Winter is finally coming to an end and that can only mean one thing – it’s time to gear up and get ready for the season of hiking and exploration. Sure the rain can be a downer, but as the snow melts away and the summer months creep up on us, wildlife and wildflowers will start to pop up everywhere making the dreary weather more than worth it. Here are some really great sights and hikes you absolutely must check out once the snow recedes and the trails are safe.
- Hike to Eagle and Symphony Lakes
Kelly Marcum | Flickr After a relatively easy 5-mile hike from Eagle River you’ll get to feast your eyes on the beautiful views of these two turquoise, glacier fed lakes.
- Sea Kayaking
Joseph | Flickr Either load up your own kayaks and hit the water or find a tour guide to take you out to see some of the most spectacular places in Alaska only viewable by water or plane. A great company is Alaska Sea Kayakers in Whittier where you can go on spectacular trips around Prince William Sound.
- Ice Climb to Denali Base Camp
Sandy Brown Jensen | Flickr You’re going to need a guide or personal experience glacier climbing to go on this adventure, but it’s well worth the extra effort. After you bravely scale the face of Kahiltna Glacier, you’ll surface to find tents scattered across the face of the glacier. Congratulations, you’ve officially arrived at Denali Base Camp!
- Ziplining
Northridge Alumni Bear Facts | Flickr You can zipline through the beautiful Tongass National Forest outside of Juneau with Alaska Zipline Adventure, or you can spend an afternoon zipping through the forest above Talkeetna while glimpsing incredible views of Denali and the Alaska Range with Denali Zipline Tours.
- Harding Icefield Trail
cjette | Flickr This trail is one you can’t miss. You’ll pass through alder forests and meadows, gaining elevation until you reach a lookout offering a spectacular view of Harding Icefield. The icefield is 700-square-miles and is thought to be from the Pleistocene ice masses once covering half of the state. It’s an impressive and once in a lifetime sight, that’s for sure.
- Surprise Glacier
Jiuguang Wang | Flickr Surprise Glacier is located in the Prince William Sound and is an extremely active tidewater glacier, meaning it is a great glacier to visit if you want to see some extreme glacial calving.
- Serpentine Hot Springs
Bering Land Bridge National Preserve | Flickr Trek out to the serenity of Serpentine Hot Springs in the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Soak in the warm waters after a long day of hiking and take in some of the many beautiful sights Alaska has to offer, like these granite tors jutting up from the earth.
- Mountain Biking at Alyeska
Brian | Flickr Alyeska Resort really has it all, even during the summer months. With endless hiking and mountain biking trails, you’ll never get bored! Plus, the accommodations of the resort means you wont have to go far for food and beer.
- Gavan Hill to Harbor Mountain
bgibbslmt | Flickr The views from Gavan Hill Ridge are stunning all year round, especially during the summer months when wildflowers are abundant and views of the Sitka Sound are crystal clear.
- Lost Lake Trail
Frank Kovalchek | Flickr Just outside of Seward is a great trail called Lost Lake Trail, or Primrose Trail from the North end. The hike is fairly popular due to the incredible sights along the way. You start your hike deep in a rainforest and end it high atop alpine meadows surrounded by wildflowers and mountain vistas. It’s a challenging but rewarding 7-mile hike.
Where is your favorite place to adventure in Alaska?
Kelly Marcum | Flickr
After a relatively easy 5-mile hike from Eagle River you’ll get to feast your eyes on the beautiful views of these two turquoise, glacier fed lakes.
Joseph | Flickr
Either load up your own kayaks and hit the water or find a tour guide to take you out to see some of the most spectacular places in Alaska only viewable by water or plane. A great company is Alaska Sea Kayakers in Whittier where you can go on spectacular trips around Prince William Sound.
Sandy Brown Jensen | Flickr
You’re going to need a guide or personal experience glacier climbing to go on this adventure, but it’s well worth the extra effort. After you bravely scale the face of Kahiltna Glacier, you’ll surface to find tents scattered across the face of the glacier. Congratulations, you’ve officially arrived at Denali Base Camp!
Northridge Alumni Bear Facts | Flickr
You can zipline through the beautiful Tongass National Forest outside of Juneau with Alaska Zipline Adventure, or you can spend an afternoon zipping through the forest above Talkeetna while glimpsing incredible views of Denali and the Alaska Range with Denali Zipline Tours.
cjette | Flickr
This trail is one you can’t miss. You’ll pass through alder forests and meadows, gaining elevation until you reach a lookout offering a spectacular view of Harding Icefield. The icefield is 700-square-miles and is thought to be from the Pleistocene ice masses once covering half of the state. It’s an impressive and once in a lifetime sight, that’s for sure.
Jiuguang Wang | Flickr
Surprise Glacier is located in the Prince William Sound and is an extremely active tidewater glacier, meaning it is a great glacier to visit if you want to see some extreme glacial calving.
Bering Land Bridge National Preserve | Flickr
Trek out to the serenity of Serpentine Hot Springs in the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. Soak in the warm waters after a long day of hiking and take in some of the many beautiful sights Alaska has to offer, like these granite tors jutting up from the earth.
Brian | Flickr
Alyeska Resort really has it all, even during the summer months. With endless hiking and mountain biking trails, you’ll never get bored! Plus, the accommodations of the resort means you wont have to go far for food and beer.
bgibbslmt | Flickr
The views from Gavan Hill Ridge are stunning all year round, especially during the summer months when wildflowers are abundant and views of the Sitka Sound are crystal clear.
Frank Kovalchek | Flickr
Just outside of Seward is a great trail called Lost Lake Trail, or Primrose Trail from the North end. The hike is fairly popular due to the incredible sights along the way. You start your hike deep in a rainforest and end it high atop alpine meadows surrounded by wildflowers and mountain vistas. It’s a challenging but rewarding 7-mile hike.
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