Beautiful escape to nature with endless flat trails just outside of Anchorage, Eagle River Nature…read moreCenter is a family staple with lots of wildlife.

Eagle River Nature Center is highly worth it for about a 30 minute drive from Anchorage. As you…read moremake your way along the road in to the area, you're greeted with scenic views of the Chugach mountains. There are pullouts to take pictures of those and the river. The nature center is literally at the end of the road with a large lot ($5 parking fee) and the area trails & outside space open even when the building itself is closed. Sadly, we did go on a Tuesday (they're open Wednesday-Sunday) but we still enjoyed the scenery and a short trail. I had hoped to do the 3 mile Albert loop but it was closed due to bear activity feeding on salmon. That was expected since it's a normal closure for August. Still enjoyed the shorter Rodak trail which brings you to a deck and amazingly scenic overlook. There are longer trails but I had other plans for the day. We saw a beaver dam and some salmon from the viewing deck, no bears on our trail, but did carry bear spray as they are active and regular seen in the area. What a beautiful peaceful place. A must do when visiting Anchorage.

This is a solid trail that no one apparently knows about…read more If you're tired of crowds on Chugach trails, look no further than here! There are stunning views of Denali from atop Bear Mountain/Peak/whatever its called. It's also really flat on top, great for pitching a tent and watching the northern lights. The trail goes on forever, but I hear the quality deteriorates around mile 12 or so.

Nice easy to moderate hike. The view was nice on the top. It wasn't the best one out of all the…read morehikes that we did but it was pretty nice. Alaska is beautiful no mater where you hike in general. And of course, it wouldn't be called Bear Point without a bear. We were a bit disappointed that we didn't spot any bear on our hike. As we were heading back about 5 to 10 minute walk to our car, we heard a loud noise and a huge black shadow about 15 feet in front of us on the trail. Our dog reacted and started barking. The bear saw us and climbed on the tree near by. We had a staring contest for a good 5-10 minutes before we decided that it was safe to walk under him to be on our way. It was quite an experience to have a bear on the tree right above your head staring at you at you walked by. Pretty awesome! That bear was more afraid of us than we are at him. However, bring your bear spray and gun just in case on any hike in AK because you never know who/what you might run into.

To get here, you have to first get on the Eklutna Lakeside Trail:…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/eklutna-lakeside-trail-eklutna Once on the trail, it's about 8.5 miles to this campground. There aren't a lot of amenities (no bathrooms) but there are very nice picnic tables and some fire rings! You can also camp down by the lake. The views are much better but the wind can be insane! This is located right next to Bold Airstrip a historical "airport" that is still occasionally used. I wouldn't worry about airplane noise keeping you up though. ;) This is a great place to camp the night before (and after, depending on your time) a big climb up Bold Peak(https://www.yelp.com/biz/bold-peak-anchorage) or Bashful Peak(https://www.yelp.com/biz/bashful-peak-anchorage).

Review with an asterisk …read more.. Nice little locals-only secret. The trailhead is ambiguous and not well-marked, but there is no fee or parking charge as it's informal as trailheads go. It's straight up and can be a little brutal at times depending on the weather - but the views once you start hitting the false peaks get very good. And the views on the summit on a clear day are spectacular and panoramic. Summit for most of 2-4 hours depending on shape, pace, and weather. Highly recommend as a short but vigorous hike for those who are healthy and ballsy. Straight instead of going up will also lead to a game trail that offers XC skiing Asterisk - I am the guy whose driveway intersects with the trailhead. Thank you to Andrew H for his plea to be nice to the locals. Please be nice. I don't like being a meany when you block the street, or play in my driveway. But I will be - I live here

This is a trail that's really grown on me…read more If you're looking to get really high afterwork, it's impossible to beat! At 5,001 ft, this is the easiest way to get above 5k in the Anchorage bowl! In the winter, the mountain is frequently used by backcountry skiers but it's also used by gumby post-holers such as myself! The trailhead is at the end of Hiland road, please be respectful of all the private property in the area. It would be horrible to ruin relations with the neighbors here who are sharing their area with us! Don't part where signs say not to park and, for fucks sake, don't litter! The trail is a little hard to find at first, you'll go east for a hundred feet or so, then quickly turn left (north) and start up the mountain proper. Harp ain't technical, just keep putting one foot in front of the other and follow the ridge up. The views on the way up are good, but not great. But the views from the summit proper, are a sight to behold. The view of frightening Yukla Peak is one of the best! The views of Anchorage, the Sleeping Lady, and the Tordrillos behind them are from an angle rarely seen. We went up on the last day of January for the sunset, and it was brutally cold. We skipped summit beers, but we did get some stunning summit photos!

I can't even describe how awesome our full day ATV tour was to Knik Glacier! It is probably my…read morefavorite tour I've ever been on. Our guide Jack was particularly amazing but everyone we met at Alaska Backcountry Adventure Tours were experts in their field, extremely friendly and accommodating. The Brand new ATV's were so much fun to drive in the Alaska Countryside! The guides do a great job of stopping and sharing knowledge about everything you see along the way! Everything is Included! Not only do they include lunch, snacks and water for the entire journey, they also outfit you with all the necessary outerwear you might need. As a larger guy I was a little nervous as most places don't carry my sizes. Not only could they accommodate me easily they even had sizes up to 5x. If you are on the fence about this tour definitely pull the trigger. They will take great care of you and this tour will be the highlight of your trip!

We really had an amazing day. Everything was top notch and overall perfect experience. Our tour…read moreguides Ian and Brady were the best. Where to begin. First we have done ATV in Mexico and in Hawaii on some amazing backdrops. This by far was the best. The machines were perfect and so was the equipment. They had great gear that kept a lot of the mud, dust and water out. It can't be avoided completely but they do everything in their power. I was hesitant about having to wear a helmet but have to say it is a must. As you fly through the trails at catch an errant tree limb this takes it like a champ. We loved getting to the glacier and then getting the option to polar plunge in the glacier. They made it easy and encouraged it. The food and snacks exceeded our expectations and we had the perfect amounts of stops. We saw 3 moose and two of the three were a mother/baby pair. So cute for sure. We saw eagles fly over head too. This was just amazing and the staff made us feel a part of their family. The sand dunes were a blast in these machines. So many good things to say.

This falls under the "great trail if you live nearby, A-OK trail if you don't" category of trails…read more The views it leads to are just OK. It kind of fizzles out at the foot of the mountains, but doesn't really lead to the summits of them. You can keep going and climb the mountains, but you will be very much off trail. The first few miles are in the trees, eventually it opens up into an A-OK valley. I had no idea this trail was here, and I'm glad we tried it, just not sure I'll be back. It's very close to the the outstanding Chugiak cafe: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chugiak-cafe-chugiak So you could make a morning of it :)

First off, credit to John Tyson and his book, "Best Hikes Near Anchorage" for outlining this trail…read moreand giving all the pertinent details needed! If you're from out of town and looking for a good introduction to backcountry hiking, this is a trail for you. The first two miles are at a moderate uphill pace and then it levels out. If your from in town and looking for a versatile trail with backpacking options, also for you. Excited to hike beyond the four mile point next time. Start your GPS at the trail sign (where you'll find some general trail notes and any notices you need to know). and not at the parking lot. There are some really nice views of the inlet and Sleeping Lady. At about the 1.6-1.9 mile mark you'll come across a perfectly situated log on the right of the trail which provides for a nice seat and a beautiful view. Take this in as you'll be headed inland from this point. If you're a little tired at this point, the harder climbing is almost done. Make sure to follow the sign for "Summer Trail." It is the smaller of the two paths, but the correct one. Around mile 4, you'll cross a bridge with a decent stream. It's a great stopping point for pictures and maybe your turning around spot I'd recommend going on about another half mile. At that point the trail opens up into a flatter area with some nice peaks to your left. Throw out a blanket and make yourself a cup of coffee! The trip back is much quicker as it is all downhill. John Tyson says 4-6 hours. Pretty accurate I would say. My wife and I did it in just under 4 hours with a 30 minute break. Didn't see much wildlife. Saw some moose prints and moose droppings. Maybe one ptarmigan. The views are still worth it to me.

This was one of the coolest experiences I've ever had! Tom was the most incredible host and he made…read moreus feel right at home. The views were unbelievable and Tom was super knowledgeable and friendly. 10/10 would and WILL do again next time I'm back; will be recommending to everyone I know.

This is our second year!!! This is such a unique tour!!! Take a truck in the back roads, through…read morethe River. Get on a boat and go up the River get very close to the glacier! Then to land to spend an hour exploring the land with incredible up front views of the Knock Glacier. Tom has been there for 33 years! So knowledgeable!!! Great people. 100% recommend this tour!!! We will do it again next year!!!

Love this place! Very clean and lots of room. We are not squished together, it feels private. Lots…read moreof room to walk our dogs around. Poop bags and garbage cans to throw away too. The showers and bathrooms are so clean. They even have hair dryers and looks like a laundry facility, which we won't need to use. There is also a small playground for kids. It's nice to get away from Anchorage and camp and also avoiding the Seward Highway by coming up this way. We have tons of errands to do, so it's nice that wasilla and Palmer are close by to get stuff done, but still feel like we are out camping and enjoying the last of the summer. The check in process was very simple to, with clear instructions. I am very impressed. Every detail was thought of. We will be back! Thank you!

Great location! Easy to get in and out. Well lit and easy to register and pay late. Loved the…read moremiddle pavilion that had pic nic tables, hammocks and games. Wish we were staying longer to be able to relax here. Bathrooms were clean and easy to access.