클락 호수 최고의 워킹 & 하이킹 경로

The Joe Thompson Public Use Cabin sits at the trailhead for the Portage Creek Trail. You have to pay a fee and make a reservation to actually stay at the Joe Thompson Public Use Cabin, but you can run the trail and head back to the main part of the island in just a few hours. Note that like many trailheads in Lake Clark National Park, you can only get here by boat or float plane.

The trail up Tanalian Mountain climbs quickly and steeply up to 3,960 feet. It overlooks Lake Clark National Park and a lot of the surrounding mountains, glaciers, and lakes. This is a tough run that is primarily a power-hike during the uphill. Coming down can be slick but offers a real Alaskan mountain running experience.

The only logical way to get to Lake Clark National Park is via plane or boat. One of the most popular sites for arriving to the park is at Port Alsworth. Only small passenger planes can land here along with boats, so it's best to plan your visit well in advance. That being said, a run in Lake Clark National Park can be an inspiring outing. For more information about flights and boat reservations, visit the NPS website: https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/directions.htm

Tanalian Falls is a 30-foot waterfall found near Kontrashibuna Lake along the Tanalian River. There are some benches at the overlook area and camping at the end of the Lake Trail. The further past the falls you run, the fewer people you will see.

The maintained Portage Creek Trail ends above treeline, ushering you into an alpine tundra wonderland. This trail in Lake Clark National Park is incredibly remote, so if you choose to explore past this point, you should be prepared to navigate off-trail in limited visibility in rapidly changing weather, and to be self-sufficient for some time if you were to need a rescue.

The Portage Creek Trail is part of the trail that trapper Joe Thompson used to access his cabin — now the Joe Thompson Public Use Cabin. The first part of this trail wanders through a forest, but it delivers you to alpine tundra, above treeline, within just a few miles.

The Joe Thompson Public Use Cabin, located in Lake Clark National Park, is accessible by boat or float plane from the nearby town of Port Alsworth. The cabin must be reserved in advance, for a fee, through https://www.recreation.gov/.

The beaver pond — and a well-placed bench for taking it in — is a highlight of this relatively tranquil trail. You might even be lucky enough to see wild beavers. Watch for the giant mound of sticks that signals a beaver lodge, and be on the lookout for the beavers themselves both in the water and on land. You can turn back and return on the beaver pond trail or, for a change of pace, return via part of the Tanalian Falls trail — although you'll need to make a detour if you want to see the falls themselves.