Walking Routes

[ 0.9 Mile Route with Out & Back to Viewing Platforms ]  The Campbell Creek Estuary Natural Area offers a large natural area with trails that meander through native forests and an open meadow and run along the coastline. Scenic views of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge and great opportunities for wildlife viewing. Access the trail head at the parking lot off of Selkirk Drive. Dogs are prohibited on the trail to protect wildlife.

[ 1.1 Mile Loop ]  This path starts at the parking lot at Baxter Road with a paved trail. The trail turns into a natural surface trail that wraps around Cheney Lake. The trail is flat with some small hills and the majority of the trail is surrounded by trees.

[ 0.6 Mile Loop ]  Paved surface walking trail that loops through Cuddy Family Midtown Park; a park with open space, and amphitheater, and inclusive playground, ponds for bird viewing, and views of the Chugach Mountains. Generally flat with a short hill. Near Z.J. Loussac Public Library.

[ 1 Mile Loop ] This is a natural surface trail that meanders through a forest in Davis Park. Start at the parking lot off of N. Pine Street. Just north of this parking lot there is a trail head with an overhead sign. Follow this gravel path through the forest, you will end up in an open space area, on the east side of the park. Walk across the open space to find the next entrance to the forest trail, follow this path and take a left back to the main entrance.

[ 3.7 Mile Loop ]  This route takes you through downtown Anchorage, along the coast to Westchester Lagoon and through Anchorage’s South Addition neighborhood. The start of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is at the west end of 2nd Avenue in downtown Anchorage. The trail can also be accessed from Elderberry Park and Westchester Lagoon parking lots. Downtown provides shopping, dining, and cultural experiences. From downtown you can access the famous Tony Knowles Coastal Trail for views of Cook Inlet and the Alaska Range mountains to the west. Westchester Lagoon is one of Anchorage’s most popular parks with views of the Chugach Mountains to the east and bird viewing.

[ 1.5 Miles Out & Back ]  This route begins in the heart of the Fairview neighborhood, runs parallel to 15th Avenue on a separated pathway, then dips down a hill into a forest trail. This trail will bring you through open wetlands, and eventually to open park space at Sitka Street Park. Follow the trail back through Fairview Neighborhood to 13th Avenue to complete the 1.5 mile loop. Both Fairview Park and Sitka Street Park have several park amenities for other recreation activities.

[ 1.2 Miles Out & Back ] Start at Fish Creek Park and walk along the Fish Creek Greenbelt Trail to Barbara Street Park. One-way on the route is 0.6 miles, out and back is 1.2 miles. Portions of the trail are wooded and run along Fish Creek.

[ 2 Miles Out & Back ] Kincaid is one of Anchorage’s premier parks. With world-class ski trails, extensive single-track mountain bike trails, various sports facilities, and a Chalet, this park is a year-round recreation mecca for Anchorage. This two-mile route is a great introduction to Kincaid Park and the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. Start at the Kincaid Chalet and take the paved Coastal Trail west, down to an overlook of the coast. There is a large hill between the Chalet and overlook so be prepared for a big elevation change. Be aware that this area is frequented by moose and bear.

[ 2.4 Mile Loop ]  The trail head for this loop begins near the park entrance drive off of Abbott Road. This is a natural surface trail with gravel and native soils. From the trail head walk east until you hit a sign for the Riata Loop, continue east to follow the loop. The trail is mostly flat with some hills.

[ 0.7 Mile Out & Back ] This route goes from Sand Lake Elementary down to a dock on Sand Lake and back. This area is wooded with open views of the lake.

[ 0.6 Mile Loop ] This route loops around a calm lake surrounded by trees. Half of the loop is paved surface (the section that overlaps the Campbell Creek Trail) while the other half is natural surface trails.

[ 1.4 Mile Loop or 4 Mile Loop ]  The 1.4 mile route is a paved trail that loops around Goose Lake and through the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) campus. The second route is 4 miles, it overlaps the Lanie Fleischer Chester Creek Greenbelt Trail, runs along University Lake, and then back through the UAA Campus to Goose Lake. The majority of both loops go through forested area except for the connections along Elmore Road, UAA Drive, and Providence Drive.