Outdoor Adventures
Anchorage is your gateway to Alaska’s great outdoors. Find the best hiking trails, fishing spots, wildlife viewing areas, glacier tours, and backcountry adventures. See our full guide to things to do in Anchorage for how outdoor time fits into a broader trip.
Deep inside Mendenhall Glacier, meltwater has carved chambers and tunnels of compressed ancient ice — glowing an impossible blue in the half-light. The caves are only reachable by guided tour, they change every year as the glacier retreats, and they sell out weeks in advance. Here's everything you need to plan your 2026 visit.
Girdwood sits 45 minutes from Anchorage: Alyeska's Glacier Bowl Gondola, Winner Creek's hand-tram, Crow Creek Mine gold panning, and excellent dining await.
Discover how Alaska's endless summer days create the perfect conditions for unforgettable adventures, from flightseeing tours to sled dog experiences and glacier exploration.
About 26 miles from Anchorage, Eklutna pairs two of the most distinctive destinations in the region: a historic Athabascan village with a cemetery unlike anything else in Alaska, and a glacially-fed turquoise lake backed by towering peaks.
Discover the ultimate Alaska summer adventures including flightseeing, sled dog experiences, and scenic drives during the peak tourism season.
Plan your Anchorage to Denali day trip: Alaska Railroad, Parks Highway, or guided tour — plus bus reservations, best months, and what to do in the park.
From beginner flatwater at Eklutna Lake to glacier kayaking in Prince William Sound, here's how to plan your paddling near Anchorage in summer 2026.
Plan the Anchorage to Homer road trip in 2026 — 225 miles of Kenai Peninsula scenery with Beluga Point, Portage Glacier, Girdwood, Soldotna, and Homer Spit.
Camping inside Denali National Park — from the forested sites near the entrance to the iconic Wonder Lake at Mile 85 — requires planning, patience with reservations, and a willingness to ride the park bus. Here's how to do it right.
Everything non-climbers want to know about Denali mountaineering: permits, the West Buttress route, ski plane base camp approach, and the town of Talkeetna.