The League of American Bicyclists awarded Anchorage a Silver Award for bike-friendliness. The city was recognized for its extensive trail network. It also has a bike-friendly culture, with events and educational programs that encourage bicycling and avoiding bicycle accidents.

According to the city’s official trail map, Anchorage has over 250 miles of paved multi-use trails. These trails are exclusively for non-motorized traffic, including pedestrians, bicycles, and scooters. Continue reading to learn which neighborhoods provide significant benefits to riders.

Downtown

The Downtown area includes many of the city’s tourist attractions and restaurants. Several parks, including Town Square Park and Delaney Park Strip, are located here.

The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and Ship Creek Trail circle the area and connect it to other neighborhoods to the south and east, respectively. Downtown also has several on-road bike lanes on major roads such as 4th Ave., A St., and E St. A bike repair station is located in Margaret Eagan Sullivan Park.

Finally, while People Mover public buses serve the entire city, the system has comprehensive coverage in Downtown. The buses are equipped with bike racks to carry riders to and from Downtown.

Fairview

Fairview has the Chester Creek multi-use trail. Attractions on this trail include Mulcahy Stadium, Chester Creek Sports Complex, and Charles Smith Memorial Park.

Cordova St. has a bike lane that runs north from the Chester Creek trail. Riders can take this route to the Anchorage Farmer’s Market and the roads that run to Downtown.

Sand Lake

The Campbell Creek Trail runs through the Sand Lake neighborhood. The trail connects this area to Midtown and Downtown. Bikeways on Diamond Blvd., Sand Lake Rd., and Jewel Lake Rd. also connect this area to other neighborhoods in Anchorage.

Girdwood

Girdwood exposes riders to forests and wildlife. It is connected to Bird Creek by the Bird to Gird Trail. Once there, riders can take the Alyeska Highway to reach the tram to the Alyeska Resort.

Additionally, Girdwood is on the Historic Iditarod and Crow Pass Trail through Chugach State Park. Eagle River sits at the other end of this trail.

Eagle River

Eagle River has extensive on-street bike lanes. It is connected to Anchorage by the Glenn Highway Trail and Girdwood by the Historic Iditarod and Crow Pass Trail. The Fire Creek Trail runs through the city. The neighborhood is a great choice for long-distance cyclists.

The Moose Loop

Moose Loop is not a neighborhood. Instead, it is a 32-mile paved trail route that circles Anchorage. It has two loops, allowing riders to ride around or through the city. 

This loop is made up of the city’s four main multi-use trails:

  • Campbell Creek Trail
  • Ship Creek Trail
  • Tony Knowles Coastal Trail
  • Chester Creek Trail

This loop allows riders to visit the Downtown, Midtown, Oceanview, and Mountain View neighborhoods. Notably, the Moose Loop was not named because riders will encounter moose while riding. Instead, it is called the Moose Loop because its outline is shaped roughly like a moose’s head.

Riding Safely in Anchorage

Bicyclists can access every neighborhood in Anchorage, although some neighborhoods are more accessible by trails and bike lanes than others. To navigate the city safely, riders should obtain one of the many bike trail maps provided by the city.

These maps help riders plan routes that incorporate trails and bikeways. For neighborhoods not reachable by dedicated bicycle infrastructure, riders can use the People Mover app or website to plan a public transportation route.