Anchorage has an award-winning network of paved bike trails spanning the city along wooded greenbelts. You rarely see a building and almost always cross roads and rail lines through tunnels and over bridges, so you're never in traffic. Here are two of the best.
Lanie Fleischer Chester Creek Trail -- Starting at an intersection with the Coastal Trail at Westchester Lagoon, this trail runs about 4 miles east along the greenbelt to Goose Lake, where you can swim in a cool woodland pond at the end of a bike ride and perhaps buy ice cream -- still, improbably enough, in the middle of the city. South from the lake, a wooded trail leads through the university campus and, with some navigation, to miles more riding. The paved bike trails, including the Fleischer, stay well back in the trees, so you rarely see a building, and tunnels and bridges span all road and railroad crossings, so you're never in traffic.
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail -- Leading 10 miles from the western end of 2nd Avenue along the shore to Kincaid Park, the coastal trail is among the best things about Anchorage. It's a unique pathway to the natural environment from the heart of downtown. One can ride parallel to beluga whales swimming along the trail at high tide and encounter several moose on a single ride. (Don't approach moose or bears or try to slip by; wait at a safe distance for them to go their own way.) One popular entrance is at Elderberry Park, at the western end of 5th Avenue. Westchester Lagoon (a pond) is 10 blocks south of Elderberry Park. From downtown, the lagoon is a good destination for a lovely stroll and a fine place to picnic and feed the ducks, which nest on small islands. A Frisbee golf course is on the northeast side.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
