Chugach State Park covers 495,204 acre (2,004 square kilometers) in the Municipality of Anchorage[1] immediately east of the Anchorage Bowl in south-central Alaska.[2] Created by legislation signed into law on August 6, 1970 by Alaska Governor Keith Miller, this state park was created both to provide recreational opportunities, protect the scenic value of the Chugach Mountains and other geographic features, and the ensure the safety of the water supply for Anchorage.[3] This large park, the third-largest state park in the country, contains different areas with different attractions and facilities as noted below.[4]
Eagle River. A non-profit organization in association with the park operates the Eagle River Nature Center which exhibits interpretive information on wildlife and geological features.[1] The basin of the Eagle River can be accessed by the nearby Albert Loop Trail which passes through three miles (five kilometers) of mixed forests and leads to the river fed by glaciers upsteram.[5][1] In addition, the Rodak Nature Trail leads to a Beaver Viewing Deck and Salmon Viewing Deck. [5] The Historic Iditarod Trail passes by the nature center.[5] Visitors can rent yurts and cabins along the Eagle River to spend time out exploring the scenery and wildlife in the area.[6]
The Seward Highway, from Anchorage to Seward, follows part of the southern edge of the Park along the Turnagain Arm. This stretch of highway is listed as a National Scenic Byway and is designated as an All-American Road [1].
There are several viewpoints along the Seward Highway. One of the most visited is Beluga Point, Mile 110.5, named for the Beluga whales that frequent the Arm. Another popular viewpoint along the Seward Highway is Windy Corner at Mile 106. It has no facilities except parking, but Dall sheep just up the hill are worth the stop.
The Park is typically split into three different zones.
The North Park
This section of Chugach State Park is from Eagle River North to the Parks border at Pioneer Peak. This area includes the Eklutna lake area, as well as the Big Peters Creek Trailhead and the Ptarmigan Valley trailhead. Eklutna lake is popular with ATV's and hikers. The Eklutna lake area has the biggest mountains of the park, with Bashful peak coming in at 8,005'.
The Central Park This area of Park includes Eagle River south to the Canyon Road trailhead on the Anchorage hillside. This area of the park includes many popular trailheads including the Crow Creek Pass trailhead in Eagle River, South Fork of Eagle River trailhead, Basher Road, Upper Huffman, Prospect Heights, Glen Alps, and Canyon Road.
The South Park This area includes all of the park which borders Turnagain Arm along the Seward Highway. There is the popular Turnagain Arm trail, which runs from Potter Marsh to Windy Corner. There are also hikes in the McHugh Creek area, the Falls Creek trailhead, Bird Ridge, and the Rainbow trailhead. The southern park boundary lies just to the north of the city of Girdwood, where Chugach National Forest begins.
References
edit- ^ a b c Guide to the State Parks of the United States--2nd ed. Washington, D.C.: The National Geographic Society. 2004. pp. 340–342. ISBN 0-7922-6628-5.
- ^ "Chugach Access Plan". Municipality of Anchorage. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
- ^ Zimmerman, Jenny (1994). A Naturalist's Guide to Chugach State Park. Anchorage: A.T Publishing and Printing, Inc. pp. 83–86. ISBN 0-9637309-0-8.
- ^ Littlepage, Dean, A Falcon Guide Hiking Alaska: A Guide to Alaska's Greatest Hiking Adventures, The Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, Connecticut, p. 150 (2006).
- ^ a b c "Trail Maps & Descriptions". Eagle River Nature Center. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
- ^ "Cabins and Yurts". Eagle River Nature Center. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
See also
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61°12′32″N 149°13′48″W / 61.209°N 149.230°W
Category:State parks of Alaska Category:Protected areas of Anchorage, Alaska
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edit| Name of structure | Photos | Year | Location | Notes | Web |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The White Pass & Yukon Route Broadway Depot |  The depot serving as the Visitors Center today
|
1898 | 2nd & Broadway | ||
