You’ll find many ways to explore Eagle River. Join a guided hike in Eagle River Valley or enjoy a small-group sightseeing tour.
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Get out there on one or more of these super-accessible trips, which range from easy nature walks to strenuous alpine multi-day treks. You’ll not only get a healthy dose of scenery, you’ll also exercise your body, mind, and soul. In winter, marvel at frozen waterfalls, snowshoe treks and even heli-snowshoeing!
Short on time and want to see another side of Anchorage and the gorgeous surrounding area? Take a small-group tour with Escaping Anchorage, whose owner, Brittney, creates personalized adventures featuring beautiful scenery and real insights.
The annual four-day Bear Paw Festival brings fun events like live music and dancing, races, a car show, carnival rides, food and drink, and all kinds of vendors every mid-July to downtown Eagle River. Don’t miss the only-in-Alaska events like the Slippery Salmon Olympics
Long popular with families who seek a wilderness-like setting without leaving the urban area, the place has a reputation for cleanliness and serenity. But you have to make peace with the river: it is loud. 57 campsites are nestled along three wooded lanes and the interesting gravel bars of Eagle River are never more than a few minutes’ walk away.
Along a historic travel route that dates to the Gold Rush era, these four public use facilities offer people a flat walk to a secluded riverine wilderness only an hour walk from a trailhead that’s an easy drive from town. Managed by the Eagle River Nature Center, the three yurts and one cabin are perfect those who want to hike and explore the Eagle River corridor, known both for its wildlife — bald eagles, brown and black bear, moose — and ...more
Beach Lake is a local gem located in the Eagle River/Chugiak area, 20 miles north of Anchorage. Enjoy a quiet, uncrowded view of the Chugach Mountains.
It’s not as difficult as you might think to hike to stand atop the precipitous, gully-scarred face of Bear Point. But it’s not easy, either. The 2‑mile hike ascends 2,100 feet and can be tricky. But your reward is an amazing view in all directions, from the Kenai Peninsula to Denali and the Chugach Mountains to Matanuska Peak.
New in 2016, Dolly Varden Cabin offers the same recreation opportunities that you’d find while car camping in the Eklutna Campground, but you sleep inside an insulated with a wood-burning stove and loads of space. Aimed at people who might want to experience the paddling, biking, hiking and climbing possibilities of the stunning Eklutna Valley, but don’t want to “rough it” or chop wood for heating.
If you don’t mind the 45-minute drive from Anchorage up to the Eagle River Nature Center, where this trail begins, this trail is one of the most scenic easy hikes anywhere near Anchorage. You’ll walk a well-maintained loop that passes through beautiful forest, over a couple nice wooden bridges, past beaver deams, and along the swiftly flowing glacial waters of Eagle River.
While the North Fork of Eagle River is only 40 minutes from Anchorage, it has as much beauty and some of the hazards of much bigger, more remote Alaska rivers. Class I and only 7 miles long, this float is still fairly-committing, especially during low water when the entire trip from the mile 7.4 put in to the take out can take 4 – 5 hours on the water. The river isn’t braided so you’re in one channel the entire float, but there are a lot of… ...more
Under an hour from Anchorage, this 22-mile drive takes you away from Alaska’s towns and cities, and into Chugach State Park. The road is smooth with twists and turns, and runs alongside Eklutna River, and the beautiful and glacial Eklutna Lake. You can also see Twin Peaks over the trees.
The trail goes up for a short distance and then joins with the original trail which is more direct but it crosses private property. Continue up, and when you get to the saddle, you can turn right onto the Mt. Magnificant Trail to follow the ridge that ends at the mountain, or left continuing along the original trail. The trail offers nice views of Cook Inlet and even Denali on a clear day.
Short, flat hike to access main braid of Eagle River. Walk is approximately one mile through woods. To the right of the parking lot is a smaller braid of the river that blends into main channel in about 1 mile as well. The river at this point can be floated very easily, but unless you have experience with rapids, recommend you get out at the bridge. Although the bridge is only 5.5 miles from where you put in as the crow flies, the river is… ...more
Eagle River campground is convenient and modern. Right beside it are also class IV rapids. Kayakers and rafters call them Campground Rapids. But nearby are a couple of places not normally associated with camping. Do you like ghost stories? Do you have some trash piling up in the back of your truck? Maybe you should stop in and have a look. But don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Hikers on the Crow Pass Trail may stop and take a bracing dip in Glacier Lake on a warm summer day. The lake’s position at the base of Eagle Glacier means there is often ice floating in it.
This is a flat and easy trail. There is no bridge at South Fork Eagle River like you would expect. This is a nice ski trail as well. The trails continue on to the opposite side of river.
The nationwide ice cream chain has several locations in Anchorage and one in Eagle River. You’ll find the same great ice cream here, made fresh on site with creative flavors. It’s a treat on hot summer days and even in sub-zero winters!