Chugach State Park

Overview

Brochure InfoFor Serenity Falls Hut, please click here. Chugach State Park is located in Southcentral Alaska mostly within the Municipality of Anchorage. The park contains approximately 495,000 acres of land and is one of the four largest state parks in the United States. The parks westernmost boundary lies in the western foothills of the Chugach Mountain Range and is a mere seven miles to the east of downtown Anchorage. The park is further defined by the Knik Arm on the north, Turnagain Arm on the south, and Upper and Lower Lake George and Chugach National Forest on the east. Although vast portions of the Southcentral Alaska region are sparsely populated, almost half of the State's population resides in or near Anchorage. Within minutes of the park are also the communities of Palmer, Eagle River, Chugiak, Indian, Bird, Girdwood, the village of Eklutna, and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.Brochure Info - OrientationChugach State Park occupies much of the west end of the Chugach Mountain Range. Within the park, rugged peaks rise from sea level to over 8,000 feet with local relief frequently varying in excess of 5,000 feet. The landscape within the park is a conspicuous result of glacial action, although undoubtedly the action of glaciers only remodeled previously existing stream valleys and mountain slopes. At higher elevations in the park, ice fields and glaciers remain, many of which are large and vigorous. Most of the remaining major glaciers, Eklutna, Whiteout, and Eagle are restricted to the eastern portion of the park and are currently receding. Chugach State Park is drained primarily by two major rivers, Eklutna and Eagle rivers, and by several streams of smaller proportion. The principal streams in the park are Bird, Indian, Campbell, Ship, Peters, Thunder Bird and Goat creeks. Most stream valleys are the classic U-shape formed by valley glaciations. The streams are characteristically shallow, fast flowing braided streams and are still in the youthful cycle of stream erosion. A significant portion of the southeastern portion of the park is covered by glaciers and ice fields. The rivers and streams draining this area constitute a significant portion of the total runoff from the area. Eklutna Lake, at nearly 7 miles long and 1 mile wide, is the largest lake within the park boundary.Brochure Info - RecreationAlaskans place a high value on the availability and quality of outdoor recreation opportunities. For many, the availability of recreation opportunities is a strong reason for their residence in Anchorage. Major activities occurring within Chugach State Park are camping, picnicking, berry picking, photography, wildlife viewing, backpacking, hiking, summer and winter biking, nature study, sightseeing, rock and ice climbing, hang gliding, boating, ATVing, fishing, hunting, cross-country skiing, and snowmachining. One of the purposes for establishing Chugach State Park was to provide areas for the public display of local wildlife. Chugach State Park is home to a variety of wildlife, including large mammals like moose and black and brown bears, Dall sheep, mountain goats and smaller mammals such as beaver, lynx, wolverines, and wolves, as well as spawning salmon and numerous birds all of which park visitors have the potential of encountering. Negative encounters with wildlife are rare and most are the result of people getting too close to a wild animal. Additionally, the Eagle River Nature Center and its associated trail system is a main attraction to school groups and residents of the municipality. The facility is open year-round and provides visitor information, outdoor and interpretive programs, viewing decks, and public-use overnight facilities. The Crow Pass Trail (a segment of the Iditarod National Historic Trail) is accessed via the Nature Center. Chugach State Park boasts over 280 miles of trails.Brochure Info - Facilities and RestrictionsThere are three main campgrounds, an air strip and several back country campsites within the 773 square mile Chugach State Park.Key InfoPlease visit http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/chugach/chugachindex.htm for more information about the park and site specific information.Important Information for Daily EntranceDirectionThere are multiple entrances to the park. Please visit http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/chugach/chugachindex.htm for more information.Booking Window Product InfoFee Cancellation DescCancellations: Cancellations must be made at least 3 calendar days prior to arrival date for a full refund (does not include transaction/cancellation fees). Cancellations must be made through www.reserveamerica.com . You must cancel your reservations online, from your account. If you fail to cancel in a timely manner, or fail to use the facility for reasons other than the exceptions listed below, a refund is not available. Changes/Transfers: Changes/Transfers must be made 2 calendar days prior to your scheduled arrival date and incur a $3 change/transfer fee. Changes where the reservation is extended will not have an additional change fee. Refunds: Park Staff are not authorized to give cash refunds. Refunds for canceled reservations online will be made by issuing a credit to the card used for payment. Exceptions: If you were unable to use the facility due to events beyond your control, such as extreme weather/hazardous conditions (as determined by Alaska State Parks), or closure of a road, trail, or facility by the State, you may request a refund. Requests for refunds must be made within three (3) business days of the last date of your reservation to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources Public Information Center at 907-269-8400. Please provide your reservation number when you call. Extreme weather in the Northern Region is defined as Minus 30 F for the "Hunt Memorial", "North Fork", and "Chena River" Cabins; Minus 20 F for all other cabins and ice huts. In the event of a natural emergency or sudden campground/site closure, a full refund will be issued. The Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation reserves the right to make the final determination of whether a refund will be issued.