If you don't mind the 45-minute drive from Anchorage up to the Eagle River Nature Center, where this trail begins, this trail is one of the most scenic easy hikes anywhere near Anchorage. You'll walk a well-maintained loop that passes through beautiful forest, over a couple nice wooden bridges, past beaver deams, and along the swiftly flowing glacial waters of Eagle River. At times, you'll be able to look up and see steep mountain walls towering above you only miles from the trail. The trail is a great introduction to the wilderness for novice hikers. There are interpretive signs along the way, and the entire trail is well-marked. You can stop in at the Eagle River Nature Center before leaving, and get advice. And there are even times when the nature center offers guided walks along parts of this trail. The trail is flat almost the entire way, but the bridges over the waterways offer views down the valley as does the section along the river.
NOTE: There is a seasonal closure of this trail from Mid-August to Mid-October because bears are frequenting the area to feast on salmon.
