チュガッチ山地周辺のおすすめシティハイキング＆ウォーキング

Taku Lake is a favorite feature along the Campbell Creek multi-use trail. People come here to kayak, canoe and fish during the summer. A parking lot nearby offers easy access for anyone who wants to start, or finish, a bike/inline skate/walk/run/ski here.

Once a gravel pit, Westchester Lagoon really is one of the crown jewels of Anchorage. It's also a hub for year-round recreation. It also sits at the intersection of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, which runs along the coast, and the Chester Creek Trail that runs east-west through town. Both paved multi-use trails are great for biking.

Elderberry Park has some modest playground equipment and a few benches with views of the water and the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail that passes quite nearby. It's a great place for a break but not the best for starting or ending your ride, as it takes some luck to find parking nearby.

As you run past Taku Lake, keep an eye out for kayakers, assorted waterfowl, and maybe even river otters in the lake. The multiuse trail here is paved and has only mild inclines, but you might want to keep an eye out for flying fishhooks from people fishing from the shore. (Most of the time they are pretty good about watching out for trail users before they cast their hook into the water, but not always.)

This is one of the best spots along the entire Coastal Trail: On one side you have Westchester Lagoon, a gravel pit turned waterfowl sanctuary and public green space, with paved multi-use trails that run in several directions for miles. On the other side is a short walkway across the rushing outflow of Chester Creek, with a quiet-feeling bench where you can enjoy the burble of water or, in the fall, watch for the occasional salmon working its way upstream from the ocean.

This is a sweet little park with a bit of playground equipment, some benches, and a view over the water. The paved Tony Knowles Coastal Trail also passes nearby as it traverses the only really major hill between Westchester Lagoon and the furthest downtown access point. If you're headed north on the Coastal Trail past Elderberry Park you'll find yourself chugging up a very steep hill; and of course, heading south leaves you to more or less freewheel it on the downhill.

This park is a massive green space, with a wonderful playground complex for kids to climb on and explore. Valley of the Moon is sometimes also a magnet for homeless activity, so it can feel unsafe in the dark or when it's not well-populated. But on a sunny weekend when lots of people are out, it's a great place to visit.

All told, the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail runs about 11 miles (17.7 km) from downtown Anchorage to Kincaid Park. It is paved and designated for multi-use along its entire length, and mixes flat terrain with rolling hills that can pose a fun challenge. Most of the trail also provides pretty views out over Cook Inlet, the tongue of ocean that reaches toward Anchorage.