You've Never Experienced Anything As Peaceful As This Picturesque Lagoon In Alaska

The residents of Alaska’s largest city are lucky to have access to a picturesque lagoon with epic views of the Chugach Mountains and huge Alaskan skies. If you find yourself downtown and with an afternoon free, take the 15-minute stroll down the trail to Westchester Lagoon. This glittering oasis is a popular spot year-round for locals to soak up some sun and enjoy the glassy lagoon. The lagoon is crawling with wildlife and you will love watching the ducks and other Alaskan creatures that inhabit the area. Head to Westchester Lagoon for a wonderful way to experience a peaceful slice of nature in Alaska’s largest city.

Westchester Lagoon
1824 West 15th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501

Just a fifteen minute walk from downtown Anchorage, Westchester Lagoon lies in the Margaret Eagan Sullivan Park. This picturesque lagoon is a year-round hot spot for Anchorage residents and visitors alike.

The lagoon lies at the convergence of the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and the Chester Creek Trail, two of Anchorage's major access routes for walkers, runners, and bicyclists, as well as a training area for skate-skiing and roller-skiing.

This is a popular place for families and the playground is a hit. There are slides, rocking animals, and a jungle gym for the children as well as an outdoor fitness station for adults.

Wildlife is plentiful in the area and many visit the wetlands to spy some of Alaska's creatures. Along the shoreline, you can often spot muskrats, otters, minks, snowshoe hares, voles, beavers and red fox.

This is a popular place for birds as well, with hundreds of species traveling through on their annual migration. Visit in the Spring and early fall to see the geese and other flocks of birds stopping by on on their journey.

On the marshy west side, resident birds include ducks, mallards, pintails, wigeons, scaup, grebes, and shorebirds. Many people come here to visit the ducks and relax in their peaceful habitat.

Listen for the melody of songbirds and the watch raptors hunt on the wooded east side of the lagoon. Moose may wander out of the forest into the water to snack or cool off in the summer.

Locals often paddleboard, canoe, kayak on the lagoon, and you can rent equipment downtown if you want to try. There are miles of trails in the vicinity and many use them year-round for training in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter.

In the winter, the lagoon freezes solid and becomes a beautiful natural ice rink. Many residents ice skate and play hockey on Saturdays between January and March. Burn barrels provide places for fires to warm up after your skate.

Visit Westchester Lagoon near downtown Anchorage for a family fun day watching the ducks and relaxing in Alaska's beauty. Stay as long as it takes for your mind to become as calm as the picturesque lagoon.

Driving Directions:

The lagoon is accessible from Spenard Road and West 19th Avenue to the Chester Creek greenbelt and trails. Take Spenard Road north from its intersection with Fireweed Lane toward downtown Anchorage. The parking area is on your left as you cross the Campbell Creek bridge. Heading south from downtown, take “L” Street and turn right on 15th Avenue, then drive to the end of the road.

Be amazed by the 26 Surprising Things You Might Not Expect When Moving To Alaska. And although the cold is not everyone’s idea of perfect, here are 20 Reasons Why Alaska Offers The Best Quality Of Life In The World.

Have you been to Westchester Lagoon? Tell us about it in the comments below.

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You've Never Experienced Anything As Peaceful As This Picturesque Lagoon In Alaska

Carey Seward

Author

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