Great trail for a leisurely hike or ride. The trail is not super long but it takes you back to…read moreupper Jim Creek and has numerous overlooks along the way. You can also hike above tree line and get a good view of the knik glacier. When you get to the metal bridge over Jim Creek you can easily hike downstream for a glimpse of some salmon in late summer/fall.

The best part of the Indian to Girdwood path is that it can be for everyone. There are long flat…read morestretches, hills, great views, wildlife. Frequent bear, moose, even spotted belugas from the path. I would take the dogs along for a walk that would even wear them out. Great for walking or biking. Path is wide and paved, ( but if walking, still be aware of bicycles and don't have dogs loose as there are a few Greg Lemond wanna be type that bicycle at 40 mph on the shared trail). That aside, you can start at Bird Creek, Beluga Point, Girdwood or any number of parking areas and make the walk/hike as long or short as you desire. I often park in Girdwood and hike to Beluga and back and then drive in to Jack Sprats or maybe Chair 5 in Girdwood for Lunch/Dinner. After some good reviews, sounds like Girdwood Brewing should be my next spot to try out after a nice walk with the dogs.

Many thanks to Andrew and Daniella for their thorough reviews that ultimately gave me the balls to…read morebring my 3 kiddos out here by-myself. I have not been to the Glen Alps in at least 5 years. The additional parking lot was totally new to me. I recommend skipping the main lot and parking there. I ended up having to leave my eldest two on a rock, so I could grab the car in the main lot and pick them up. They were so done with me! haha I pushed my toddler in a City Mini GT (all-terrain stroller) the entire time. I like to hike, but I've yet to invest in those fancy backpack toddler holders (see, I don't even know what they're called). It was my goal for us make it to the infamous bridge and back. We did it. I'm so damn grateful. I don't have a dog, a gun or bear spray (yet). I depend on a simple bear bell, my super loud Bluetooth speaker, and the protection of my ancestors, angels, and spirit guides. Luckily, we saw other hikers often. We were never alone for too long. Still lots of snow melting. The trail was still very wet and muddy in some spots. We did not have waterproof boots so naturally we left soaked from the calves down. It was worth it. Highly recommend.

You may not know the name "Powerline Pass Trail", but you've probably been on it before…read more It's often used as a sort of "trail hwy" to access other, more desirable trails. It starts at the Glen Alps trailhead. (same as the most popular hike in Alaska, Flattop: https://www.yelp.com/biz/flattop-mountain-trail-anchorage-2) The Powerline Pass trail itself goes all the way to the actual Powerline Pass (the big mountain on your left/north is Avalanche Mountain https://www.yelp.com/biz/powerline-pass-trail-anchorage, the one on your right/south is Homicide Peak) and then goes south, towards the Turnagain Arm and ends at the Indian Trail Valley Trail (https://www.yelp.com/biz/indian-valley-trail-anchorage). There are also various offshoots including (from Glen Alps): Williwaw Lakes Trail (https://www.yelp.com/biz/williwaw-lakes-trail-anchorage): at about 0.5 mile, take a left, then take a left at the fork in about a mile. O'Malley Trail (https://www.yelp.com/biz/o-malley-peak-trail-anchorage): same as above, but take a right at the fork Hidden Lake Trail: at about 4ish miles in, take a left Great place to use as a hub. If you just want to get out of the city and move your legs, this is a great trail to do a mile or two on. Doing it as a trail in and of itself, it's a little boring on foot. The real thrill of this trail is doing it on a mountain(or fat) bike or skis.

I know, I know, I'm two-staring a hiking trail…read more I'm going to nature-appreciation-hell. So be it. This trail is beloved by many, but I just don't get it. I've only done the first 12 miles of this 38 mile trail and...they were a total bore. The "bang-for-buck" on this one is very low. This would be a great trail in upstate NY or Vermont. For Alaska though? It's a total snooze fest. It seems to get most of its hype because: 1) It's really well-maintained (no bushwhacking). 2) If you plan ahead, you can stay in cabins. 3) There is very little elevation gain It would probably be a fun mountain bike too. (mountain bikes are allowed, not common for most Alaska trails) For a hike or a backpacking trip on foot though? Boring. You're in the trees most of the time. When there's a clearing, you are looking at the types of mountains Alaskans call "hills". They aren't steep, they aren't tall, they're short and gentle. Many are shorter than peaks in the Appalachian mountains of the lower 48. There are no glaciers to see. There isn't much wildlife (I only saw a few birds in 12 miles of hiking). The trail gets really icy in the winter. (definitely bring micro-spikes if hiking in/through then) The cabins (we stayed at Fox Creek Cabin, future review coming up) are not well stocked with wood in the winter. Make sure you bring a few duralogs if you're hiking in in the winter. I'm glad Alaska has a trail like this, and I'm glad it's popular. It'll keep the crowds away from the better hikes :)

Unbelievable expertise and knowledge. You have found the…read more place you hoped for, they sell the top shelf products and the shop is the place to go for all your Bike needs. Seriously

Man, how am I just now getting around to hiking this?!…read more Falls Creek is located at ~Mile Post 105.6 on the Seward Highway. In relation to other trails: To the West: Rainbow Trailhead (https://www.yelp.com/biz/rainbow-trailhead-anchorage) To the East: Indian Valley Trailhead (https://www.yelp.com/biz/indian-valley-trail-anchorage) Stats: Mileage: 2.7 (one-way) Gain: 2,900 ft About a 1,000 ft/mile, steep but not *too* steep. The trail starts out...next to a falls! It closely follows Falls Creek for the first half of its length. As the water is loud and the brush is thick, I'd highly recommend doing some trail karaoke with your friends to make sure you alert any bears in the area that you're coming. Eventually, you get out of the brush and the valley expands. It's gorgeous. It's wide and it's bright-freakin'-green (my favorite shade of that color), or at least it was in mid-June. This is going to sound odd but, it actually reminded me of some of the valleys I hiked in Hawaii! It made me a little butthurt that I am only just-now getting around to hiking the trail. The trail ends at a lake. I'm not sure what the name of it is, so I'll just call it "Falls Lake". The lake frequently has snow on/in/around it, up until July. But, there is an ample amount of vegetated, snow-free flat area around the lake, this would be a perfect "Baby's First Backpacking" trip. (no permits required, just load yourself down and hike up) You can continue up past the lake, onto the ridge between South Suicide Peak and Indianhouse Mountain. The path will quickly change from "hiking" to "scrambling" though. I'd only recommend going up South Suicide if you are confident on your feet, and I'd only recommend going up Indianhouse if you have a rope and a partner! If you're quick enough, this can be done as an after-work hike. If you're slow or looking for a casual stroll, you can easily make a day of this hike.

I'm still sore. Dragged my spouse and our neurodivergent son with me to do this hike on a sunny…read moreSeptember Saturday. We parked at 1pm (parking lot was packed). Got back to the parking lot after 5pm. You'll need most of your day to do this hike if you're not a professional. This hike is beautiful but it is challenging for sure. You are going uphill the entire time. On the way down it's so steep you're jamming your toes trying not to fall. We did the bulk of this hike with nothing but backpacks full of snacks hahaha. Everyone that passed us up or down had poles, guns, bear spray, bells, dogs, the whole enchilada. I don't recommend hiking this area the way we did, we just got lucky :) It was a beautiful day and we were never alone for longer than 15-20min at a time. Weather was perfect, it was sunny and warm but the breeze was breezin'. The falls are a sight to see and made this strenuous hike completely worth it for my water-loving son. I can't wait to return soon and make it further.