We took the trail in rain. Trail is muddy but walkable. The view is BEAUTIFUL! We would have…read morefinished the trail if we had more time before sunset or if it's a sunny day.

This is a beautiful, scenic 10+ mile round trip hike that ends at two lakes side by side (Eagle…read moreLake and Symphony Lake). The trail is pretty flat, only an 850 ft. gradual elevation gain. If the parking lot gets full, you can park on the road without worry, even though it says not to. Little to no cell service out here so prepare accordingly. Bring bear spray and big spray.

Eklutna Lake is a special place and worth about a 20 minute (one way) detour off the main highway…read morebetween Anchorage and Denali. The drive itself is very scenic and once you arrive at the lake area, there's an obvious day use area where you can park and use the pay machines for day use fees. I didn't do much of the trail, as I was heading north to Denali but did spend about 45 minutes or so walking the rocky shoreline and taking in the amazing views. There are a number of trails to explore here as well as kayaking and guided hikes. It's a glacier fed lake and also serves as a water supply for Anchorage. Alaska has no shortage of wonders and it's pretty special that you can drive a short distance from its largest city and arrive to a place like Eklutna Lake. Carry bear spray-sightings are common though we didn't see any.

We didn't hike the full trail, just went about a mile up and back along the lake from the parking…read morelot, but even that short stretch was worth it for the views. There were plenty of spots along the old dirt road where you could step closer to the water and really take in the scenery. There were mosquitoes, but we came prepared with bug spray, so it wasn't too bad. Looking back, we probably would've enjoyed kayaking more. The lake was calm and the scenery was absolutely breathtaking. Even just sitting by the water felt peaceful. If we go back, we're skipping the hike and getting out on the lake.

This is a great hike near Eagle River that I was surprised I hadn't heard much about…read more You start at a trailhead on a winding road (see my photo for exact Google Maps location), you switchback up through the trees and eventually make your way to a ridge line. You ride the ridge line, up and down, until you finally reach the proper summit of Mt Magnificent. Be advised, there are many false summits on the way. You'll think you're about to summit the mountain numerous times, then reach the "top" only to see a larger summit in front of you, in the distance. (it can be rather heart-breaking) I'd imagine this hike can go quicker in the summer/fall (the website I read said it was casually done in less than 3 hours, RT), but it takes a decent amount of time to do in the winter/spring (microspikes and a pole are a must). I think it took us maybe 4.5 hrs. There was a bit of route finding and some side-hilling you have to do because it's difficult to scramble on the rocks when they are covered in slippery snow. There are event some flat spots on here that would be great for camping in the summer. I look forward to exploring the Eagle River hiking scene. This one is a pretty big step up from Mt Baldy. Give it a shot!

If you are looking to put your feet in the water, throw a ball for your dog, or wonder around the…read moregreat outdoors without over exerting yourself, then this is your place. Nice views of the lake, and easy to follow trails. I didn't see a place for us to pay to park.

Lovely quiet hike with a lot of "bang for your buck" - a short walk with beautiful views of the…read morelake, mountains, and trees. We stopped here to break up our drive from Anchorage to Talkeetna and it was well worth it!

You've probably seen this peak a million times if you've ever driven up to Palmer…read more It's the second most-notable peak in the area, behind Pioneer (which is sits right next to). The twin peaks vaguely resememble a pint-sized version of the Tetons if you squint your eyes just right. To get to the tops of them, you need to start at Eklutna Lake: https://www.yelp.com/biz/eklutna-lakeside-trail-eklutna Take the trail that goes *away* from the lake, you'll quickly start gaining some elevation. Eventually you'll come to one of the most scenic trail benches in Alaska. Keep going up! The trail will end and you'll see an expanse of tundra in front of the craggy Twin Peaks. You want to go for the one on your right. (if you continue up the "hill" behind you, you'll summit pepper peak, which is a walk-up) You've got two options for summitting East Twin: East Ridge: this is on your (climber's) right. It's got some pretty exposed 4th class terrain and maybe one or two 5th-class moves. The climbing is easy but the consequences of a fall could be dire. (there are a couple spots where a fall might be fatal) Just keep making your way up the ridge, scrambling through the path of least resistance, until you can't anymore. If there is still snow on the ridge, you may need crampons. Main South Gully: this is a garbage chute of loose rock located roughly in the middle of the Twin Peaks massif. It's the descent route for the East Ridge route as well. This is the most common way people take to access the summit. While the movement isn't anywhere near as exposed as the East Ridge, rock fall can be a serious issue. The scree/talus here is very loose. If there are people ahead of you, they could easily knock stuff down on you. In winter/early spring, this gully is filled with snow and is probably more pleasant, however, avalanches would be a very real concern. It took us about 9 hours roundtrip, going up the East Ridge and down the Main South Gully. The views from the summit are incredible. Eklutna Lake and Bold Peak dominate the area and there is also a backside view of Pioneer Peak. On clear days, Denali can easily be seen. You'll also probably see lots of Dall Sheep on the way up/down. Summit post is a great resource for topping out on East Twin: http://www.summitpost.org/east-twin-peak/753392

This is a great trail!…read more But I don't hike it much... Why? My (your, kind reader!) State Park pass doesn't work here. You need a special pass to park here. Or, you can buy a day pass. The year membership is $25, you are effectively joining the Anchorage Ski Club. More details here: http://arcticvalley.org/anchorage-ski-club/ However... You can also access this trail by going to the South Fork Eagle River trail: https://www.yelp.com/biz/south-fork-eagle-river-trail-anchorage After about a mile of hiking, you'll see a sign post pointing right (if you are hiking in) to Rendezvous Ridge. This will take you up onto the ridge where you can hike parallel to the South Fork trail with WAY better views. There is a lot of up and down on the ridge, but none of it is the type of climbing that requires a rope. It's the perfect way to spend a long day when the weather's good. There are even numerous flat spots where you could backcountry camp. (there isn't any water up here though, so plan accordingly!) Eventually the ridge connects to Triangle Peak. This is a hideously difficult-looking mountain from the South Fork trail but...it's a puppy dog when you're right up on it. It's a scramble up loose blocks of rock, similar to Flattop, although much longer. It's about 8 miles from the car to Triangle Peak from the East Fork Trail. There are tons of Dall Sheep all along the ridge. They kept sauntering ahead of me, I felt like I was herding them. This area (the area near the parking lot) is also very good for berry picking.

This is the sister trail to the South Fork Trail…read more It's very interesting because you walk under and around all the ski lifts connected to the ski lodge. I'm going to try and give a comprehensive review for this. From the Glenn, take the Arctic Valley exit like you are headed to Moose Run Golf Course. You'll pass the golf course on your left and the driving range on your right. The road will turn to dirt/gravel and head up and incline. Just keep going until the road ends at the ski lodge. There is a 5 fee per vehicle and a trail map guide at the parking lot. From here you have lots of options. We headed out to the overlook. It was about a ten minute walk. Right before the overlook there is a four way. The overlook is straight ahead and the left trail heads up toward the ridge. Once you head up to ridge. It is a clear gravel/dirt trail at least wide enough for an ATV. I would say the hike is moderate. You head up for quite a while (about 2 miles). At around the two mile mark you will be able to see down into the valley with the South Fork Trail. As best as I could gather, you're to the left of the South Fork Trail parking. From here you have several options. You could head down following the trail along the chair lift. It's muddy. It's about a 1.5 mile stretch down. Or You can continue up the next ridge or around the peak in front of you and check out all the trails you see across the valley. Lots of options. Hope this helps!

Wow!!!! How in the world has nobody, nobody, in all of the Unites States of America not written a…read morereview about this West Butte Trail??? That absolutely blows my mind!!! Okay! Well, West Butte Trail is without a doubt one of my new favorite hikes of all time! I visited Palmer, Alaska in June of this summer 2021. Palmer was actually just a town I was passing through along my 2 week voyage throughout Alaska. But...the reason I discovered this West Butte Trail was from a friendly girl I had met on the airplane flying to Fairbanks. This girl, who was obviously from Alaska...highly recommended this hike. Well...here I am now fully grateful to this random stranger for giving me info about this hidden gem of a hike! I am humbled by my journey and for the sights and surroundings when finally arriving at the peak of this West Butte Trail. Now...let me just back up a few moments. When arriving in Palmer...all you have to do (which I did) is plug "West Butte Trail" into Google Maps and it'll perfectly guide you to the trailhead. I came here in mid afternoon during the week back in late June. Although the parking lot was decently sized...I could envision on busy days the place being packed with hikers! It was $5 for the parking fee. That's all it costs. Basically, just like you do when you arrive spontaneously at a campsite, you grab a little envelope, fill it out and put $5 in the drop box. It's that easy. This West Butte Trail is specific and straight to the point. It's a 1.5 mile hike each way gaining roughly 800 feet in elevation. I was thinking 1.5 miles? No problem! But...towards the end of the trail it was sort of straight up the stairs with a few switchbacks. I definitely had to stop a few times just to catch my breathe. I wouldn't underestimate the hike, but overall it's casual for the entire family. Before I started the hike, I did read the trailhead sign and according to what it mentioned, the pathway to the top sounded inspiring. I'd like to relay to you what it said...."West Butte Trail begins in the forest and leads to the unique granite summit of the Bodenburg Butte. Look forward to breathtaking 360-degree views of Knik Glacier, Pioneer Peak, the Chugach Range and Talkeetna Mountains, and local Mat-Su Valley farmland. It is worth the climb!" I couldn't have said it better myself! Finally making it to the summit of Bodenburg Butte...the views (imo) were indescribable! I had chills! Just like the sign said...breathtaking! I was in awe of the 360 degree scenery and surroundings. Lol, alright I may be taking this explanation too far, but I felt like I was ready to cry. I had discovered salvation! Okay, okay....after about 15 minutes I believe my legs had settled down and I had my head on straight, hehehe. But...it was just beautiful...that's all I can say. The terrific aspect about arriving in early afternoon was that the sun was perfectly positioned for picture taking. The sun was at my back for 3/4's of the views. So...I had 3 incredible perspectives for which to snap pictures, take videos and breathe in the fresh Alaskan air. Another amazing detail was that from this granite butte, the weather was perfect. There wasn't any wind. It was like being in still air from high above. I was so impressed with how calm the setting was. Usually when you hike to the top cliff or overlook, it can be very very windy. This was the furthest from what you'd expect. No wind whatsoever. I believe the best part about being at the overlook was gazing out into the distance of Knik Glacier. It was the perfect backdrop. Another angle that was stunning was Pioneer Peak. There was 1 lazy cloud sitting next to it but that actually added a terrific element to the entire photogenic moment. Finally, the Talkeetna Mountains were also pretty special. I was just so happy to be here at the summit. It wasn't even crowded up top. I had tons of space to walk around and without having anyone "photobomb" my pictures. There were a few kids flying some drones but I didn't mind. I spent about 90 minutes up at the summit. After capturing plenty of photos and videos, I just had to sit down on a rock, bow my head and appreciate how far I had come being from South Florida to here in Palmer, Alaska. One last thing...for those who aren't familiar with the city of Palmer, it's located about 44 miles northeast of Anchorage. So...it's not out of the way for anyone to come and hike this trail. Lastly, just again, during my 2 week Alaskan vacation, this West Butte Trail was absolutely one of my highlighted and favorite memories...and all coming from a friendly stranger who recommended it while sitting next to me on my flight here. I am grateful. You never know. Kindness goes a long way. It pays to be nice to people, lol.

We got engaged here! Loved it. Challenging vertical at times but overall a manageable hike for…read moreanyone relatively active.

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).