Winter trails are abundant in Anchorage
If you're not sure where to start, check out some of these routes that are around Campbell Tract and Kincaid. This list doesn't even begin to cover the amount of trails we have available to us in Anchorage, so get out and explore! These are routes that I put together in Trailforks for anyone to use. Click on the title of the route to view the map and detailed info. If you don't have the Trailforks app already, I highly recommend getting it! It is incredibly helpful.
Campbell Tract
I gave this route this name because it follows the Tour of Anchorage trail through the Campbell Tract area. This 5-mile loop is a nice, easy ride on wider trails with only 131 ft. of climbing.
Here's another Campbell Tract loop. This loop is similar but has a little more climbing and takes you up Rover's Run which is a pretty trail that parallels Campbell Creek. This loop could be done in either direction, both ways are enjoyable.
This 8-mile loop climbs to near where the Hillside STA trail system begins. You'll ride down Rover's Run and round out the loop by taking moose track back to the parking lot at Abbott Loop Community Park.
This loop is great for someone who likes familiarity and wants to try out a small amount of single track that isn't too technical (down Rover's Run) and return on the trail you rode out on.
This loop will take you down Speedway, which is one of the most iconic fat bike spots!
This route makes a loop out of the famous Blue Dot trail. It's a good one! Watch for mushers at the intersections.
This route is perfect for someone who wants to give singletrack a try but doesn't want to commit to long stretches of it.
This route will have you climb up Rover's Run and ride down Brown Bear. This loop is more technical than the other routes so far in this post. This would be a fun loop for someone who's looking to climb a little more and try a trail that is a little more challenging. Brown Bear has a few tight spots and can be off-camber at times, depending on the conditions. To make this loop a bit easier, you could ride down Black Bear instead. It's a little less technical.
Kincaid
This 2-mile loop is a great way to try out Kincaid trails without committing to a long ride. You'll start at Jodhpur trailhead and start at Kitchen Sink which is on the east side of the parking lot. This route uses a small section of Bolling Alley which is a directional trail that changes direction based on the date so this ride must be done on an odd day (i.e. Jan 3, 5, 7, etc).
Kincaid has been getting groomed consistently this winter and the trails are riding wonderfully! Starting at Jodhpur is nice because you get quick access to the STA trails. Bolling Alley is a directional trail. This route is for an even day (referring to the date i.e. the 2nd or 4th of the month) and the following route is for an odd day (i.e. the 1st or 3rd of the month). Odd day route
This loop includes Kitchen Sink and Tower Power. I love this loop a lot and it can be done on an even or odd day. If you chose to do it on an odd day, you would need to be sure to not miss the turn to Sand Box to get back to the parking lot, otherwise, you'd be riding another loop around the alley!
FNBP
Stands for Far North Bicentennial Park. It's a huge area to the northeast of Campbell Tract. My favorite rides start at Campbell and go through FNBP. The trails here tend to be skinnier and a bit more technical with tighter trees and more undulating terrain. Although it isn't part of this post, it does deserve a mention because it's a great area if you're looking to do that type of riding.
Things to note
Campbell Tract is all multi-use trails while Kincaid Park has many ski-only trails and fewer multi-use trails. The multi-use trails in Kincaid are all of the STA trails. You may have to commit to riding an entire trail should you choose to ride at Kincaid in the winter.
Trail conditions can change how difficult a trail is to ride. As I'm writing this post, the trail conditions are excellent all around, and as more people get out and ride, the better they continue to get. If it were to snow a few inches, that would change everything!
Know that the Campbell Tract area is BLM land, and dogs are required to be on leash. If you do ride with a dog, please pack out your dog's waste. Nobody likes riding, skiing, or walking through it.
Mind the trail etiquette. Try to follow the right-of-way as much as possible with downhill traffic yielding uphill. When you yield to other riders, be sure to get your body and your bike far enough over so others can get by, even if that means you have to step in the deep snow. This is where a good pair of boots comes in handy. It's also helpful to have pants that fit snugly over the boots to keep the snow out. If you end up pushing your bike for some reason, keep the wheels on the tread of the trail and walk off to the side, careful not to crumble the edge of the trail. This helps maintain the trail condition for other riders (again with the boots).
Jodhpur. It's JodhPUR, like the city in India, like the horseback riding pants, not JodPHUR.
I hope these routes provide some inspiration for you. Check out my Winter Riding Tips post if you need
If you are looking for personalized coaching, send me a message!