Hike Bird Ridge, Anchorage

What: Bird ridge is one of the most iconic hikes in Turnagain arm offering unparalleled views of the ocean and surrounding valleys. At 3200ft of elevation gain and 5 miles roundtrip, this hike is rated as Hard.

When to go: Can be accessed year round, but best to go in the summer months. Thanks to direct sun exposure this is one of the first trails to fully melt in the season, thus it’s worth hiking this anywhere between May and September.

How to get there: https://goo.gl/maps/o12bdV4XSsrw6mpZ6
Alltrails link: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/alaska/bird-ridge

Tips:

• This hike is a grueling steep climb basically the whole way so come prepared to sweat! However, you will very quickly clear the tree line and enjoy amazing views all the way to the top. The trail starts to get a bit narrow at the top but offers comfortable ridge hiking as far back as you’d like to go.
• The trail can be a bit tough on the knees coming back down so it may be wise to bring along walking poles.
• Given the exposed mountain face, it can get extremely windy on the trail, especially at the top.
• This whole area is popular for bears, so definitely bring plenty of bear spray and make noise via bells/music along the way.