Eagle River Area
MP 0
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MP 0
| Eagle River Campground
| Access: As you take the off-ramp from Anchorage at the Glenn Highway MP 11.4, stay in the left lane, and cross the Eagle River Loop Road, following the Glenn Highway Frontage Road (VFW Road) for .6 miles. Turn right on Hesterberg and drive .7 miles. Nice campground with short trails for river access. The river take-out is at the day-use area. Concessionaire-operated. Alaska State Parks daily use fee or Annual Pass, or camping fee.
Lat N 61⁰ 18.381’ Long W 149⁰ 34.299’ Elevation 280’ | Links:
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MP .1 E. Eagle River Loop Road
| South Fork Valley Trails
(Eagle and Symphony Lakes, Hanging Valley Trail, Hunter Pass, Rendezvous Ridge)
| Access: From Anchorage, at the end of the off-ramp from the Glenn Highway MP 11.4, turn east on E. Eagle River Loop Road and drive .1 miles, then an immediate right on Highland Road. Stay on the main road both coming and going (the name changes a few times). Drive 7.2 miles on the main road. Turn right on South Creek Road (not S. River Ln!), and drive .3 miles. Turn right on W. River Drive. At .1 miles turn left into the parking lot for the trail system. Alaska State Parks daily use fee or Annual Pass.
Turn off: Trailhead: Lat N 61⁰ 17.742’ Lat N 61⁰ 13.957’ Long W 149⁰ 35.228’ Long W 149⁰ 27.363’ Elevation 482’ Elevation 1923’
Distance: 4.8 miles to Eagle Lake, but the trail splits and continues next to and beyond both Symphony and Eagle Lakes. Elevation Gain: 850’ to Eagle Lake Difficulty: Easy first part, difficult closer to Eagle Lake due to talus (rocks) Best Months: Year-round
After leaving the trailhead, there is a trail to the west at .4 mile to Hunter Pass/Arctic Valley Trailhead, another trail to the west at 1.8 for Rendezvous Ridge, and at ~2.8 miles is an unmarked trail to the east for Hanging Valley Trail. The first part of the trail has good tread. After the first bridge at 2.3 miles, there are some rocky areas and stretches of mud. After the second bridge, you are hiking in boulders and talus, and the walking is difficult. It is very easy to miss rock cairns, and people have also built them all over the place, so it is difficult to stay on the route. After crossing the bridge, when you reach the second rock cairn, it looks like you should go straight, but instead, look to the left for the third large rock cairn. Stay fairly close to the shore of Eagle Lake on the shelf just above the lake shore, and you will be less likely to get off the trail. It is very slow going and easy to get hurt, so don’t attempt to navigate this in the dark. If you get off the trail, it is easy to miss the unmarked split between Symphony Lakes and the south shore of Eagle Lake (State Parks shows the trail on the north shore, which you can also pick you way along). Although this can easily be done as a day hike, an overnight or two backpacking can allow exploration of the areas past the lakes. You can continue past Eagle Lake to get to Flute Glacier (12 miles total each way), but this requires route-finding and is not a maintained trail. Valerie’s Rating: ❺ | Links:
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MP 1.66 E. Eagle River Loop Road
| Lower Eagle River Trail / Greenbelt
| Access: From Anchorage, at the end of the off-ramp from the Glenn Highway MP 11.4, turn east on E. Eagle River Loop Road and drive 1.66 miles. There is an unsigned turnoff to the east, before you cross the bridge over Eagle River. Drive down a poorly maintained .4 mile dirt road (high-clearance recommended) to the trailhead. Alaska State Parks daily use fee or Annual Pass.
Lat N 61⁰ 17.803’ Long W 149⁰ 32.473’ Elevation 338’
Distance: 1.8 miles Elevation Loss: 105’ Difficulty: Easy Best Months: Year-round
The old route crosses private property after 1.5 miles, and is marked “no trespassing.” The trail has been re-routed to the left to circumvent the private property, but quickly enters a boggy-pond area where the trail is no longer passible in non-frozen months. The old road leading to the re-route is full of mud holes, and has very few views. The most I can say for it is that it’s one of the few bike-able trails in the area, and a fairly easy ski in winter with no avalanche danger. Valerie’s Rating: ❷ | Links:
Downloads: Eagle River Greenbelt Evaluation
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MP 1.6 Eagle River Road
| Baldy & Blacktail Rocks
| Access: From Anchorage, at the end of the off-ramp from the Glenn Highway MP 13.4, stay in the right lane, then curve onto Eagle River Road and drive 1.6 miles, then turn left onto Eagle River Loop road. Turn right on W. Skyline Dr., which turns into Jamie Dr., and then McCrary Rd. Turn right on Upper Skyline Dr., which curves into Canyon View Dr. Then left on Golden Eagle Dr. to the end of the road, where there are large parking lots (total drive 3.5 miles from the left turn onto Eagle River Loop road). See the driving directions GPS map in “Downloads.”
Lat N 61⁰ 20.284’ Long W 149⁰ 30.727’ Elevation 1822’
Distance: 1.4 miles to Baldy, 2.5 miles to Blacktail Rocks Elevation Gain: 1204’ to Baldy, 1609’ to Blacktail Rocks Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous Best Months: Summer-Fall
From the parking lot there is a red gate to the left, and a silver one to the right; take the one to the right. At the top of the first pitch you will see the trailhead sign. The newer trail has a lot of switchbacks compared to the old trail, but it is very mucky almost the entire way. There is a lot of road noise from the highway, though the views are beautiful. At .9 mile you cross the old trail in a rocky steep section and you can’t see the continuation of the new trail on the other side; go up and to the right about 50’ and there are stairs cut into the rock, and then you can see the continuation of the trail. It does start to feel drop off-y the closer you get to the top, though it’s not as bad as it seems. Once you reach the top of Baldy you can continue on the ridge line to Blacktail Rocks. Valerie’s Rating: ❸ | Links:
Downloads: Road to Baldy & Blacktail Rocks GPS map
Baldy & Blacktail Rocks GPS Trail & Topo Maps
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MP 3.6 Eagle River Road
| Mt. Magnificent
| Access: From Anchorage, at the end of the off-ramp from the Glenn Highway MP 13.4, stay in the right lane, then curve onto Eagle River Road and drive 3.6 miles (MP 3.6). Turn left on Mile Hi Avenue. This curves left into Mile Hi Way. Turn right on Lower Canyon Dr., left on Willson Way, curve right onto Upper Canyon Dr., curve left onto Sheppard Dr., turn right onto Lynx Way, (total 1.64 miles). Not all the roads are marked with street signs, so follow the GPS map under “Downloads.” There is very little parking. The trailhead is just to the right of a sign that says “No Parking Beyond This Point.” Walk toward the red gate and either take the steeper way under the power lines, or pass through the gate past the communications buildings and take the switchbacks.
Turn off: Trailhead: Lat N 61⁰ 18.641’ Lat N 61⁰ 18.814’ Long W 149⁰ 28.718’ Long W 149⁰ 27.916’ Elevation 744’ Elevation 1513’
Distance: 1 mile to false summit, 1.5 miles to overlook, 2.5 miles to summit (unverified) Elevation Gain: 2670’ (unverified) Difficulty: Strenuous Best Months: Summer, Fall
The section of trail between the false summit and summit should only be attempted by very experienced mountaineers since it requires route-finding and dangerous sections. | Links: Mt. Magnificent Hiking Article
Downloads: Road to Mt Magnificent GPS map
Mt Magnificent Powerline Trail
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MP 7.8 Eagle River Road
| North Fork Trailhead
| Access: From Anchorage, at the end of the off-ramp from the Glenn Highway MP 13.4, stay in the right lane, then curve onto Eagle River Road and drive 7.8 miles. Turn right into parking area. The trail starts from the east end of the parking lot -- the opposite end from where the restrooms are. This is mainly a launch site for non-motorized watercraft for Eagle River, though you can continue along the river bank past the end of the official trail. Alaska State Parks daily use fee or Annual Pass.
Lat N 61⁰ 16.603’ Long W 149⁰ 22.618’ Elevation 346’
Distance: .5 miles Elevation Gain: 26’ Difficulty: Easy Best Months: Year-round Valerie’s Rating: ❸ | Links:
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MP 12.3 Eagle River Road
| Eagle River Nature Center & Trail System
| Access: From Anchorage, at the end of the off-ramp from the Glenn Highway MP 13.4, stay in the right lane, then curve onto Eagle River Road and drive 12.3 miles to the end of Eagle River Road. There is a parking fee; the Alaska State Parks Annual Pass is not valid here.
Lat N 61⁰ 14.084’ Long W 149⁰ 16.289’ Elevation 514’
Distance: Rodak Nature Loop - .7 mile loop Albert Loop Trail – 2.8 mile loop Dew Mound Trail – 3 miles each way Elevation Gain: 100-300’ depending on trail Difficulty: Easy - Moderate Best Months: Year-round
The Crow Pass Trail is also accessed from here - 21 miles (see this link). Bicycles are not allowed on the trails with the exception of winter bike access to the Eagle River using the north segment of the Albert Loop Trail. Valerie’s Rating: ❹ | Links:
Eagle River Nature Center Trails
Eagle River Nature Center Guide
Facebook Page
Eagle River Nature Center Trails Conditions
Downloads: Eagle River Nature Center Brochure
Eagle River Nature Center Guide
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