South Fork Eagle River Falls, Alaska

Quick Facts

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Accessibility: 8/10 (Easy/Moderate)
Height: 60′ / 18 m
Length of Hike: 1 mile / 1.6 km round-trip

The Record

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There are two commonly known waterfalls just northeast of Anchorage. This is the easier of the two to visit: South Fork Eagle River Falls, with Thunderbird Falls being the other. Pioneer Falls might be close enough to count as the third, though I didn’t know about it during my first visit to the Anchorage area. To reach South Fork Eagle River Falls, there is some steepness, but the trail is short at half a mile one-way, meaning you won’t exert yourself too much. There is another longer trail that also leads to the falls, though I’ve hiked the shorter trail both times I’ve visited.

Now, one thing I want to mention about the falls is that the parking area is VERY near private property. Make sure you do NOT trespass on any property, as it seems to be all around the path. I even doubted that there was parking allowed, but it does seem to be. Once you get to the falls, there are a lot of barriers preventing further exploration, and I decided not to do that. It just doesn’t seem safe or appropriate. The fencing must be there for a reason.

Directions

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1. Head north of Anchorage along AK-1 to the exit for the Eagle River Loop.
2. Drive only 0.2 miles to Hiland Dr., and turn right.
3. Drive on Hiland Rd. for a little over 3 miles, and turn left onto River Park Drive.
4. It gets very confusing, as River VIEW Drive then suddenly turns into Waterfall Drive.
5. Head to the end of Waterfall Drive, and turn right onto River PARK Drive.
6. Head to the end of River Park Drive, and take the LEFT fork onto Ken Logan Circle.
7. The parking area is at the very end.
8. From the parking lot, head to the blocked road, cross the bridge, and then turn right at the sign indicating the Falls.
9. Head up the trail. Near the end, it splits again. Head right since the left is marked as private property. Heading right, you should end up at the waterfall in a very short distance.

Where in the World is South Fork Eagle River Falls?

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