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Moderate Hiking Trails near Anchorage

The directory currently contains 13 quality-checked routes matching this guide near Anchorage. Their average mapped distance is 4.6 km and average recorded ascent is 358 m (1,175 ft); the longest route in the set is 16.5 km.

This subset represents 68% of the 19 quality-checked routes near Anchorage. Its average distance is 4.6 km, compared with 8.1 km across the full local set. Average recorded ascent is 358 m (1,175 ft), versus 476 m (1,562 ft) for all quality-checked routes in the same area.

Every route in this set is rated moderate by the directory’s distance-and-elevation model. Technical terrain and live conditions are not part of that rating. Within this set, 0 routes (0%) are rated easy, 0 (0%) 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

1.1 km

Thunderbird Falls Trail

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

Lowest recorded ascent in this sample

56 m

Thunderbird Falls 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

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
Moderate

Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
16.5 km
/ 10.3 mi
Elevation gain
103 m
Typical duration
3 hr 38 min
  • Coastal
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
Thunderbird Falls
Moderate

Thunderbird Falls Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
1.1 km
/ 0.7 mi
Elevation gain
56 m
Typical duration
19 min
  • Waterfall
  • Lake
Ptarmigan Peak brilliantly illuminated by the setting sun. Photographed from the summit of Flattop. The summit of Peak Two appears in the foreground.
Moderate

Flattop Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
2.4 km
/ 1.5 mi
Elevation gain
399 m
Typical duration
1 hr 6 min
Moderate

Rabbit Lake Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
6.6 km
/ 4.1 mi
Elevation gain
393 m
Typical duration
1 hr 58 min
  • Lake
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
Moderate

Mount Gordon Lyon Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
2.9 km
/ 1.8 mi
Elevation gain
427 m
Typical duration
1 hr 15 min
Moderate

South Fork Falls Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
0.7 km
/ 0.4 mi
Elevation gain
28 m
Typical duration
11 min
  • Waterfall
Moderate

Twin Peaks Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
4.2 km
/ 2.6 mi
Elevation gain
23 m
Typical duration
54 min
Cantata Peak is one of the tallest peaks at the head of South Fork Eagle River, in the Chugach Mountains of Alaska. winterbear.com
Moderate

South Fork Valley Trail

Alaska · United States

Distance
8.8 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
322 m
Typical duration
2 hr 19 min

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
Little O'Malley Peak TrailAlaska3.8 km342 m1 hr 19 minModerateApril to October
Rendezvous Peak from Arctic ValleyAlaska3.0 km445 m1 hr 18 minModerateApril to October
Tony Knowles Coastal TrailAlaska16.5 km103 m3 hr 38 minModerateApril to October
McHugh Peak Trail NorthAlaska4.4 km657 m1 hr 54 minModerateApril to October
Thunderbird Falls TrailAlaska1.1 km56 m19 minModerateApril to October
Flattop TrailAlaska2.4 km399 m1 hr 6 minModerateApril to October
Rendezvous Peak from HilandAlaska3.5 km698 m1 hr 47 minModerateApril to October
Rabbit Lake TrailAlaska6.6 km393 m1 hr 58 minModerateApril to October
Harp Mountain TrailAlaska2.4 km755 m1 hr 38 minModerateApril to October
Mount Gordon Lyon TrailAlaska2.9 km427 m1 hr 15 minModerateApril to October

Little O'Malley Peak Trail, Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Rendezvous Peak from Arctic Valley 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.

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