HOW TO BICYCLE ANCHORAGE’S FOUR GREEENBELT BIKE PATHS
I. SHIP CREEK TRAIL.
This 2.6-mile-long, $12 million trail is known for its many impressive bridges, the salmon that swim beneath them, and the people trying to catch them. To get to this trail from DBR, take a RIGHT on E and a RIGHT on 2nd. Trail begins behind Ulu Factory. When trail ends, decide whether to retrace and return downtown, or make a circuit. To ride a circuit, bike on Richmond Ave three blocks then take a right on Taylor. Pass car wash on right and proceed through intersection. Now you are on Mt. View Dr. Cross Glenn Hwy. Now you are on Airport Heights. Quick right onto Merrill Field Dr. This low-speed road is alot like a bike path. It curves through the airfield then ends a a busy intersection. Cross E. 15th/Debarr to Lake Otis Blvd the ride on sidewalk to E. 20th. Use E. 20th traffic light to cross road then ride on sidewalk against traffic to ball field and get on Chester Creek Trail at the bottom of the hill. Now either ride with the flow of the creek to the Coastal Trail or head east and bike the Chester Creek Trail. (See III below.)
II. TONY KNOWLES COASTAL TRAIL. eThis 11-mile-long trail is the city's best. From DBR, right on E, left on 2nd. At Elderberry Park, slow down hill with concrete barriers into tunnel under railroad tracks. One mile to second tunnel and Westchester Lagoon. This is mile-marker zero. Right at the fork. Wooden bridge over marsh. Third tunnel. Ocean on right rest of way. Climb hill into Earthquake Park. At top of hill, jets take off and land over your head. SLOW – 3 sharp turns. Many moose and other wildlife in woods. At mile eight there is a steep hill. Top of hill is end and Kincaid Park. Return downtown by retracing on Coastal Trail or via Alternate Return Route.
Alternate Return Route Description.
Good:
Three miles longer than retracing on Coastal Trail. Nice new 3-mile paved bike path in woods buffered from park access road. This route offers places to eat including a Tastee Freeze (Jewell Lk & Raspberry) and deck of Millennium Hotel overlooking Lake Spenard. Bike around world’s largest seaplane base. Alaska Aviation Museum is on southwest corner of L ake Hood. This route offers option of taking the bus back downtown. (Raspberry & Jewell Lake Rd.) People Mover bus can accommodate only two bikes. Bus fare is $1.75. Bus route is # 7 or 7a. Use bus stop caddy-corner from Tastee Freeze. The # 7 turns right on Raspberry.
Bad:
Three miles longer than retracing on Coastal Trail. Ride on bike trails buffered from roads. One big, busy intersection. MUST carefully read and follow map and directions or you will get lost and/or caught up in midtown traffic.
Discussion/Decide
Alternate Return Route Directions:
Ride east on new bike path next to Raspberry Road. At Tastee Freeze, left on Jewell Lake Road. Ride against traffic on bike path. IMPORTANT: Go slow down hill because there is cracked pavement and a big bump. Cross International Airport Road. Now you are on Spenard Road. Continue against traffic on Spenard’s sidewalk. Next, either ride on bike path behind Millennium Hotel or take a left on WISCONSIN ST. Either way you MUST TAKE A LEFT ON WISCONSIN after Hotel. Next take a quick left on Lakeshore Drive. Ride about 1 mile amongst float planes. Keep going. (Lakeshore magically morphs into Lake Hood Drive.) Right on Helio (a very short street). RIGHT on road with right-pointing arrow to "Northern Lights Blvd ." (In reality, you are another Lake Hood Drive. Ride about 1 mile. Left on Pt. Woronzof. (Don’t turn right on N. Lights.) Use bike path in woods on north side of road. Quick right into Earthquake Park parking lot which reconnects to Coastal Trail. At Westchester Lagoon, either return downtown, detour to Sagaya’s, or bike Chester Chester Creek Trail.
Detour to Sagaya’s City Market:
Description: Sagaya’s
is a modern neighborhood supermarket with healthy buffet-style, reasonably-priced food. It has Chinese food, sushi, an espresso bar, and a bakery. On sunny days, eat outside on the west-facing patio.
Directions:
At Westchester Lagoon, ride east toward mountains. Go through one tube tunnel (under Minnesota Drive) then take your first left and ride up hill to 15th Avenue. Sagaya’s is at 13th & I across the street from Inlet Tower Hotel. After visiting Sagaya’s, either return downtown on G St., or choose III.
III. CHESTER CREEK TRAIL & MIDTOWN CIRCUIT
This five mile paved trail is in the bottom of the valley between midtown and downtown. Trail follows creek. Tube tunnels under roads to University of Alaska. At UAA, choose between Midtown Circuit or Campbell Creek Trail. (Page 3.)
Directions: From the lagoon, bike east toward mountains. About four miles out at triangle intersection, bear right, climb hill then take a RIGHT after pedestrian bridge over Northern Lights Blvd. At Goose Lake, re-enter trail at left side of parking lot. Ride around lake. Left on UAA Drive. In front of hospital, choose between Midtown Circuit or Campbell Creek Trail on page 3.
Midtown Circuit Directions: RIGHT
on Providence Drive. Use bike path buffered from road. Cross Lake Otis Blvd. Ride on sidewalk. Now you’re on 36th Ave. Cross Seward Hwy. Perhaps stop at Loussac Library between Denali & A. Return downtown on Midtown Bike Path buffered from A Street.
FLAT TIRE OR BIKE BREAKDOWN. CALL DBR: 907-279-3334.
IV. CAMPBELL CREEK TRAIL.
In front of Providence Hospital, take a left. Right on Elmore Road. Cross Tudor. Stay on Elmore. Right on 48.th Looking left, bike through parking lot next to woods. Look for statue of bear and man. Enter Campbell Creek Trail. Riding west. After about a mile, trail is interrupted by Lake Otis Blvd. Either carefully cross this busy road, or ride against traffic on bike path to Waldron Tunnel then backtrack to 47th Left on 47th. Trail begins again. Soccer fields and pond on right. When trail ends, ride west on Rakof to Becharof. Look left. Walk bikes through short wooden posts stuck in ground to creek then under highway spans. No foolin!’ After crossing under freeway, proceed over bridge from Nowhere. Right on paved trail. At Creekside Saloon, exit left and check-out chocolate fall at Alaska Wildberry Products. This is Grizzly Junction. Next continue south on trail. About 2-miles later, after Taku Lake, there is an arched lamp shaped like a fishhook. Now choose between A, B or C.
A. Detour to Baseball Batting Cage: Exit trail on left before fishhook lamp. Take a left onto the sidewalk and ride against traffic on Dimond to King Street. Right on King. Batting cage is one mile south on King Street just before 100th Ave. Ask cage clerk for our padded bike gloves before batting. Next choose between B and C.
B. Pull the Plug: From fishhook lamp backtrack toward Taku Lake. After covered picnic table, take first left onto long elevated wooden bridge. At traffic light, ride north behind sound barrier on midtown bike path buffered from C Street. This trail is a straight shot back downtown. Consider short detour to Midtown Park and Loussac Library. (Right on 40th or 38th.)
C. Return Downtown on Coastal Trail or Around Float Plane Base: Continue past fishhook lamp along trail. Trail meanders with creek. Exit trail at Banjo Drive and West 88.th (If you find yourself on Dimond Blvd, retrace to last fork and go other way.) Ride west on W. 88th to Jewell Lake Road. Next choose 1 or 2 below.
1. Via Coastal Trail:
Cross Jewell Lake Road and take a left. (Use bike path on west side of road.) Right on Dimond. Right on Sand Lake Rd. Ride about 2 miles. Left on Raspberry Rd. Ride on bike path buffered from road against traffic. Trail connects to Tony Knowles Coastal Trail. (Slow down hill.) Return downtown.
2. Float Plane Base:
If you want to return downtown quicker and ride around the float plane base, read directions for Alternate Return Route at II B on page 2. (Right on Jewell Lake Road leads to Tastee Freeze.)
Flat Tire or Bike Breakdown, call Downtown Bicycle Rental: 907-279-3334.