Description

This is Anchorage's most scenic urban trail, and that's because most of the scenery is hardly urban at all.

Though it begins in downtown Anchorage, the Coastal Trail stays among trees and grass for most of its length, as it traces the shoreline on the Cook Inlet.

By riding, running, or walking this paved path, you'll see surprisingly varied environments and probably spot some wildlife.

You'll also pass through small parks with memorials and educational signs, such as Earthquake Park with tells the story of Alaska's biggest quake. As for wildlife, look for sea birds, wading birds and eagles on the mudflats as the tide rolls out.

You might also pause and watch the mudflats quickly fill if the tide is coming in.

The woods and marshes around the Coastal Trail make especially good habitat for moose, and they are a common sight in Anchorage.

Bears live here too, but are less often seen.

Even though these large animals live in the city, they can be dangerous, so be sure to give moose and bear their space. In all, the Coastal Trail stretches about 11 miles from downtown to Kincaid Park.

It's mapped here as a one-way north to south in order to show the entire trail, but most people ride just part of the trail as an out and back.

You can start from either end, or from any of the smaller parks in between.

You could also make a broader loop to see more of the city, by linking with roads or other paths like [Chester Creek Trail](https://fatmap.com/routeid/2794099).