Follow Bird Valley Trail For A Easy Day Hike In The Alaskan Mountains
If you’re looking for a fun, easy hike with incredible scenery, Bird Valley Trail runs across the valley floor following a stunning creek. Only a 30 minute drive outside of Anchorage, this beautiful trail is a haven for spotting wildlife, especially bears coming to eat the spawning salmon!
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There is very little elevation gain, around 198 feet. If you continue on to the less developed trail the last 4 miles that is popular with ATVs, there is an additional 200 feet of elevation gain.
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This is a salmon spawning creek, so there's plenty of wildlife to view! Including bears, so be sure to practice bear safety by bringing bear spray and being vocal on the trail.
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It's located in the third largest state park in the United States, the Chugach State Park. There are over 500,000 acres of gorgeous Alaskan wilderness surrounding you!
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It's very popular all year round, including in the winter. Because of the maze of trails it's important to stay oriented and remember where you need to go to head back to your car!
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The trail is open to many types of recreational activities, including horseback riding, ATVs, cross country skiing, mountain biking, and more! Dogs are welcome too, but must be on a leash.
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Stay along the valley floor for an an easy hike and turn around when you start to become tired. Or take one of the side trails and ascend Bird Pass or Penguin Peak for a real workout!
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You can find parking at the Bird Valley Trailhead at this Address: 101.2 Seward Highway, Alaska. There is a $5.00 daily pass parking fee.
Have you ever hiked the Bird Valley Trail? Did you enjoy it? Would you recommend it? Let us know in the comments below!
If you’re near Girdwood, grab lunch after the hike and Eat Your Way Through This One Tiny Town In Alaska!
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