Bird to Gird: One of the prettiest paved trails you’ll ever see
Is the Bird to Gird trail actually a hike? That’s an open question. Yes, its entire length is paved, pavement, and several parts of it pass close enough to the road that you’ll hear and see cars going by. But miles of its length are separated from the road, and you’ll still encounter the mind-blowing scenery that makes so many Alaska hikes special. Wildlife encounters are fairly common here, too.
Because of all that, and because of this trail’s prominence in the daily recreational lives of people living in Anchorage, I made the somewhat controversial decision to include it as hike 9 in 50 Hikes Around Anchorage.
What do you think — does this count as a hike? So far, those who’ve chimed in say “yes.” I invite you to go do it, whether on foot or via bike, then leave a comment below with your opinion!
| Round Trip: 26.8 miles | Nearest community: Indian, Bird, Girdwood |
| Elevation gain: 960 feet | Typical season: June to September |
| Parking fee: No fee | Nearby trails: Turnagain Arm Trail, Morning Star Gully, Beaver Pond Trail, California Creek Trail, North Face, Winner Creek, Virgin Creek Falls |
Bird to Gird Trailhead Directions
Although this trail does parallel the Seward Highway for a few stretches, it also runs separately for quite a distance — so there are a few key access points where you can safely and easily access it. These are listed in order as if you were driving from Anchorage, and all the indicated pullouts are on the water side of the highway:
- Indian Creek Parking Area (mile 103 Seward Highway): This is the start of the trail, more or less across the highway from the Brown Bear Saloon.
- Bird Creek Campground (mile 101 Seward Highway): The Bird to Gird trail doesn’t pass directly through the campground, but if you see a paved or gravel-hardened trail leading from the campground toward the water, odds are good that it ties in with the Bird to Gird trail.
- Bird Point (mile 96 Seward Highway): Shortly after parking here, the trail crosses underneath the highway and parallels it for a short distance before rising up into the hills, away from the road.
- Girdwood (mile 90 Seward Highway): Park in the public lot near the gas station, then take a trail through the underpass beneath the Alyeska Highway. That trail heads uphill before branching left to become the Bird to Gird trail.
- There are a number of unofficial pullouts that make good access points, too, without ever having to cross the busy highway.
Hiking(?) the Bird to Gird Trail
It doesn’t get any easier than following a paved trail. Literally pick a parking spot, put on your walking shoes (or grab your bike) and go for it.
With that said, I will say that my favorite section of trail is from Bird Point to Girdwood, because it offers a balanced blend of beautiful views over the water and insulation from road noise. Soon after you strike the trail at Bird Point, it crosses underneath the highway and then runs alongside it for a short distance. That’s the part with the views and road noise.
Shortly after that the trail soars up into the wooded hills, separating you from the road noise and also, to a great extent, the views. I find this stretch of trail to be soothing, quiet and great fun, thanks to long, extended hills and the relative isolation of the trees.
It’s up to you whether you do part of this trail as an out-and-back, the entire thing as one long round trip, or set up a car shuttle so that you only have to walk or pedal one way.
A Few Bird to Gird Pictures
Still not sold on the views from this amazing trail? Here are a few glimpses into what it looks like. Please pardon the brown and yellow — these are a mix of spring and fall pictures. Like most of the state, the entire trail goes lush green in the summer.
What’s In a Name?
That’s right — as you might have noticed, the Bird to Gird trail doesn’t actually start in the small community of Bird. But it used to! Thus the name. If you want to walk or the ride the entire length, though, you can start at the trail’s very beginning in the small town of Indian.
Avalanche Hazard on the Bird to Gird Trail
While it’s true that a number of people continue using the Bird to Gird trail year-round, it crosses through active avalanche chutes. Those avalanches sometimes run all the way across the trail and the Seward Highway below, resulting in road closures. Translation: This can be a dangerous trail in the winter, or in spring when the trail itself might be clear but there’s still enough snow on the mountains above to come down in an avalanche.
Because of that avalanche hazard, the state used to close the Bird to Gird trail in winter. People just ignored those closures, though; so as reported in this Anchorage Daily News article, the state decided to leave the trail open but post warnings about the avalanche hazard.
My two cents? Avalanches aren’t random, and being on pavement won’t keep them from happening. If you’re going to recreate in avalanche terrain during the winter, you owe it to yourself — and all the people who’d miss you — to learn some basics about evaluating avalanche risk.
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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.
