Potter Marsh was my last activity in Alaska. Having arrived back in Anchorage, following an epic road trip back from Seward, I was staying my last night near the airport before an early flight the next day. Wanting to stretch my legs, I had decided to make an after dinner stop at Potter Marsh. Having passed it earlier in the day, I had seen a large bull moose from the road, as he enjoyed grazing in the tall grasses. Later on, when I actually had time to stop, no moose sightings. However, the walk along the well maintained boardwalk offered epic views and a peaceful, quiet evening walk. Lots of locals out enjoying the first sunny day, all week. Nicely done placards with info and complimentary spotting scopes to see any visiting bird life. It's a quick but worthy stop in Anchorage if you are looking for a simple outdoor activity. read more

See all

Beautiful park with great views of the mountains and the water! Nice viewing of different wildlife as well. Nice boardwalk with information signs. Easy and free parking! read more

We're not really into birding, but we still enjoyed walking the boardwalk. It's well maintained, with good interpretive signs that share a bit about the local wildlife and landscape. Only downside is the noise--it's right next to the highway, so it's not exactly peaceful. Still, a pleasant stop if you're nearby. read more

Potter Marsh Boardwalk is a pleasant introduction activity for beginning the scenic, Seward Highway Drive. It's located just 11 miles south of downtown Anchorage. The boardwalk pathway is only half a mile long, but it provides visitors with a leisurely stroll through a wetlands landscape and a chance to take in fresh air while spotting under the radar wildlife. According to anchorage.net...there are 130 different bird species that make their home in Potter Marsh. That's the ultimate prize for photography enthusiasts coming here. When I stopped by in early morning in the middle of June, I was the only person walking around which offered a quiet setting for appreciating the simple outdoors. Despite the fact that I had a lot of stops planned for the day on the 125 mile journey down to Seward, but just taking 30 minutes to explore along the boardwalk started things off on the right note for me. And...even though there were going to be more dramatic sights to see later on (Bird Point, Turnagain Arm Viewpoint, Girdwood, Portage...etc), I kind of liked having some alone time to collect my thoughts. Some extra notes... - Entrance is free here, though other stops along Seward Highway did charge $5 day fees. - The boardwalk is located just past the parking lot. - There are restrooms beside the parking lot. Potter Marsh Boardwalk is a good way to get out into nature for being situated so close to suburban Anchorage. I'm glad I didn't overlook it and took time to visit. read more

See all

Lots of active wildlife - arrived around 7:30am to see a bull moose and several kinds of birds. Apparently there was a moose in the creek yesterday and the day before around 7:30am, but not when we went unfortunately. read more

This is just a great experience for the whole family. It is also wheelchair accessible! This is a quick excursion on the edge of town but we really enjoyed the opportunity to view the birds, salmon and moose. It wasn't too crowded, and we could see everyone else was having fun as well. There isn't really anything to do besides walk along the short trail and boardwalk, but there doesn't need to be. We saw a lot of salmon sporting in the streams as well as a mama moose and her calf. Great activity for visitors, and don't forget to bring the kids and grandparents! read more

See all

Nice walkways. Lots to see with view finders and lots of informational signs. No difficult walking here. Would recommend. Bathrooms are your basic national forest type bathrooms so just be aware but they did have germ-x in the . read more

I just want to get the word out that this place is not a venue for your jogging sessions. To the guy who visited on Saturday, Sept. 5th (2020) to just loudly jog on through, you were disruptive to all who were there enjoying the peaceful healing of this place. Also, there are signs posted that say pets are not allowed, food is not allowed and drones are not allowed. I have seen all 3 rules being ignored. Please respect this place, and find the appropriate trail to jog, a dog park to take your dog, a proper large area to fly your drone (and not disturb the wildlife) and your car to eat your fast food in. Thank you! read more

See all

This is a great place for many reasons. I stopped by once for a few minutes and then tonight I went for a guided bird tour led by an Audubon biologist. It was educational and wonderful. Not only was I able to see a variety of birds, but saw Salmon, a moose with her baby, and bear with her two cubs as well. Background information about all the animals was wonderful. I found out Eagles mate for life or until they have a couple rounds of bad litters (nests, chicks?!) The path is all in boardwalk so it provides and great variety of viewing options. It is not a short boardwalk though. There has to be at least a 1/2 mile of boardwalk sand some of it is as much as 8 or more feet above the ground. Even though it was raining, the walk was teeming with wildlife. Bathrooms are available and dogs ARE NOT allowed. All those on the bird tour were friendly and respectful! Don't have your own binoculars? They provide pairs! Very impressed. read more

Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk - A mother moose and her calf - Parks Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Views are great. Also love how accessible the trail is. It's a boardwalk, so it's great taking my parents here as well as my nephew. Bring some binoculars to catch some bird sightings! read more

Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk - Parks Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Who doesn't have a boardwalk specially one with stunning scenery and lots of wildlife on the edge of an urban metropolis? This place has everything you want to proximity parking bathrooms lots of signage and even distant viewing binocular stands. Background sounds scape from the shooting range & the freeway is quickly left behind. Check it out! read more

Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk - Great info - Parks Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

My husband will pull over and snap pics when he sees interesting wildlife. Currently there are Mallard ducks and Trumpeter Swans consistently there right now. Enjoy and be careful along the hughway and mindful of the photographers. read more

Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk - Parks Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

Great place to take a break and walk on the pier to view beautiful nature and wildlife. Perfect for people that want to take an easy stroll on a flat surface. I've been here several times and it never gets old because the scene is always changing. Tides come in and out and you can always spot animals if you take your time there. Great place for nature photographers. Absolutely love this place! read more

See all

June 2018: bird watching fun and lots of boardwalk for the kids to run their hearts out. Early summer residents: Arctic terns, minnows, swallows, geese with babies, beaucoup tourists! read more

Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk - Lovely walks on wooden boardwalks. 6-2018 - Parks Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

See all

We visiting Potter Marsh boardwalk as we were driving back to Anchorage and it was conveniently located right off of Seward highway. In fact from the highway, you can see people walking on the boardwalk since a portion of the boardwalk parallels the highway. There was lots of parking and the boardwalk is free to visit. We peered into binoculars and walked the full length of the boardwalk. Even though we didn't see much wildlife except for a few ducks and fish, it was still nice to stroll along the boardwalk. The boardwalk is in great condition so it's suitable for young kids and elderly. read more

See all

Potters Marsh wildlife Boardwalk is the perfect place to go for a short and very sweet evening walk ! You will see flora and fauna and young and old families , and if you are lucky you might even encounter Two bran- spankin new baby moose ! read more

See all

Great place to get out in nature and get some fresh air without having to leave Anchorage. It's busiest in the early mornings and in the late evenings I'd say. There seems to be plenty of space for everyone to enjoy it. I love to bring my kids here to let out some energy in mostly enclosed spaces. There is always ample parking available. You'll see the entrances to each boardwalk, then off to the side there are restrooms, further to the left you'll see a mini-boardwalk that leads to a wooded area. Love that area. It's a few steps till you get to an open field that we usually have to ourselves. In the winter, my kids love to make snow angels there and just rough house in the snow. In the summer, that area is pretty well maintained, I believe the grass gets cut frequently. The field connects to the newer boardwalk FYI. The older side of the boardwalk (closest to the highway) has been around forever and is still my favorite for the views and the salmon area. The newer boardwalk is well crafted and usually provides great moose viewing. I noticed Yelp says this place is open 24/7 but I believe there's a gate that closes daily at 10pm. There is usually someone living/working here to care for and protect the area. Definitely worth checking out. read more

This was an easy walk to view the marsh, birds, and a distant Turnagain Arm. We didn't see any big animals while we were there for 40 minutes, but we know they come here because we saw the fur from a caribou. Anyone can walk the boardwalk and enjoy the weather here. read more

See all

Gorgeous walk way that gives you a grand glimpse to the wildlife that Alaska offers. Possible sightings are of moose, various birds, and fish! If you're visiting Alaska, this stop is a must! read more

Potter Marsh Wildlife Viewing Boardwalk - Sockeye Salmon? Wildlife everywhere! - Parks Near Me - Anchorage, Alaska

The wooden Potter Marsh boardwalk winds 1,550 feet from a parking area through the marsh and across watery openings and is a perfect wildlife viewing area. Located at the southern end of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, the boardwalk is right off the Seward Highway. It is a bird-lover's delight: Canada geese, northern pintails, canvasback ducks, red-necked phalaropes, horned and red-necked grebes, and northern harriers use this wetland. Look for eagle nests and Arctic terns, shorebirds such as yellowlegs, and occasionally trumpeter swans are present during spring and fall migration. Of course there are moose who frequent the area year-round. May and June are good times to see them foraging--sometimes very close to the boardwalk. 5 YELP STARS for Potter Marsh Boardwalk. It highlights the natural beauty of Alaska and gives nature lovers an excellent opportunity to be right up on the action. Potter Marsh is one of the most accessible and scenic wildlife viewing areas in all of Alaska. read more

See all

This was one of my favorite places when we visited Anchorage. Great opportunity to see wildlife such as moose, bald eagles, tree swallows and we even saw a beaver! The other fellow photographers were friendly which I love to come across when I am out and about. Definitely go more than once and at different times of the day. We had our best luck on a 10pm visit. It was open until 11pm at the time of our visit. It is very well maintained. Highly recommended! read more

See all

A must see/do if you are visiting or even for the locals. A great walk outdoors and very peaceful. There are also plenty of informational signs posted to tell about the local ecosystem. read more

What a gorgeous spot! I spotted the Boardwalk when we were driving back to our hotel one evening and knew I had to come back to check it out. We spent about an hour walking along all the boardwalks and looking for wildlife. We didn't see any bears or moose but we did see a variety of birds, if you are a bird watcher this is a little slice of heaven. I loved seeing the baby geese and we caught sight of a muskrat or river otter too (the little guy was much to fast to properly identify). Really beautiful walk! read more

See all

There is always some changing going on at the marsh. Great for folks that play PokémonGo!

Stopped here while driving through the area. Worth a quick stop for sure. Nice parking. Great boardwalk which overs you great viewing. A plethora of birds. read more

If your looking for a place to go for an easy stroll and just relax and appreciate the beauty of mother nature then this should be your go-to place. One of the most accessible nature boardwalk where you'll catch a glimpse of Alaska's beautiful and scenic wildlife. Not very long or strenuous, so it's perfect for a relaxing stroll for all ages. The place was just absolutely gorgeous! read more

See all

Great place to take a walk and just relax. Tons of opportunity to view wildlife. Awesome view of the mountains. read more

See all

Great viewing spot! We take all of our visitors to Potter Marsh! The boardwalk to handicap accessible too!

We love this spot. The first time we came, we came on a tour. After that, we fell in love and have come back to walk the boardwalk for exercise. You are for sure going to see some sort of wildlife and be able to capture amazing pictures. It's incredible. read more

I saw two bald eagles nesting here. It was the end of our trip and the icing on the cake... Until we got to the airport and we ran into some of the people from Alaska the Last Frontier. Don't worry, this bird sanctuary tops that. read more