Birch Hill Blue Loop Trail

The feel

This is a gentle forest loop in the Birch Hill Recreation Area, a 200-acre borough park whose trails are the Jim Whisenhant Cross Country Ski Trails. In summer the trails serve hikers, runners and bikers, and birders and trail runners use this loop.

You can find solitude at quieter times of day. In winter the trails are non-motorized and ski only.

What to expect

Route and terrain

Loop of 2.2 miles with about 229 ft of gain through forest.

Time

About 1 hour.

Crowds and best time

Popular, but quieter times of day offer solitude. April through October is the best window.

Parking

Lots at the Birch Hill Ski Center, 101 Wilderness Drive: an upper and a lower lot below the ski center, a far lot below the Timing Building, and a few spaces just outside the gate.

Fees and passes

No trail pass is required, though donations to the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks Trail Fund are welcome from summer users.

Dogs

Welcome, on a leash.

Kids

Easy and kid-friendly.

Bathrooms and water

The Old Warming Hut is heated and has bathrooms; it is open 24 hours a day, year round.

Season and access

April through October for walking. The gate to the recreation area is closed and locked from 10pm to 7am each day; the trails are ski only in winter.

Mingo says

Walk it between April and October. Winter belongs to skiers, with the typical ski season running mid-October to mid-April.

Before you go

• Leave before the gate locks at 10pm, or park outside the gate and walk in.
• Keep your dog on a leash.
• Donate to the Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks Trail Fund if you use the trails in summer.
• Use the Old Warming Hut for bathrooms; it is open around the clock.

Written October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.