Turnagain Arm Trail: Super-popular for good reason
The Turnagain Arm Trail is one of the most popular trails near Anchorage — for good reason. It’s close to town, after all, and with four trailheads spaced along its 10.4-mile length (one way), access is as easy as it gets. Choose a trailhead for an out-and-back hike, or grab a hiking buddy and set up a car shuttle to do it as a mini thru-hike.
There’s usually cell service at each of the trailheads, so I suppose you could arrange for an Uber/Lyft or taxi, but I’ve never tried it before.
As you might expect, this trail is (relatively) heavily traveled, thanks to its proximity to Anchorage. Nonetheless, wildlife sightings (including bear sightings) are very common here. Bear sightings are especially common between the Potter and McHugh Creek trailheads.
The Turnagain Arm Trail is hike 53 in my guidebook Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska, and hike 12 in 50 Hikes Around Anchorage.
| One-Way Distance: 10.4 miles | Nearest community: Anchorage |
| Elevation gain: 2,325 feet | Typical season: May to October |
| Parking fee: $5 or Alaska State Parks pass at Potter and McHugh Creek. No fee at Rainbow and Windy Corner | Nearby trails: Morning Star Gully, McHugh Lakes, McHugh Peak (the long way), Rainbow Knob, Bird Ridge, Falls Creek, Bird to Gird, Falls Creek |
Turnagain Arm Trail Trailhead Directions
From Anchorage, take the Seward Highway south. After just a few miles you’ll find all the trailheads in the following order, all on the left side of the road:
Potter trailhead (mile marker 115, $5 fee): Roughly opposite the Chugach State Park headquarters)
McHugh Creek trailhead (mile marker 112, $5 fee): Just before Beluga Point on the right. There are actually three levels of parking areas here; park in the middle or uppermost lots if you can)
Rainbow trailhead (mile marker 108, no fee): Easy to drive by the first time. Lots of space to park. The trail to McHugh Creek starts on the west end of the parking area; the trail to Windy Corner runs along the back of the parking lot and may be very overgrown in late summer.
Windy Corner trailhead (mile marker 106, no fee): This is a tiny little parking lot; basically a wide spot in the road.
Scenery and Wildlife Sightings Along the Turnagain Arm Trail
Even though the Turnagain Arm Trail isn’t terribly long, it feels like it passes through several distinct biomes. Here’s how the trailheads, and their general scenery and wildlife vibes, break down. All mile markers are on the Seward Highway south of Anchorage, and the Potter trailhead at the north, west, or northwest end (whatever you prefer to call it) is the closest to town.
Potter Trailhead (mile 115, $5 parking fee): Brushy with a few nice lookouts over the water. Bear sightings are very common between here and the McHugh Creek trailhead.
McHugh Creek Trailhead (mile 112, $5 parking fee): A mix of live and dead cottonwoods; some of the tallest, biggest trees you’ll find in Southcentral Alaska. Bear sightings are very common here, and you might see mountain goats and their kids on the grassy ramps/bluffs near the trailhead.
Rainbow Trailhead (mile 108, no fee): Lots of birch trees with grass at their feet. Absolutely gorgeous in the spring, when the bursting leaves and new grass are all a fresh, springy green.
Windy Corner Trailhead (mile 106, no fee but very small lot): Look for Dall sheep in the cliffs above (and sometimes closer to the trail). Watch out for pockets of pretty wildflowers along the rocky trail, too — and of course there’s potential for rockfall from above.
Although you’ll find more detail in my guidebooks, the above is enough to get you out the door and onto the Turnagain Arm Trail. There is excellent signage everywhere except for the Windy Corner trailhead, which is effectively the end of the Turnagain Arm Trail — so all you have to do there is strike the main trail and walk in the direction that doesn’t take you into precipitous cliffs.
Lisa Maloney
A long-time Alaskan, Lisa has written three award-winning guidebooks including "Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska" and "50 Hikes Around Anchorage." She also served as senior editor of Alaska magazine and has written hundreds of newspaper columns and magazine articles about her adventures around the state. Learn more about her at http://maloneywrites.com.
