelt and after heavy rain. Summer acces is difficult from this trail to the west end Crescent Lake on the primitive trail.
Access: Mile 33 Seward Hwy. South side of highway Chugach National Forest trailhead with parking and toilets. Closed to motorized vehicles May 1- November 30. Closed to pack/saddle stock April 1- June 30. Not recommended for bikes or horses.
- Crescent Lake (Cooper Landing)
Cooper Landing
The Kenai's trophy-grayling secret, a hike to 18-inch sailfins and a rowboat cabin.
typically peaks Jul-Aug- Arctic grayling
- Rainbow trout
Access: Hike in: 3.4 mi to grayling water via the Carter Lake Trail (Seward Hwy Mile 33) or about 6.5 mi via the Crescent Creek Trail off Quartz Creek Road. Bikes allowed on Crescent Creek Trail.
Bars & Breweries 51 breweries · 4 bars.- Cooper Landing Brewing
Cooper Landing
4
The patio's the whole point, craft pints, mountain air, and a burger truck.
Hours: Daily 11:30am-9pm (Fri-Sat to 10pm) summer hrs, call to confirm
- Seaview Cafe & Bar
Hope
4.6
Gold-rush-town saloon at the end of the road. Live music and Turnagain Arm sunsets.
Hours: Seasonal Thu-Sun 4-10pm (closed Mon-Wed) summer hrs, call to confirm
Biking 65 singletrack of 6 rides.- Crescent Creek Trail
Cooper Landing
A steady climb to a mountain lake, part rideable flow, part scenic hike-a-bike into wildflower country.
- 13 mi out-and-back
- Intermediate
More details
🛞 Surface
Singletrack
Season
Jul-Sep
- Devil's Pass Trail (bike)
Cooper Landing
Alpine climb linking to Resurrection Pass. Epic ridge country.
- ~10 mi one-way
- Advanced
More details
🛞 Surface
Singletrack
Season
Jul-Sep
Camp & RV 3020 developed · 6 primitive · 4 RV.- Porcupine Campground
Hope
4.6
At the road's end above Turnagain Arm, blufftop sites with sweeping water views and trailheads to Gull Rock.
- 34 sites
- $18/night
More details
Season
Mid-May-mid-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable via Recreation.gov
🔧 Vault toilets, water, coastal trailhead
- Trail River Campground
Moose Pass
4.6
A large, forested campground spread along the Trail River and Lower Trail Lake with room to roam.
- 91 sites
- $18/night
More details
Season
Mid-May-mid-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable via Recreation.gov
🔧 Vault toilets, water, lake access, group sites
Sights 99 sights across 4 flavors.- Tern Lake
Cooper Landing
4.9
Junction lake stuffed with nesting terns, loons and swans, reflections and wildlife on demand.
- Kenai Lake
Cooper Landing
4.8
Impossibly turquoise glacial lake hugging the highway, every pullout is a photo op.
Don't miss · Skyline Trail · Hard · 3.4mi
- Hikes 125 easy · 1 moderate · 6 hard.
- Harding Icefield TrailHard
Seward
4.9
- 8.2 mi
- 3,500 ft
- ~5.5 hr
- 🚫 dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jul-Sep (snow lingers high)
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
Low (breezy/high)
Bears
Present, stay aware
Parking/fee
Free (Kenai Fjords NPS)
👣 Traffic
Iconic, expect company
👶 Kids
Leave the littles home
Grade
427 ft/mi
- icefield
- glacier
- bucket-list
Climb 3,500 ft to stare across a 700-sq-mi icefield that swallows the horizon. The peninsula's crown-jewel day hike.
- Lost LakeHard
Seward
4.9
- 14 mi
- 2,000 ft
- ~7 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jul-Sep (snow lingers high)
Route
Point-to-point
🦟 Bugs
Low (breezy/high)
Bears
Common, make noise
👣 Traffic
Iconic, expect company
👶 Kids
Leave the littles home
Grade
143 ft/mi
- alpine lakes
- ridge
- epic
Long ridge traverse to a chain of high alpine lakes. Do it as a shuttle and thank yourself.
Fishing 2323 in range, sorted ⚡ best right now.- Bear Lake (Seward) 🐣 STOCKED
Seward
A hatchery-boosted silver salmon lake north of town, the freshwater complement to Seward's saltwater coho.
typically peaks Aug-Sep- Coho (silver)
- Sockeye
Access: North of Seward off the Seward Highway and Bear Lake Road. Bank access around the outlet and Bear Creek.
- First Lake
Seward
Inside Seward city limits, Two Lakes Trail is easily accessible for First and Second lake. Youth-Only Fishery, 4 consecutive days beginning the third Thursday in May each year.
typically peaks Year-round: Stocked with rainbow trout- Rainbow trout
Access: Downtown Seward, trail can be accesed off Vista rd, Hulm Ln. or Behind AVTEC
Bars & Breweries 61 breweries · 5 bars.- Flamingo Lounge
Seward
4.6
Retro cocktail lounge in the old Thorn's Showcase space on Fourth Ave.
Hours: Nightly 5-11pm summer hrs, call to confirm
- The Pit Bar
Seward
4.6
Roadhouse dive near Bear Lake north of town, a Seward classic.
Biking 31 paved · 1 singletrack of 3 rides.- Iditarod NHT, Mile 0
Seward
Start where the famous trail begins, coastal gravel and forest paths steeped in gold-rush history.
- 6 mi
- Easy
More details
🛞 Surface
Gravel
Season
May-Oct
- Lost Lake Trail (bike)
Seward
A 7.3 mile Chugach National Forest trail climbing through spruce forest and subalpine meadows to Lost Lake amid a panorama of near and distant mountains.
- ~15 mi point-to-point
- Advanced
More details
🛞 Surface
Singletrack
Season
Jul-Sep
Camp & RV 94 developed · 1 primitive · 4 RV.- Stoney Creek RV Park
Seward
4.5
Full-hookup base camp in the spruce along Stoney Creek, minutes from Seward's harbor and trailheads.
- ~80 sites
- ~$50/night
stoneycreekrvpark.com ↗ 907-224-6465
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable
🔧 Full hookups, showers, laundry, WiFi, dump
- Seward RipTide RV Resort
Seward
5
Resurrection Bay shoreline with glaciers and cruise ships in view.
- 67 sites
- $50-70/night
riptidervresort.com ↗ 907-491-1769
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable
🔧 Full & electric hookups, showers, laundry, WiFi, store, cabins
Events 5Sights 99 sights across 5 flavors.- Exit Glacier
Seward
4.9
Walk right up to a glacier and watch it recede in real time. The only part of Kenai Fjords National Park you can reach by road, with marked trails and ranger-led walks. No cell service up there.
Access: Road (Exit Glacier Rd, seasonal) then a short walk to the toe
- Kenai Fjords boat tour
Seward
4.8
Kenai Fjords Tours cruises from Seward into Kenai Fjords National Park, with up close sightings of whales, sea otters, Steller sea lions and puffins.
Don't miss · Harding Icefield Trail · Hard · 8.2mi
- Hikes 1813 easy · 5 moderate.
- Bear Mountain (Skilak)Easy
Skilak/Sterling
4.8
- 1.6 mi
- 500 ft
- ~1 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jul-Sep (snow lingers high)
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
Low (breezy/high)
Bears
Common, make noise
👣 Traffic
Quieter, earn it
👶 Kids
Great for kids
Grade
313 ft/mi
- quick summit
- lake views
Short but punchy climb to a big Skilak Lake payoff. Best effort-to-view ratio around.
- Vista Trail (Skilak)Easy
Skilak/Sterling
4.7
- 3 mi
- 200 ft
- ~1.5 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jun-Sep
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
High (Jun-Jul)
Bears
Common, make noise
👣 Traffic
Quieter, earn it
👶 Kids
Great for kids
Grade
67 ft/mi
- lake
- kid-friendly
Little lake overlook loop off Skilak Loop Road. Blueberries in season.
Fishing 4545 in range, sorted ⚡ best right now.- Big Eddy Day Use Area
Soldotna
Alaska State Parks day use site on the Kenai River within the Kenai River Special Management Area, with toilets and picnic areas.
typically peaks Year-round: sockeye salmon, chum salmon; January-July: king salmon- Chinook (king)
- Coho (silver)
- Sockeye
- Pink (humpy)
- Chum
- Rainbow trout
- Steelhead
- Dolly Varden
Access: River Mile 15.5. Sterling Highway to Soldotna. Turn on Kenai Spur Highway to Big Eddy Road. Turn at first right. The boat launch is at the end of the road.
- Bing's Landing Camground & Day Use Area
Sterling
Shoreline fishing. DNR Alaska State Parks boat launch open year round. Campground and day use parking.
typically peaks Jan - July: king salmon (see regulations for size limits); July - Oct: coho salmon; Year-round: pink salmon, rainbow trout, steelhead trout, Dolly Varden, sockeye salmon- Chinook (king)
- Coho (silver)
- Sockeye
- Pink (humpy)
- Rainbow trout
- Steelhead
- Dolly Varden
Access: Sterling Highway milepost 79.
Bars & Breweries 83 breweries · 5 bars.- Kenai River Brewing
Soldotna
4.7
Full kitchen, must-visit summer patio, live music and trivia. Dog- and kid-friendly.
Hours: Daily 11am-9pm summer hrs, call to confirm
- Kenai Joe's
Kenai
4.9
Old-town Kenai dive. Cheap, unpretentious, exactly what you'd hope.
Hours: Daily from 3pm; Fri-Sat to 2am summer hrs, call to confirm
Biking 32 paved · 1 singletrack of 3 rides.- Kenai River Trail (Skilak)
Sterling
A 5.4 mile one way trail in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, split into upper and lower sections, with views of the Kenai River canyon, Skilak Lake and the Kenai Mountains.
- ~13 mi network
- Intermediate
More details
🛞 Surface
Gravel + singletrack
Season
Jun-Oct
- Tsalteshi / Soldotna paths
Soldotna
Nonprofit-run trail system south of Soldotna with over 25 km groomed for cross-country skiing plus singletrack for biking, running and hiking.
- 25+ km network
- All levels
More details
🛞 Surface
Singletrack + paved
Season
Jun-Sep
Camp & RV 3415 developed · 11 primitive · 8 RV.- Klondike RV Park & Cottages
Soldotna
4.7
Tidy full-hookup pads off Funny River Road, big rigs welcome.
- 35 sites
- from $50/night
klondikervpark.com ↗ 907-262-6035
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable
🔧 Full hookups (30/50A, water, sewer), grills, cottages
- Kelly Lake Campground
Sterling
5
Serene refuge-lake camp and gateway to the Swan Lake canoe route through the Kenai NWR.
- 4 sites
- Free
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
First-come
🔧 Vault toilet, fire rings, lake/canoe access; no water
Events 9Sights 1111 sights across 7 flavors, 1 indoors.- Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center
Soldotna
4.7
Two million acres of the Kenai's lakes, moose and salmon country, with a smart little visitor center and easy interpretive trails right in Soldotna.
Access: Road (Ski Hill Rd, Soldotna)
- Kenai NWR Visitor Center
Soldotna
4.7
Handsome refuge center with wildlife exhibits, a nature trail and lake overlook, free and worth it.
Local pour · Kenai Joe's · Kenai
- Hikes 1412 easy · 2 moderate.
- Beluga Slough TrailEasy
Homer
4.4
- 1.2 mi
- 20 ft
- ~0.5 hr
- dogs
🅿️ Free (no entrance or day-use parking fee)
4.4 on AllTrails ↗Details & conditions
Best window
May-Oct
Route
Loop
🦟 Bugs
High (Jun-Jul)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Quieter, earn it
👶 Kids
Great for kids
Grade
17 ft/mi
- boardwalk
- birding
- kid-friendly
Tiny boardwalk loop by the Islands & Ocean Center. Binoculars, not boots.
- Bishop's BeachEasy
Homer
4.4
- 2 mi
- 10 ft
- ~1 hr
- dogs
🅿️ Free (no entrance or day-use parking fee)
4.4 on AllTrails ↗Details & conditions
Best window
May-Oct
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
High (Jun-Jul)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Quieter, earn it
👶 Kids
Great for kids
Grade
5 ft/mi
- beach
- tidepools
- kid-friendly
Low-tide beach ramble with Kachemak Bay and volcano views. Watch the tide clock.
Fishing 3232 in range, sorted ⚡ best right now.- Anchor Point beach
Anchor Point
Hook a Cook Inlet king or a surf halibut standing on the beach, at the westernmost point you can drive to.
typically peaks May-Sep- Chinook (king)
- Halibut
- Dolly Varden
- Coho (silver)
- Pink (humpy)
Access: Anchor Point beach access road to the tractor-launch beach at the Anchor River mouth. Long-rod surfcasting.
- Anchor Point tractor launch
Anchor Point
The westernmost road-accessible launch in America, tractor-pushed into the Cook Inlet surf for halibut.
typically peaks May-Sep- Halibut
- Chinook (king)
- Coho (silver)
Access: Concessionaire tractor launch at the Anchor River mouth beach, the westernmost point on the North American road system.
Bars & Breweries 83 breweries · 5 bars.- Sweetgale Meadworks & Cider House
Homer
4.9
Homer meadery and cider house pouring berry meads and hard ciders on Main St.
Hours: Daily 11:30am-9pm in summer, shorter winter hours 1-8pm summer hrs, call to confirm
- Grace Ridge Brewing
Homer
4.7
A heated, covered patio with a gas fireplace, food trucks, and your leashed dog welcome.
Hours: Daily noon-8pm summer hrs, call to confirm
Biking 52 paved of 5 rides.- Diamond Ridge Loop
Homer
Gravel-road spin through the hilly homesteads above town, big bay panoramas, bigger quad burn.
- 12 mi loop
- Intermediate
More details
🛞 Surface
Gravel
Season
May-Oct
- Homer Rolling Hills Road Ride
Homer
Rolling paved road rides with Kachemak Bay panoramas.
- varies (10-30 mi)
- Easy-Mod
More details
🛞 Surface
Paved roads
Season
May-Oct
Camp & RV 2110 developed · 3 primitive · 8 RV.- Whiskey Point Cabins & RV Park
Anchor Point
4.9
Bluff-top RV park and cabins on Cook Inlet near Anchor Point, with views of the Aleutian Range volcanoes and beach access.
- 25 sites
- $50-55/night
whiskeypointalaska.com ↗ 907-235-1961
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable
🔧 Full hookups (30A), showers, laundry, WiFi, dump, beach access
- Ocean Shores RV Park
Homer
4.8
Beachfront sites below the bluff with mountain-and-bay panoramas.
- Beachfront sites
- $25-55/night
homeralaskarvpark.com ↗ 907-435-0800
More details
Season
May-Sep
🎟️ Reserve
Reservable
🔧 Full hookups (30/50A), 24-hr showers, laundry, WiFi, cable, dump
Events 17Sights 1717 sights across 9 flavors, 2 indoors.- Baycrest Overlook
Homer
4.8
First jaw-drop into Homer: bay, glaciers and volcanoes laid out below the highway.
- Bishop's Beach
Homer
4.7
Tide-flat beach for eagles, driftwood and volcano views, Homer's easiest wild wander.
Don't miss · Homer Spit Trail · Easy · 8mi
- Hikes 136 moderate · 7 hard.
- Angel Rocks TrailModerate
Chena River SRA
- 3.5 mi
- 1,750 ft
- ~2.5 hr
- dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jul-Sep (snow lingers high)
Route
Loop
🦟 Bugs
Low (breezy/high)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Steady traffic
👶 Kids
Older kids only
Grade
500 ft/mi
- alpine
- granite tors
- ridge
- wildflowers
- kid-friendly
A short, popular climb through spruce forest to a cluster of granite tors with wide views over the Chena River valley. The most hiked trail in the recreation area and a common turnaround point for the longer traverse to Chena Hot Springs.
- Castner Glacier Ice Cave TrailModerate
Delta Junction / Richardson Hwy
- 2.6 mi
- 50 ft
- ~1 hr
- 🚫 dogs
Details & conditions
Best window
Jun-Sep
Route
Out & back
🦟 Bugs
High (Jun-Jul)
Bears
Present, stay aware
👣 Traffic
Steady traffic
👶 Kids
Older kids only
Grade
19 ft/mi
A popular walk up the braided Castner Creek valley to an ice cave carved by glacial meltwater beneath Castner Glacier, best known as a winter destination when the cave is stable.
Fishing 6363 in range, sorted ⚡ best right now.- 28 Mile River Access
North Pole
The Chena River is accessed from a 0.5 mile gravel road at mile 28 of Chena Hot Springs Road. The launch site is unimproved, and normally requires four-wheel drive vehicles. Parking is limited to a few sites on the gravel bar.
Access: Access is off Chena Hot Springs road at mile 28.
- Ballaine Lake
Fairbanks
A small, easy-to-reach stocked pond right off University Avenue near UAF, good for a quick evening cast without leaving town. A small pavilion sits near the parking area.
typically peaks Open water May through September.- Arctic grayling
Access: From the intersection of University Avenue and College Road, Fairbanks, travel north on University Avenue about 1 mile; the lake is on the west side of the road. Small pavilion and parking area, no fee.
Bars & Breweries 3112 breweries · 19 bars.- Black Spruce Brewing Company
Fairbanks
4.8
Taproom just off the Parks Highway at Peger Road with rotating food trucks and regular trivia nights. Alaska law limits a brewery taproom to a maximum of four live ticketed events per license per year.
Hours: Mon-Thu 3-8pm, Fri 3-9pm, Sat noon-8pm, closed Sunday. The venue also posts one-off holiday closures (July 4, Labor Day) so check before a holiday visit. summer hrs, call to confirm
- Lavelle's Taphouse
Fairbanks
4.7
Downtown Fairbanks taphouse that opened in 2016 in the former Lavelle's Bistro space, with a large rotating tap list.
Hours: Mon-Thu 1-10pm, Fri-Sat 1pm to midnight, Sun 1-8pm, per aggregator listings. The venue's own site returned an expired TLS certificate when checked directly and could not be read. summer hrs, call to confirm
Biking 1610 paved · 4 singletrack of 16 rides.- Badger Road / North Pole Path (Matt Glover Bike Path)
North Pole
A separated path along the Richardson Highway linking Fairbanks and North Pole, named the Matt Glover Bike Path after a Fairbanks-North Pole cyclist killed by a driver. Before it was built there was no dedicated bike or pedestrian route between the two towns.
- ~5 mi (Airport Way to Badger Road)
- Beginner
More details
🛞 Surface
paved
Season
Year-round, plowed in winter
- Birch Hill Recreation Area Singletrack
Fairbanks
Flowy summer singletrack on the same hillside as one of Fairbanks' premier Nordic ski trail systems. The two uses do not overlap in season: bikes are welcome once snow is gone, but the Nordic Ski Club's winter grooming means the trails are ski-only from mid-October to mid-April, unlike the fat-biking venues at Chena Lakes and Goldstream Valley.
- ~32 mi of summer singletrack across 21 mapped trails (Chinook, Blackhawk Loop, White Bear and others)
- Intermediate
More details
🛞 Surface
singletrack
Season
Summer riding late May to September only. IMPORTANT: from October 15 to April 15 the trails are reserved for cross-country skiing (Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks grooming) and closed to bikes, dogs, running and walking.
Camp & RV 4840 developed · 2 primitive · 6 RV.- Big Delta State Historical Park Campground
Big Delta
A 25 site campground at Rika's Roadhouse historic site, Mile 274.5 Richardson Highway, combining camping with a look at a preserved 1910s roadhouse and telegraph station.
- 25
- $20 per vehicle (2026 fee schedule)
dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/bigdeltashp.htm ↗
More details
Season
Roughly mid May to mid September, weather dependent
🎟️ Reserve
First come, first served, campsites cannot be reserved
🔧 Drinking water, vault toilets, boat launch, fishing access, historic site, no hookups
- Birch Lake State Recreation Site Campground
Fairbanks
A 19 site lakeside campground at Mile 305.5 Richardson Highway with a swimming beach and stocked rainbow trout fishing, a favorite closer in day trip from Fairbanks and North Pole.
- 19
- $20 per site (2026 fee schedule)
dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/birchlakesrs.htm ↗
More details
Season
Roughly mid May to mid September, weather dependent
🎟️ Reserve
First come, first served, campsites cannot be reserved
🔧 Vault toilets, boat launch, fishing access, swimming beach, no hookups
Events 10- Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra Season
Fairbanks
September through April/May. The 2026-27 season includes concerts Sept 24, Sept 27, and Oct 25, 2026, with more through spring.
- UAF Oktoberfest
Fairbanks
Sep 25, 11am to 2pm
- Arctic Chamber Orchestra
Fairbanks
Within the Sept-April FSO season. A 2026 Eroica program is confirmed for September 27, 2026.
Sights 3030 sights across 8 flavors, 9 indoors.- Alyeska Pipeline Visitor Center
Fairbanks
The roadside pullout on the Steese where you can stand under the Trans Alaska Pipeline and read how it was built.
- Aurora Ice Museum
Chena Hot Springs
The world's largest year round ice environment, built from over 1,000 tons of harvested ice and snow, kept at 25 degrees F, with hand carved sculptures, four ice hotel rooms, and an ice bar. A guided 45 minute tour is included; parkas are provided.
Access: 17600 Chena Hot Springs Road, on the resort grounds at the end of Chena Hot Springs Road, about 60 miles from Fairbanks.
www.chenahotsprings.com/activities/aurora-ice-museum ↗ (907) 451-8104
Local pour · Black Spruce Brewing Company · Fairbanks
No areas within 16h39 of Anchorage. Widen the range above.