앵커리지 시‬에서 가장 멋진 ‪16‬개의 천연기념물

This hike goes between Girdwood and Eagle River. It's a beautiful hike that covers a lot of various terrain.

From the parking lot, a good path leads to the viewpoint

When the weather is clear, you have a great view of the mountains and the coast off Anchorage from up here.

Blueberry Knoll is named for the plentiful berries that populate its slopes in autumn—but this is such a popular area that they get picked out very quickly. Blink, and you'll miss them! You'll hike right past the knoll on your way up Flattop, or you can treat it as its own destination, hiking a complete loop around it to enjoy the views in all directions before you head back down.

The views from Flattop Mountain's plateau summit are spectacular. On a really clear day you can see the Alaska Range, and sometimes even Denali (tiny in the distance) from here. If you have the time and energy, you can also hike farther along the ridge to the southeast. There are two ways to hike up Flattop Mountain: From the Canyon Road AKA Rabbit Creek Trailhead, which you need a car to reach, or from the Glen Alps Trailhead, which you can reach with a car or via the Flattop Shuttle (see https://www.hike-anchorage-alaska.com/). If you're hiking from the Glen Alps Trailhead, the trail includes a bit of steep scrambling near the summit. Be careful and watch for loose rock!

Flattop is easily the most-climbed mountain in Anchorage — probably in the entire state of Alaska. You can reach the summit by either of two trails, but other the trail that approaches from the southeast — known as the Flattop Sunnyside Trail — is really conducive for running. It's steep, but has switchbacks and generally good footing for most of the way up. The other trail up to this broad plateau of a peak has a significant section of rock scrambling that would be impossible to run, no matter how sure-footed you may be.

Earthquake Park, located near Anchorage Airport, offers a fascinating glimpse into the powerful forces of nature. This park commemorates the 1964 Great Alaska Earthquake, one of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded. Wander along the trails and read the informative plaques to learn about the seismic event that dramatically reshaped the landscape. Enjoy panoramic views of Cook Inlet and the surrounding mountains.

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.