Anchorage 101

Nature Is Everywhere In This Summertime City   Sections 

The city of Anchorage's primary tourist attraction stems from its magnificent location, on Cook Inlet. Anchorage is banked by mountains. Mt. McKinley, far to the north, is visible from Earthquake Park and a number of other Anchorage locations. Although Anchorage can seem centered around the automobile, it's relatively easy to get in touch with the natural world while in Anchorage. You can walk on to Anchorage's well-maintained and extensive trail system from many parts of town, and  experience the trees, shrubs, flowers and berries of miles of ordinary Alaskan woods -- while you're within striking distance of your hotel. You can walk or rent a bike to use on these trails, and unwind by going as far as you like. Or you can stop and sit on benches, and view the ocean, the sunset, the wildlife, or people on bikes going past you.

 

Sitting Pretty

Anchorage puts a major effort into its flowers and beautification efforts. Flowers grow well in Alaska, during the long summer days. But, every flower you see, in all of Anchorage's hundreds of flower beds and hanging baskets, had to be grown to maturity in greenhouses during the spring, before being transplanted outdoors. You can learn about Alaskan gardening, and view flowers and herbs while walking over the lush paths of the Anchorage Botanical Garden, which features trails.

 

Moose On The Loose

Stay clear of moose when you see them. Don't annoy any moose you run across on Anchorage trails. Stay back and let the moose go its way. Bikers and other trail walkers will frequently alert you to seeing a moose. Although there are many bears in Anchorage, you would be very unlikely to run across a bear on a city trail downtown, since the bears tend to stay up in the hills, away from the city.

 

South of Anchorage on the Seward Highway, Potter Marsh, which is on the left, just south of city, across from the firing range (it's marked with signs) offers a boardwalk through Alaska wetlands. You'll be able to walk above the marsh, viewing birds and wildlife below you. This is a good place to go in the evening.