Some of the best hikes in Alaska are strenuous and take all day, but sometimes, a quick and easy trail is all you need. Blueberry Loop is an easy hike in Anchorage, boasting a vast array of breathtaking scenery despite its short-and-sweet length. Take a look:
At just 1.5 miles long, Blueberry Loop just might be one of the best easy hikes in Alaska – and that isn’t just because it’s named after a fruit. This quick and easy trail is incredibly diverse in its scenery and terrain, packing the experience of a full-day trek in under an hour.
AllTrails/Jeff Huit
The 300-foot elevation gain is condensed into the first 1/4 mile or so, which means the only challenging part doesn’t last very long. Sweeping panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, blanketed in a thick layer of lush greenery, promise a worthwhile reward for your efforts. It’s just one of many scenic hikes in Alaska.
AllTrails/Michelle Lane
You’ll traverse a whimsical forest with trees growing every which way, their gnarled trunks attempting to ensnare unsuspecting hikers. Each steps pulls you ever-deeper into an eerily breathtaking fairytale within Chugach State Park.
AllTrails/Charmaine Gutierrez
If you visit in the spring or summer, expect to be awestruck by a vast array of flora. Eye-popping wildflowers in every color imaginable line the trail, competing for your attention in the best way possible.
AllTrails/Cherie Santiago
Perhaps the most striking moment of the hike is when the entire city of Anchorage unfolds before your eyes. It’s hard to believe the hustle and bustle of daily life is so close – from up here, the silence is so profound you could hear a pin drop.
AllTrails/Jeremy Sluser
Winter in Alaska can be brutal, but scenes like this beg to differ. Like a Christmas wonderland, snow-covered trees evoke images of warm fireplaces and presents under the tree.
AllTrails/Riann McClure
Nothing says holiday magic quite like mountain peaks covered in snow. One of the best hikes in Alaska, no matter what time of year you embark on Blueberry Loop, rest assured that the experience will be one for the books.
AllTrails/M L
Check out the website for Chugach State Park for maps and more information about trail.
AllTrails/Jeff Huit
AllTrails/Michelle Lane
AllTrails/Charmaine Gutierrez
AllTrails/Cherie Santiago
AllTrails/Jeremy Sluser
AllTrails/Riann McClure
AllTrails/M L
Have you ever hiked Blueberry Loop? If so, what’s your favorite part of the trail? Let us know in the comments! If you’re looking for other easy hikes in Alaska, check out Red Shirt Lake Trail.
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Address: Blueberry Loop Trail, Anchorage, AK 99516, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Hikes in Alaska May 05, 2022 Rachel Raimondi What is weather like in the spring in Alaska? The weather in Alaska is just as unique as everything else about the state. And because of its vast size, just because it’s warm in the south doesn’t mean it’s warm in the north. In fact, those northern areas are well, always cold. But no matter where you are, expect spring to actually start much later than the calendar tells you: you won’t find temps in the 60s until late April or even May. In fact, early spring in Alaska isn’t the greatest time for outdoor fun, unless you enjoy the cold, wind, and very frequent precipitation. But if you do, take one of these scenic hikes in Alaska. What are the best family-friendly hikes in Alaska? While there are some truly epic hikes here, it’s always nice when you can get the whole family together to explore nature. And luckily, there are a ton of easy hikes in Alaska. Portage Pass Trail in Whittier is four miles round-trip and is the only easy option if you want to see the Portage Glacier in a hike. As a bonus, you’ll also get views of Portage Lake. In Chugach State Park, you’ve got Thunderbird Falls Trail, a two-mile out-and-back trail that takes you out to a viewing deck of the 200-foot falls. On the way, you’ll head through the forest and alongside the Eklutna River canyon. What are the best outdoor adventures in Alaska? While there is a ton of outdoor recreation to be had within Alaska’s 665,000 square miles, its the eight national parks that will give visitors the most opportunities for adventure, and where you’ll find some of the best hikes in Alaska. There’s Denali National Park, where you can camp, mush, snowmobile, climb, and hike within its six million acres. In Fairbanks, you’ll find Gates of the Artic National Park, where you can hike, camp, and kayak. At Katmai National Park in King Salmon, you can bear-watch, fish, camp, hike, and flightsee. There are about 40 glaciers within Kenai Fjords National Park outside Seward. In the Artic region, there is Kobuk Valley National Park and its sand dunes, where you can boat, fish, camp, and hike. Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest national park in the US, clocking in at 13.2 million acres. Here you hike, backpack, mountain bike, boat, camp, and fish. At Glacier Bay National Park in southeast Alaska, you can camp, backpack, raft, and sea kayak within its 3.3 million acres. And then at Port Alsworth’s Lake Clark National Park, you’ll be able to hike, camp, bear-watch, fish, and raft.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Hikes in Alaska
May 05, 2022
Rachel Raimondi
What is weather like in the spring in Alaska? The weather in Alaska is just as unique as everything else about the state. And because of its vast size, just because it’s warm in the south doesn’t mean it’s warm in the north. In fact, those northern areas are well, always cold. But no matter where you are, expect spring to actually start much later than the calendar tells you: you won’t find temps in the 60s until late April or even May. In fact, early spring in Alaska isn’t the greatest time for outdoor fun, unless you enjoy the cold, wind, and very frequent precipitation. But if you do, take one of these scenic hikes in Alaska. What are the best family-friendly hikes in Alaska? While there are some truly epic hikes here, it’s always nice when you can get the whole family together to explore nature. And luckily, there are a ton of easy hikes in Alaska. Portage Pass Trail in Whittier is four miles round-trip and is the only easy option if you want to see the Portage Glacier in a hike. As a bonus, you’ll also get views of Portage Lake. In Chugach State Park, you’ve got Thunderbird Falls Trail, a two-mile out-and-back trail that takes you out to a viewing deck of the 200-foot falls. On the way, you’ll head through the forest and alongside the Eklutna River canyon. What are the best outdoor adventures in Alaska? While there is a ton of outdoor recreation to be had within Alaska’s 665,000 square miles, its the eight national parks that will give visitors the most opportunities for adventure, and where you’ll find some of the best hikes in Alaska. There’s Denali National Park, where you can camp, mush, snowmobile, climb, and hike within its six million acres. In Fairbanks, you’ll find Gates of the Artic National Park, where you can hike, camp, and kayak. At Katmai National Park in King Salmon, you can bear-watch, fish, camp, hike, and flightsee. There are about 40 glaciers within Kenai Fjords National Park outside Seward. In the Artic region, there is Kobuk Valley National Park and its sand dunes, where you can boat, fish, camp, and hike. Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest national park in the US, clocking in at 13.2 million acres. Here you hike, backpack, mountain bike, boat, camp, and fish. At Glacier Bay National Park in southeast Alaska, you can camp, backpack, raft, and sea kayak within its 3.3 million acres. And then at Port Alsworth’s Lake Clark National Park, you’ll be able to hike, camp, bear-watch, fish, and raft.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
The weather in Alaska is just as unique as everything else about the state. And because of its vast size, just because it’s warm in the south doesn’t mean it’s warm in the north. In fact, those northern areas are well, always cold. But no matter where you are, expect spring to actually start much later than the calendar tells you: you won’t find temps in the 60s until late April or even May. In fact, early spring in Alaska isn’t the greatest time for outdoor fun, unless you enjoy the cold, wind, and very frequent precipitation. But if you do, take one of these scenic hikes in Alaska.
What are the best family-friendly hikes in Alaska?
While there are some truly epic hikes here, it’s always nice when you can get the whole family together to explore nature. And luckily, there are a ton of easy hikes in Alaska. Portage Pass Trail in Whittier is four miles round-trip and is the only easy option if you want to see the Portage Glacier in a hike. As a bonus, you’ll also get views of Portage Lake. In Chugach State Park, you’ve got Thunderbird Falls Trail, a two-mile out-and-back trail that takes you out to a viewing deck of the 200-foot falls. On the way, you’ll head through the forest and alongside the Eklutna River canyon.
What are the best outdoor adventures in Alaska?
While there is a ton of outdoor recreation to be had within Alaska’s 665,000 square miles, its the eight national parks that will give visitors the most opportunities for adventure, and where you’ll find some of the best hikes in Alaska. There’s Denali National Park, where you can camp, mush, snowmobile, climb, and hike within its six million acres. In Fairbanks, you’ll find Gates of the Artic National Park, where you can hike, camp, and kayak. At Katmai National Park in King Salmon, you can bear-watch, fish, camp, hike, and flightsee. There are about 40 glaciers within Kenai Fjords National Park outside Seward. In the Artic region, there is Kobuk Valley National Park and its sand dunes, where you can boat, fish, camp, and hike. Wrangell-St. Elias is the largest national park in the US, clocking in at 13.2 million acres. Here you hike, backpack, mountain bike, boat, camp, and fish. At Glacier Bay National Park in southeast Alaska, you can camp, backpack, raft, and sea kayak within its 3.3 million acres. And then at Port Alsworth’s Lake Clark National Park, you’ll be able to hike, camp, bear-watch, fish, and raft.
