Anchorageの湖・トップ20

Lakefront Hotel Anchorage

Technically you are on the east shore of Lake Spenard, but you may often here this lake lumped in as a part of Lake Hood (just to the west). These lakes were once separate, but now appear to be a contiguous — if oddly shaped — body of water, thanks to a seaplane taxi/takeoff canal that was dredged between them. Please don't touch the seaplanes you'll see positioned around the lake. They are all either privately or commercially owned.

Lake Spenard in Anchorage, Alaska, is a beautiful and peaceful lake with a rich history. It was originally a natural lake that became expanded and connected to Lake Hood through the construction of an airport dike in the 1930s. Today, it is part of the world's busiest seaplane base, Lake Hood Seaplane Base, where hundreds of floatplanes take off and land each day. Besides its aviation significance, Lake Spenard remains a popular spot for recreational activities such as kayaking, boating, and enjoying the stunning mountain views.

Westchester Lagoon is a beautiful oasis near downtown Anchorage, just a short walk away. It's a favorite spot for locals, offering trails, wildlife, and fun activities for families throughout the year. It's also a great spot to watch the sunrise.

Cook Inlet is a part of the Gulf of Alaska. It stretches northeast for 220 miles and is fed by several rivers. Anchorage offers great views of the Inlet, and you can explore the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail or hike Flattop Mountain for even better vistas.

Divide Lake is flat, tranquil, and edged with grass, almost as if it sprang out of the tundra on its own. As the trail passes it and begins a downhill grade, you'll catch glimpses of the lake's outflow — Divide Creek — as it races you down to Portage Lake below.

For most people, the broad, sandy shoreline of Portage Lake marks the turnaround point of this hike — or the perfect picnic spot. The glacier is not terrible active but it does sometimes calve (break off) chunks of ice into the water. If you're in the right place at the right time you might see and hear this happen, and sometimes the resulting icebergs even make it close to shore. If you see a small cruise ship on the water that is the M/V Ptarmigan, which cruises from the visitor center on the far side of the lake to within good views of the face of Portage Glacier; more information here: https://www.graylinealaska.com/portage-glacier-cruises/ Finally, some hikers do choose to continue hiking left (south) from here, in hopes of getting closer to the face of the glacier itself. Be warned, there is a not-insignificant stream crossing in the way, and it's very dangerous to walk on, underneath, or in front of the glacier itself, as chunks of ice can and do break off of it at random intervals.

great place to watch float plane