Chalet

Kincaid Park Chalet

 

Paved Bike Trails

Trail Use Period: All year

 

Bike Trail Along Raspberry Road: Round trip 4 mile

Difficulty: Strolling

 

 

The trail is paved and lighted. Despite running along Raspberry Road, the trail is quiet and secluded. From Chalet, cross the Raspberry Road, and you will be on the Bike Trail. From Chlet to the park entrance is a gradual down slope. The trail extends to become a sidewalk bike trail.

 

Bike Trail Tony Knowles Coastal Trail: 10.2 mile to downtown

Difficulty: Strolling

 

Kincaid Park is also the start of Tony Knowles coastal trail, named after Tony Knowles, a past Anchorage Mayor (1981-1987) and Alaska Govenor (1994-2002). As the name suggests, the trail starts from Chalet toward coast. The trail is paved, but no lights. The first mile is a down hill slope. After that the trail goes along the coast. Go as long as you want. There is a mile marker every half miles.

 

Ski Trail Loops:

Trail Use Period: Spring (After snow becomes unskiable) to Winter (before snowfall).

 

Mize Loop: 2.4 mile, + Arlene’s Way 1.2 mile

Difficulty: Walking/Hiking

Note: Part of the trail can be flooded and wet in the spring.

 

 

Mize Loop is Alaska Outdoor’s offcial adopted Trail. From May to October, we hike once a month and pick up trashes.

 

 

Direction

Mize Loop starts from the north end of the stadium on the 2nd right going into woods. There is a sign on right at the start of the trail. 1/ 4th mile after the entrance, the trail folks. Right is the Elliot’s climb, and Mize loop is on left. From here, the trail descends to Viola Swamp. This is the lowest part of the trail, and as the name suggests, the trail is often wet. In early spring, the entire area may become a lake. After passing the swamp, the trail climbs gradually and winds left and right. Right after you passed a Sharwood forest trail maker, you will see a sign “Alex Sission Trail” and a sign Arlene’s Way to Sission Trail.

 

From here, the trail ups and down and 90 degree turn right to another intersection. Left trail is a short-cut to Chalet and Stadium. On right, the Mize Loop continues to Inlet view. The trail goes up slope (called Puffin Climb) to Cook Inlet view. Hair pin curve to Pia-Margrethe’s Overlook with flower garden. The overlook and garden was named after a young Alaska outdoor enthusiast and student. Enjoy flowers and overview of Cook Inlet. If you are lucky, you may see a Bold Eagle sitting on a right tall tree. From here trail goes down the slope, passing Melissa’s way short cut, and reaching Arlene’s Overlook. From the Overlook, the trail goes down again and gradually goes up to Chalet. At the intersection, take left trail to complet Mize Loop. The trail circumbents newly built soccer fields and takes you back to the studiam.

 

Trail Extention

 

The Mize Loop can be extended by adding Arlene’s way (1.2 mile) and a short Sission loop (.3 mile). At the intersection of the Mize Loop-Arlene’s Way. Take Arlene’s way loop. The Arlene’s loop passes a broken fence, a boundary between Municiparity and Airport. The trail further bends left down to an intersection where you will find a sign “Ski for Women cutoff.” Right trail is the entrance to the Alex Sission Trail system, a very flat trail circling around gravel pit. You can add one more .3 mile loop that goes down to a pit and come back. Take straight route, and turn up slope trail left. From here, Alrene’s Way goes straight back to Mize Loop. Take right to continue Mize Loop.

 


 

 

Margaux’s Loop: 3.6 miles

Difficulty: Walking/Hiking

Margaux’s Loop is named in memory of Margaux Menaker (1982-1995) who was an enthusiastic biathlete killed in an unfortunate accident. The trail goes both north and south side of Raspberry Road. It has many ups and downs. The trail mostly goes through the birch and cottonwood forests. Observe the change of vesgitations. The trail is well marked with wood sign showing a direction.

 

Direction

 

The trail starts right below the parinking lot at the Stadium, a wide trail left of the Margaux Menaker Memorial Garden. As trail goes side of a hill, take the down hill trails straight ahead. As trail descends and bends right, it goes around a wet area on rigt. As trail goes upslope, take left trail straight to the Lower tunnel under the Raspberry Rd. The trail leads to a newly constructed Biathlon range. The trail contintues on your left wtih a sign. Tthe trail gradually goes upslope to the Mountain View section. As the name says, when wether is good, you should see Chugachi mountains in front you. As you pass the top of the Moutntain View, the trail decends down the left to Upper Tunnel. For short cut, take this tunnel and back to the Stadium.

To continute the loop, take the right down trail. As this trail bends down to left, you are going to the steep dwon slope trail, Little Niagra. At the next intersection as you go up the trail, take left trail following the sign. The trail will take you to a bridge. Cross the bridge, following sign, take left down slope trail. As the trail bends right , it starts gradual uphill through woods and some clearing area. As you pass the next sign, you are entering Burky’s Cimb through beautiufl cotton wood and birch wood forest. At the end of the gradual up slope, you reah an open area, named as World Cup Start Area. From here, the trail goes back to forest again with series of small up and down hills and back to the Stadium.

World Cup Loop: 3.5 miles

Difficulty: moderate ups and downs

 

Attraction of Kincaid Park is connecting varieties of trails. This World Cup Loop combines Elliot’s Climb and Easy Street and return back the north side of the Margaux’s Loop. The Loop goes bewteen Chalet and Raspberry Parking lot. So, you can start from the Raspberry Parking lot.

Direction

The trail starts at the North end on the Stadium, Mize Loop Trail entrance. As you enter the trail take first right, Elliot’s Climb trail. This trail is wider than Mize Loop Trail. The trail gradually goes straight half mile uphill reaching the World Cup Start area. At the opposite end of the Start area, you will see a trail Easy Street. As the trail bends right, it gradually discends through the the woods. At the bottom of the trail is a four corner, Lake loop, Inner Lake Loop. Take an upslope trail to a direction of Raspberry Parking Lot. At next T-intersection, take a right trail directing toward Brigdge. At next intersection, take right trail away from the bridge. Now, you are on the Margaux’s Loop. Follow the Margaux’s sign toward the Stadium.

 

 

Andrew Lekish Trail: 4.7 miles

Difficulty: Severe Ups and Downs

 

Andrew Lekish Trail System consists of series of little loops totaling 7.5 km (4.7 miles). It has many steep ups and downs. In reward, the trail provides beautiful view of Cook Inet and Denali Mountains.

 

Direction

 

The trail starts from the tunnel going under the Raspberry Rd. After going the tunnel, Lekish trail goes right uphill. Passing two side trails, the trail gradually climbing up and bends right down and quickly bends up left. At intersection, take right trail further up to the first shortcut. A sign 1.3 km arrow pointing right trail will take you back to Chalet. Left up slope trail will takes you toward Inlet. The trail winds left-right and up-down and climbing up toward Inlet. The trail turns sharp right continues winding ups and downs, and reaches to the second shortcut. A sign 2.9 km arrow pointing right trail will take you back to Chalet. Continue the left sharp upslope trail. As trail reaches highest point, there is a foot path leading to the Cook Inlet. Go this foot path to view Cook Inlet. On right, you will see Turnagain Arm, Potter Marsh, Seward Highway. In front of you is a vast Cook Inlet. After taking a break, go back to the trail. From here, trail goes down straight, hairpin curve left to up hill again toward the Inlet. Pay attention to a small side trail that will take you a cliff for another view of Inlet. As trail goes back to Chalet side, you will reach the first overlook point toward Airport and Chalet. When weather is good, you can see Denali in front of you. From here, the trail follows a ridge line gradually descends to a T-intersection and the 3rd short cut. A sign 5 km arrow pointing right trail will take you back to Chalet. Take left trail and you will reach the 2nd overlook. From here, the trail ups gradually, takes sharp right hairpin turn, and start descending all the way down. At the bottom, the trail turns right straight for 1/4 miles. As trail makes sharp turn right, it starts ascending again pararelling with Coastal Trail. At the T-intersection, take left trail that gradually ascent. As the trail makes sharp turn left, it downs steeply to a Biathlon Range to Chalet. By this time you may have had enough ups and downs to go back to Chalet. However, to continue the last section of the trail, look for a uphill trail right as you pass the Biathlon Range. The trail goes ups and downs through woods. As you exit the woods, take right to the tunnel where you started.

 

 

 

Hiking Trails:

Trail Use Period: All year

 

Coastal Bluff Trail: 1.7 mile from beach to sand dune.

 

Coastal Bluff Trail is a hidden trail along with the coastal Bluff from beach to sand dune. It is short. But, steep ups and downs will take more time. It offers beartiful views of Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm. Note, wearing a hiking boots is recommended on this trail.

The trail is open for hiking in all year. In winter, this becomes a good snowshoe trail.

In winter

 

 

Direction

 

From the Chalet, cross Raspberry Road and take the Lekish Trail toward Tunnel. Instead of going down to the tunnel, take the right upslope trail toward woods. At the folk, take left upslope short trail. From here, take rigt trail. After the trail curves around a small hill and start descending toward coast, look for a narrow but established trail starting at left ridge. This narrow trail goes straight on the ridge and take you a bluff ridge. A trail going to left will take you a beach, and right trai will take you a sand dune.

 

1. Trail to beach course

 

The right trail to the Kincaid Park beach is a series of steep decending into woods and steep up slope to a grassy overview hill. While you are going in the woods, there are several side trails that generally goes down to beach. When you come to a fork, rule of thumb is to take a trail that goes up hill. There are several cliff view points and an over view bench. In mid-summer grasses at overhill trail becomes tall and dense, making it difficult to find a trail. After half miles of ups and downs, you will fnally be hiking on a bluff ridge, wide view of Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm. And then, you make steep descend down to the beach. Well, we are talking about beach Alaskan standard. No white sands and blue water. Instead, muddy dark silt and browm ocean. At low tide, you will see miles of muddy silts and no water. Stay at dry beach area. Don’t venture out to the silts. You will get stuck!!

From here you have several routes going back to Chalet.

1. Go further down the beach, and you will find a on right. This trail will cross a marsh and connect to the Coastal trail.

2. Go back to the cliff trail you just came down. There is a trail left into a woods. The trail forks. Left trail connects to the Coastal trail. Right trail connects to the Lekish Trail.

Once at the trail, take right up hill trail. Up on the trail, take left narrow uphill trail to the top of a hill. Enjoy the view. You can see Denali and Chalet. In front, you will see another trail down below. Take this trail down right (toward Chalet). At the bottom of this descending straight trail, there is a narrow trail on left. This narrow trail connects to the Coastal trail back to Chalet.

 

 

 

2. Trail to Sand Dune course

 

Take the over the bluff left trail and trail forks one on straight and left goes woods. Both trails meets later. So, let’s take left trail. This trail sharply discends and turns right goes up to a ridge. Going at ridge, you will see a descending trail on right. This is the one coming from the ridge. Continue hiking ridge up hill. The trail turns left steep uphill. At end, trail forks. Take left ridge trail that goes down hill and turns right. As you go this relatively flat winding trail through the woods, you may hear buggy mortor sounds. As you go out the woods, you will face a wall of sand in front of you. Yes, you are going up this wall to the top. You are now on the top of a sand dune. Down below you may see mortor cycles runing the sand pit. This sand pit is accessible from Kincaid park, Jodhpur entrance. After enjoyed the view, walk on the ridge of the sand dune, and you will find a trail right to the coastal edge of the sand dune. From there, the trail goes right along the coastal ridge. The trail goes through woods and meets the fork you came before. From here, take left trail back to where you came from. When you came to the second fork, left trail goes down to grassy area, let’s take the left trail. After you pass the grass, the trail goes up steep to the ridge overseeing Cook Inlet. Take a right trail going the ridge. After passing first right trail to the edge of the ridge, you will find a right trail where we came initially. Take this trail back to the ski trail and to the Chalet. Of course, you can keep going the ridge to the beach, too.

 

 

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