Running trails in Anchorage, AK
Anchorage has 20 trails in the directory — 4 paved and 4 on crushed gravel or dirt, 4 loops that return to the trailhead, and 12 open 24 hours. 18 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 8,112 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Chugach State Park
4.8 ★★★★★ 2,510 reviews
Massive park with coastline, mountains, glaciers & lakes, plus camping, a ski area & nature center.
Earthquake Park
4.5 ★★★★★ 1,405 reviews
A devastating 1964 earthquake shaped this hilly area, which offers trails & an interpretive display.
Glen Alps / Flattop Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 1,072 reviews
Walking route past blueberry bushes & hemlock trees, with panoramic views of Anchorage & Cook Inlet.
Margaret Eagan Sullivan Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 906 reviews
Green space with a paved biking & walking path fronting Westchester Lagoon, plus mountain views.
Far North Bicentennial Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 608 reviews
Popular 4,000-acre park with 100-plus miles of multi-use trails, skiing, a botanical garden & more.
Coastal Trail - Elderberry Park
4.6 ★★★★★ 599 reviews
Path popular for walking and biking on a coastal track.
Anchorage Coastal Trail Beach Access
4.8 ★★★★★ 197 reviews
Scenic trail for biking and walking featuring coastal scenery and moose.
Falls Creek Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 145 reviews
Short, easy hike leading to a picturesque waterfall that visitors can walk around.
Westchester Lagoon Nature Trail
4.6 ★★★★★ 150 reviews
Recreational area for walking and birdwatching, as well as ice skating (in winter).
Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 102 reviews
Scenic biking and hiking trail also popular with joggers, featuring views of the coast and wildlife, plus bike rentals.
Smokejumper Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 96 reviews
Wooded hiking route featuring varied terrain, plus wildlife such as moose and bears.
Prospect Heights Trailhead
4.7 ★★★★★ 95 reviews
Popular hiking area with trails toward Wolverine Peak, featuring scenic vistas of the Chugach.
Chester Creek Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 12 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Anchorage
- Match the surface to your legs. Anchorage gives you a choice: 4 paved, 4 natural surface, and 2 mixed. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More paved trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 4 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 12 trails in Anchorage are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 18 of the 20 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 13 have trailhead parking and 5 have restrooms in Anchorage. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 1 that runners describe as quiet, 5 dog-friendly, and 5 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Anchorage trails by type
Running trails near Anchorage
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.