New trail in the works for Anchorage

The Anchorage Parks and Rec Department is working on developing a new trail in the heart of the city. "The land dictates how much we can actually build and we have identified a substantial amount that we can proceed with and most of it is existing trails we would be refining,” said Maeve Nevins-Lavtar, Senior Park Planner.

Nevins-Lavtar explained the trail will be multipurpose and likely built on existing “social tracks.” Those are lanes cyclists utilize next to the paved path in treed areas.

The first phase of the project is expected to run parallel to the Chester Creek, beginning near Valley of the Moon Park to Goose Lake.

In terms of its appeal to mountain bikers, Nevins-Lavtar says it will be designed with beginners in mind. “This system will include bank turns, rollers, wayfinding signage and maps to help people use the trails and also teach people etiquette so there’s going to be some of those signs as well,” she said.

The $150,000 budget for the trail was approved by voters in 2018 as part of a park bond.

Nevins-Lavtar says if the new trail is approved by the urban design commission and built Parks and Rec would take on the maintenance of the area in addition to the spaces it's already managing. “We want to have very clear visibility and sightline so we want to make sure the vegetation is not overgrown. There will be some tree removal but for the most part, the average trail width is between 12 and 36 inches.”

For details about the trail including a proposed timeline click