Skip to content

Best Mountain Hikes near Anchorage

The directory currently contains 9 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Anchorage. Their average mapped distance is 9.8 km and average recorded ascent is 786 m (2,579 ft); the longest route in the set is 36.3 km.

This subset represents 47% of the 19 quality-checked routes near Anchorage. Its average distance is 9.8 km, compared with 8.1 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 786 m (2,579 ft), versus 476 m (1,562 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

These routes carry the mountain tag. Their measured distance and ascent are shown separately so the label is not used as a proxy for difficulty. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 4 (44%) are rated hard or expert, and 0 (0%) are recorded as loops. Ratings are computed from available distance and elevation data and do not establish current terrain or access.

Data refreshed September 2026

Choose by the details

How do these routes differ?

A closer look at the first 6 routes in this page’s default ordering. These comparisons describe this sample, not the entire destination or a field-tested recommendation.

Shortest mapped distance in this sample

3.0 km

Rendezvous Peak from Arctic Valley

Compare the climbing too; shortest does not necessarily mean easiest.

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

342 m

Little O'Malley Peak Trail

6 of 6 have ascent data. Missing measurements are excluded.

Return logistics

0 recorded loops

Check start and finish for every option. An unknown shape does not mean a loop, and a loop does not establish access to its start.

Plan the return journey →

Distances follow stored route lines; ascent and time are estimates. Current access, surface and technical difficulty need separate checks. How to turn a comparison into a shortlist.

Trails

Hard

Powerline Pass

Alaska · United States

Distance
22.1 km
/ 13.8 mi
Elevation gain
853 m
Typical duration
6 hr 6 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Little O'Malley Peak Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
3.8 km
/ 2.4 mi
Elevation gain
342 m
Typical duration
1 hr 19 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
Expert

Crow Pass Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
36.3 km
/ 22.5 mi
Elevation gain
1,022 m
Typical duration
9 hr 43 min
  • Mountain
Hard

McHugh Peak Trail South

Alaska · United States

Distance
6.3 km
/ 3.9 mi
Elevation gain
1,230 m
Typical duration
3 hr 9 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
Alpenglow light on North Suicide Peak, a 5,065-foot summit in Chugach State Park, just to the East of Anchorage, Alaska. Photo taken from the NW ridge of McHugh Peak. winterbear.com
Moderate

McHugh Peak Trail North

Alaska · United States

Distance
4.4 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
657 m
Typical duration
1 hr 54 min
  • Mountain
  • Summit push
  • Panoramic viewpoint
February camping on Wolverine Peak. This wouldn't be an ideal spot in summer because there is so much traffic on Wolverine (the trail connects with the center rige just a few hundred feet behind the tent), but there was plenty of winter sol
Hard

Wolverine Peak via Basher

Alaska · United States

Distance
6.4 km
/ 4.0 mi
Elevation gain
1,076 m
Typical duration
2 hr 57 min
  • Mountain
Moderate

Harp Mountain Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
755 m
Typical duration
1 hr 38 min
  • Mountain

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Powerline PassAlaska22.1 km853 m6 hr 6 minHardApril to October
Little O'Malley Peak TrailAlaska3.8 km342 m1 hr 19 minModerateApril to October
Crow Pass TrailAlaska36.3 km1,022 m9 hr 43 minExpertApril to October
Rendezvous Peak from Arctic ValleyAlaska3.0 km445 m1 hr 18 minModerateApril to October
McHugh Peak Trail SouthAlaska6.3 km1,230 m3 hr 9 minHardApril to October
McHugh Peak Trail NorthAlaska4.4 km657 m1 hr 54 minModerateApril to October
Wolverine Peak via BasherAlaska6.4 km1,076 m2 hr 57 minHardApril to October
Rendezvous Peak from HilandAlaska3.5 km698 m1 hr 47 minModerateApril to October
Harp Mountain TrailAlaska2.4 km755 m1 hr 38 minModerateApril to October

Powerline Pass, Little O'Malley Peak Trail, Crow Pass Trail currently rank highest in this filtered set according to the directory score. Open an individual route to inspect its mapped line, elevation profile, data source and planning caveats. Check live access, conditions and local rules with an official source before travelling.

Frequently asked questions

Plan with more confidence

All planning articles →

Choosing a route

How to choose a hike beyond the difficulty label

Compare distance, climbing, route shape and missing information to build a shortlist that fits your day.

Read article →

Understanding the map

Read an elevation profile without misreading the climb

Understand total ascent, net height change, profile scale and the section breakdown on each mapped route.

Read article →

Planning your day

Build a hiking time plan with room for your own pace

Separate moving time, climbing allowance and stops, then explore how changing your assumptions changes the plan.

Read article →

Related guides

Other shortlists covering the same area or the same kind of terrain.

People also search for