Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, Coastal trail in Anchorage, Alaska.
The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail is a pathway that extends 11 miles from downtown Anchorage to Kincaid Park along the Cook Inlet shoreline. The landscape shifts between city areas and open water views, with snow-capped mountain peaks framing the route throughout.
This trail was developed in the 1980s as a recreational route to connect the community with the natural shoreline. It passes through Earthquake Park, a site where a 1964 quake of magnitude 9.2 destroyed an entire neighborhood and reshaped the surrounding land.
This route links neighborhoods and parks together, serving as a gathering place where residents walk, run, and cycle in their daily lives. Over time it has become woven into how locals experience their connection to the water and mountains.
You can begin from downtown, Kincaid Park, or various points in between, with parking and access available throughout. The path is paved and suitable for walking or biking at different pace levels, and rental bikes can be found nearby.
From several spots you can watch beluga whales in the inlet and see distant mountain views including Denali. The tides shift dramatically here, sometimes revealing hidden beaches and rocks at low water that are normally submerged.
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