Let's get something out of the way, right away. There is no "s" in Hatcher Pass, between the…read more"Hatcher" and the "Pass". Correct: Hatcher Pass Hatcher NO!: Hatcher's Pass Hatcher's Anyway, this is one of the shortest "real" trails in the large area above/between Wassilla/Palmer/Willow known as "Hatcher Pass". In case you're not confused yet, this trail is located right at the actual pass of Hatcher Pass. That's right. It starts from Hatcher Pass, located in "Hatcher Pass (East Management Area)" Anyway, this trail is about 2.2 miles roundtrip and has 800 ft of elevation gain. It tops out on the summit of Hatch Peak. It's a great hike to take people that are a little bit adventurous, but maybe don't consider themselves "hikers". You'll pass a couple beautiful alpine lakes that are perfect rest stops. The trail eventually gains a rock ridge that leads right up to the summit. On a rare day with good weather, the views are stunning. You can see a large chunk of the greater Hatcher Pass area, Denali, and look back towards the Chugach Mountains near Palmer. (Pioneer Peak is particularly prominent) It's a favorite jumping off point for paragliders. It's a gravel road to get to the trailhead, but it's pretty well maintained. Any car will do.

Joy G's review is bang-on!…read more There is so little info (beta, as we say in climbing) about this hike, that I'm shocked it is actually marked on google maps. (the previous map-marker was off, I put in a fix, you should be able to navigate to this spot from Yelp now) Not only is the trailhead marked, so is the trail! (on google maps, NOT in real life) I did this on a frigid winter day. The (very short) road to the trailhead is not plowed, so use good judgement if you don't have good: tires, clearance, etc. (but it's so short, you can park on a pullout and walk in) There is no sign marking this trail either. Most of the falls was under snow when I was here. The falls were at least partially frozen underneath. Still, this is a nice place to go. It's shockingly short and feels shockingly remote. I'll be back in the summer, I wonder how far up you can wade?

I have no idea why, but Pioneer Falls is one of the best kept secrets in the valley. People who've…read morelived here their whole lives have never heard of it, it's not in any guidebooks, it doesn't have an address, and the sign is so inconspicuous it's like they WANT you to miss it. The falls is absolutely lovely and is very very close to the road, but not visible from the road. From the little parking lot, it is a Very short walk to the base of the falls. The walk to the base is an easy walk less than a city block's distance the should be accessible to anyone on foot. The falls is (guessing here) is probably about 800 feet, but cannot be viewed in its entirety from any one vantage point. The trail isn't maintained, but if you have good footwear and a walking stick if you like, you can leapfrog over rocks and fallen logs up a few hundred feet (less than a half mile) to the widest part of the falls. At this point you can go no further because the canyon walls close in. I would LOVE to see these falls from above. We did find ourselves in need of bandaids after this little jaunt due to bare legs and leaping over fallen logs. I've got crappy knees and the was also one little spot I had to scooch down on my but because if I had tried to step down I probably would have blown out my knee (hence why I use a walking stick ) I think most people wouldn't have this issue though. These falls are exceptionally beautiful in my opinion, second in the Anchorage area, only to Thunderbird Falls. However, I wouldn't make the trip to the Valley solely for the falls, since it's such a short little hike. I suggest if you drive out that way, visit other nearby sites such as Knik River Public Use Area, Eklutna Tail race, the reindeer farm, Pyrah's U-pick, or Austin Helmers Pioneer Ridge Trail. Enjoy.

Be careful with the water as you may end up in Anchorage, said the in keeper as he drove around…read moretown before check in time to introduce this town to us. Yes the water current is strong. Stronger than it may seems. Park itself is very small but a great place to spot Mt Denali on a good day. Mountain is not always visible but chances of seeing the mountain is an early morning. Sun might rise around 4 or so in the summer but that's the best time to come to the park if mountain may show their face. We were in town for three days. On the last day, the weather finally cleared up and there! Oh it was so beautiful, I stood there admiring the mountain for a long time. My in keeper said only 10% of visitors get to see the mountain, and I felt very lucky to be that 10%. Other than that, this is a very small park.

We did not stay here overnight. We visited during late October. What a sight to behold!! With the…read morethree rivers coming together, ice colliding, the swoosh of slush rushing by, and Denali in the background!

I take it that not many people are familiar with Barbara Falls/South Forks Falls because for the…read moresecond time in 2 years, I've had no issues with parking, and the trailhead is fairly empty. There's only a very small number of people normally there. But to be transparent, I've only done this hike twice out of my four visits to Anchorage. Yet, this is one of the most beautiful waterfalls that I've seen. This time I was lucky enough to see a few red sockeye salmon struggling to swim upstream of the waterfall. I must admit, they were beautiful. This is a very easy hike. No effort or special equipment is needed. Be wary of the extremely cold water and massive insect nests throughout the trail. Overall, it takes approximately 10 minutes to experience the whole waterfall. Ideal for families and pets who just want to experience the serenity and beauty of nature minus the difficulties. I highly recommend this waterfall; it is one of my favorites.

We went here to do a little hiking and to check out the waterfall. The trail to the waterfall was…read morepretty good, but a bit close to the edge in 1 or 2 places. The waterfall itself was impressive. I really felt the power of it, being so close to it. I did not see any wildlife on the trail other than a few ducks in the stream. I would recommend this trail.

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.

Beautiful, well kept trail! I saw five moose on the trail!…read more 11 miles each way starting at Elderberry Park and ending at Kincaid Park. Plenty of pull outs, benches, and look out points along the way. There was one point of the trail that had some bumps that appear to be in the process of being repaved, but otherwise no complaints. The only downside, biking up to Kincaid park was a challenge and the views at the top aren't worth it, there is also nothing waiting up top. Would be cool to see a coffee shop or something of the sort.

Very amazing hike with great views. We absolutely loved walking this trail last night and early…read morethis morning. Great views of the port as well as many other things!

Steep at the start but easy after that. It took us about an hour round trip at a relaxed pace,…read moreincluding time at the falls. Good payoff for a short hike.

Thunderbird falls is a nice little trail. Parking lot is fairly small. $5 for parking per day…read more Credit card only. Bathrooms and info signs as well at the trailhead. We went may 2023 and the trail was not very maintained yet as there were several Rees we had to climb over/go around that had fallen. Not sure if/when somebody cleans them up. No trash around which was nice. Pretty small viewing areas for the amount of people that are trying to see the overlook or the falls. I recommend going down to the bottom where the bad of the falls are, you don't exactly get to the base of the waterfall but pretty close. I recommend this trail, some steep hills but took us an hour to go to/down to the bottom, and get two geocaches and we were back in the car.

I don't think that I can say enough good things about Ute and Billy FitzGerald, the good folks who…read moreown and operate Denali Trekking Company. The New Wife and I are active hikers and adventurers. When it came time to decide on a honeymoon location Alaska was top of the list. As a matter of fact, it was the ONLY locale on the list! A little research sent us north of Anchorage to the great little hamlet of Talkeetna. We booked a 3 day base camp hiking adventure with Denali Trekking Company. Several months in advance we had contacted Billy via email. He responded promptly asking for a good time to call us. The New Wife spoke with Billy for about 45 minutes. She then turned to me and said "We have found our guy!" Just read the "about us" section of their website to learn about the FitzGeralds. They are not just active in Talkeetna, they are the people who make up the heart and soul of the place. The Trip: After a couple of days in Talkeetna we contacted Billy to let him know we had arrived. He invited us to his cabin to meet and discuss our trip. We spent an hour talking about our lives, local politics and Alaska. We were pumped for the adventure! The trip was delayed one day due to rain, rain, rain and low ceilings. Great call on Billy's part. It would not have been safe or enjoyable. Day One: Rain and low ceilings still. Billy called and said to come out to his place. We met our guide Wade. Homemade Blueberry brownies passed the time. We went to a little cafe for a some lunch and then checked with the local float plane dock regarding the weather. Cleared to go a 4 seater loaded us up and off we went to the campsite. We made it out sans any issues, set up camp and the rain and wind started again. Time to hunker down in the Honeymoon Suite with amazing moose spaghetti made for us by Wade. I woke up at 3 am and looked out of the tent. The payoff was there! Crystal clear skies with more stars than you can imagine! Days Two and Three: More clear skies! Wade had coffee and breakfast for us. Off we went for nice hikes. The views were fantastic. Wade made it very enjoyable by pointing out everything from birds to wildlife to plant life. Bald Eagles, Osprey, a Golden Eagle!, Loons and caribou were checked off of the "seen it" list. After a great day 3 hike Wade called in the transportation. Billy landed on the lake next to the campsite in his beauty of a Piper Super Cub. The Super Cub is one of the finest little 2 seaters ever to grace the sky. The New Wife went in first. About 40 minutes later I was loaded up and had an enjoyable ride back to the dock where our car was waiting. We are still smiling. Tips: This is not a trail hiking adventure. It's "path of least resistance" hiking. The tundra is mossy and soft. Come ready. Get In Shape!! It will make all the difference. Bring quality gear. Hiking sucks if your feet are wet and hurting. LISTEN TO YOUR GUIDE! They know more than you and will keep you safe. I'd trust Wade to lead me into any back country Alaskan adventure. He was professional, friendly and never condescending. Thanks to Denali Trekking Company, to Billy and to Wade for a great honeymoon adventure!

In our ten days in Alaska we did ice climbing, sea kayaking, mountain biking, ATV touring, and…read morehiking in various locations. But undoubtedly, the most meaningful experience was with Denali Trekking Company. The three days we spent in the Talkeetna highlands were truly a wilderness experience. No roads, telephone polls, trails, garbage; just beautiful tundra, animals, and us. The flight in with Billy was a great experience by itself. We landed on a small lake that just recently thawed. Our guide Galen flew in first, and had already set up the camp. Galen was a pleasure to be with for the next three days. Smart, knowledgeable, kind, and knows the area amazingly well. We mostly hiked during the day. There are no trails, so you look around, see something interesting (a peak, a beaver dam, a small lake with swans) and you try to find a way to get there. We did a quarter mile slide down a snow field on our butts (more fun than walking in the snow). Saw lots of wildlife, and even though it was raining a lot, just enjoyed every minute. I highly recommend Denali Trekking. Billy will make sure you will have a great experience.

I'm with Joy G, this place is like a liquor store for Baptists: a place everyone goes, but no one…read moretalks about going to! I had only heard about it when my brother was visiting. He's a avid fisherman and did extensive research, and stumbled upon this area. Now that I've finally visited, I recognize it as the place where a lot of drone videos posted on social media are shot. There's a well-maintained parking lot with no fee. From here, you can go right to the water and fish. There's also a very short, but very well-maintained hiking trail. (maybe ¼ of a mile) The highlight here for me is the small bridge. It's right at the start of the hiking trail, over a milky-turquoise canal, and Pioneer Peak almost perfectly frames the scene in the background. It's an easy-to-take show that will blow away all your non-Alaska friends. If you're a tourist: this place is a must-visit. If you're a fisherperson: this place is a must-visit. If you're an avid hiker: this place is a must-visit...once. It's probably a good place to look for the Northern lights though! Decent sky views and you can stay close to your (warm) car!

Wanted to visit this area after reading great reviews from Elite Yelpers. I call the road you need…read moreto take to get there the "Palmer back road." Growing up religious we had these yearly summer camp meetings and that road is the only road I know to use to get there. Funny, I never noticed the sign for this place before, which is pretty large and obvious. Any way, it was my birthday and I wanted to get some fresh air with my family. We get there about 10am on a Monday morning. I was surprised to see a lot of fishermen in spots all around. I think they were just as surprised to see us. We started off strolling my youngest then found it easier to put her in a carrier. This place is breathtaking. The water is so calming and so tranquil. Love the bridge and as other yelpers mentioned, it is super close to the parking lot. Luckily it was sunny and we enjoyed the short hike through the wooded area. We were definitely the only people there not fishing. Greatful to have found this place.

Love this vast area past Wasilla. The drive-in has some of the most beautiful scenery…read more Hatcher's Pass I believe, will be a left hand turn after you've passed the lodge. The road is pretty narrow and as you elevate, it gets tricky with oncoming traffic, especially if you're in a larger vehicle. We recently visited on a sunny day with lots of traffic. We saw multiple paragliders' take off and land. Many hikers and bikers. The weather was perfect. The lake was unsurprisingly still pretty frozen.

Most beautiful experience, good was comforting. Scenery, exemplary! Sitting by a warm fire,…read more eating a very tasty sandwich and hot cocoa what a beautiful memory.