Chugach State Park Trail Map 1986

Mountain Bike Access in Chugach State Park: A History

CMBR /

A history of regulation and planning, 1970–present

When Chugach State Park was established in 1970, mountain biking didn’t exist. The Specialized Stumpjumper — one of the first production mountain bikes — didn’t arrive until 1983. RockShox introduced the first suspension fork in 1989. For the first fifteen years of the park’s existence, bicycles simply weren’t a consideration in park planning, and the regulations reflected that: there was no bicycle policy at all.

By the time Alaska first regulated bicycle use in the park in 1985, the sport was still in its infancy. The 1986 Chugach State Park Trail Plan acknowledged mountain bikes directly, noting that the most-used routes at the time were the Powerline Trail, the Gasline Trail, and the Eklutna Lake Road. But the plan was cautious:

“The physical and social impact of mountain bike use is not well understood in Chugach State Park. Until more is known, no new trails will be recommended.”
— CSP Trail Plan, 1986

That caution was appropriate for 1986. Four decades of experience later, the picture is much clearer. The 2009 CSP Trail Management Plan — updated and adopted as policy in 2016 — designated bicycle use on 52 trails across the park, with the explicit understanding that regulation changes would follow in phases:

“These regulation changes will be promulgated over time as the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation updates park regulations. Implementation of the management recommendations should begin immediately and are intended to proceed in phases over the years as opportunities, staffing and funding allow.”
— CSP Trail Management Plan, 2009

The timeline below shows that phased approach in action. Each regulation change since 1985 has opened additional trails to bicycles, moving steadily toward full implementation of the plans. Chugach Mountain Bike Riders is continuing to work with the Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation to advance the remaining 24 trails — some built and awaiting only a regulation change, others still to be constructed — that the park’s own plans have long identified as appropriate for bicycle use.

Timeline

20 (28)
Trails currently open to bicycles in CSP (28 listed in plans, combined to 20 in regulation)
52
Trails with bicycle designation in adopted 2016 plan (20 (28) open + 24 pending)
24
Trails planned for bicycle still awaiting implementation
Regulation (AAC)Planning documentDesignations removedPending implementation
1985
11 AAC 20.050 enacted 3 trails open to bicycles
Bicycles allowed in campgrounds and 3 designated areas: Eklutna Lake Road, gasline road (Prospect Heights to Indian), Bird Creek logging trails. (Reg. 94)
1988
11 AAC 20.050 amended 5 trails open to bicycles
Added Glen Alps to Powerline Trail and Peters Creek road. (Reg. 105)
1996
11 AAC 20.050 amended 9 trails open to bicycles
Added picnic areas to base permission. Added Powerline Trail, Wolverine Bowl Trail, Middle Fork Loop Trail, 1D9 Eagle River Greenbelt. Added catch-all: any trail open to snow vehicles under 11 AAC 20.040. (Reg. 138)
2002
11 AAC 20.050 amended 11 trails open to bicycles
Added South Fork Rim Trail and paved Turnagain Arm pathway (Indian to Girdwood). (Reg. 162)
2009
11 AAC 20.050 amended 14 trails open to bicycles
Added Silver Fern Trail, White Spruce Trail, and Llama Trail from the Hillside system. (Reg. 191)
CSP Trail Management Plan — public review draft 58 trails designated or managed for bicycle
Designated bicycle as designed use or managed use on 58 trails across the park. Noted regulation changes required to implement each. Includes 6 trails later removed or downgraded in the Final Revisions before 2016 adoption.
  1. Alder Trail — Denali View junction to Hemlock Knob Trail near Gasline junction (New Trail)
  2. Alder Trail — Powerline Trail junction to Denali View Trail junction
  3. Beaver Pond Trail — Park boundary to Indian to Girdwood Trail junction
  4. Bird Creek Valley Trail System
  5. Bird Creek Valley Trail System — Campground Access (New Trail)
  6. Bird Pass Trail
  7. Coastal Trail — Indian to Potter (New Trail)
  8. Connect Peters Creek & Ptarmigan Valley with a Motorized Trail
  9. Eagle River Campground Trail System (New Trail)
  10. Eagle River Greenbelt Pathway — Glenn Highway to ERNC (New Trail)
  11. Eklutna Lake Spillway Trail
  12. Eklutna Lake Spillway and Lakeside Loop Access Trail
  13. Eklutna Lakeside ATV Access Trail
  14. Eklutna Lakeside Access Trail
  15. Eklutna Lakeside Loop Trail (New Trail) †
  16. Eklutna Lakeside Trail
  17. Eklutna Lower Lakeside Trail
  18. Four Mile Creek Loop Trail
  19. Gasline Trail — Prospect Heights Trailhead to Powerline Trail at Y junction
  20. Glen Alps Lower Powerline Access Trail
  21. Glen Alps Middle Powerline Access Trail
  22. Hemlock Burn Trail (New Trail)
  23. Hemlock Spur Trail
  24. Hidden Lake Trail — Powerline Trail junction to Middle Fork Loop Extension junction
  25. Hunter Pass Trail — South Fork Eagle River Trail junction to pass
  26. Indian to Girdwood National Recreation Trail
  27. Llama Trail
  28. Lost Cabin Valley Trail †
  29. Middle Fork Connector Trail — Wolverine Bowl Trail junction to Middle Fork Loop Trail (New Trail)
  30. Middle Fork Loop Extension — Middle Fork Loop Trail to Hidden Lake Trail (New Trail)
  31. Middle Fork Loop Trail
  32. Muktuk Marston Memorial Overlook Trail
  33. Muktuk Marston Trail (New Trail)
  34. Near Point Trail — Near Point Knoll Trailhead to existing Near Point Trail junction (New Trail)
  35. Near Point Trail — Wolverine Peak Trail junction to end of old homestead road
  36. Penguin Creek Trail
  37. Penguin Creek Trail (New Trail)
  38. Peters Creek Valley Trail — Six Mile Creek to Wall Street Creek
  39. Peters Creek Valley Trail — Trailhead to Six Mile Creek
  40. Powerline Pass Trail — Powerline Trail junction near Green Lake to Powerline Pass
  41. Powerline Trail — Upper Indian Creek Trailhead to Powerline Pass
  42. Powerline Trail — Wolverine Bowl Trail junction to base of Powerline Pass near Green Lake
  43. Ptarmigan Valley Trail
  44. Rabbit Lake Trail
  45. Rendezvous Peak Trail — Trailhead to saddle between Rendezvous and Mt. Gordon Lyon †
  46. Rendezvous Ridge Trail — Muktuk Marston Overlook Trail to Rendezvous Peak to Hunter Pass Trail junction
  47. Shebanof Avenue Connector Trail
  48. Silver Fern Loop Trail (New Trail)
  49. Silver Fern Trail
  50. South Fork Bird Creek Trail (New Trail)
  51. South Fork Eagle River Trail — Trailhead to Hunter Pass Trail junction †
  52. South Fork Eagle River Trail — Hunter Pass Trail junction to footbridge over South Fork †
  53. South Fork Eagle River Trail — Footbridge over South Fork to Eagle Lake †
  54. South Fork Rim Trail
  55. Spencer Loop Connector Trail (New Trail)
  56. White Spruce Trail
  57. Wolverine Bowl Trail
† Removed or downgraded in Final Revisions before 2016 adoption. Lost Cabin Valley Trail retained winter-only bicycle managed use.
2016
CSP Management Plan adopted 52 trails designated or managed for bicycle
Commissioner-level policy adoption. Carries forward 52 bicycle-designated or managed trails including Rendezvous Ridge and the Muktuk Marston corridor. Regulation change required to implement each unopen trail.
  1. Alder Trail — Denali View junction to Hemlock Knob Trail near Gasline junction (New Trail)
  2. Alder Trail — Powerline Trail junction to Denali View Trail junction
  3. Beaver Pond Trail — Park boundary to Indian to Girdwood Trail junction
  4. Bird Creek Valley Trail System
  5. Bird Creek Valley Trail System — Campground Access (New Trail)
  6. Bird Pass Trail
  7. Coastal Trail — Indian to Potter (New Trail)
  8. Connect Peters Creek & Ptarmigan Valley with a Motorized Trail
  9. Eagle River Campground Trail System (New Trail)
  10. Eagle River Greenbelt Pathway — Glenn Highway to ERNC (New Trail)
  11. Eklutna Lake Spillway Trail
  12. Eklutna Lake Spillway and Lakeside Loop Access Trail
  13. Eklutna Lakeside ATV Access Trail
  14. Eklutna Lakeside Access Trail
  15. Eklutna Lakeside Trail
  16. Eklutna Lower Lakeside Trail
  17. Four Mile Creek Loop Trail
  18. Gasline Trail — Prospect Heights Trailhead to Powerline Trail at Y junction
  19. Glen Alps Lower Powerline Access Trail
  20. Glen Alps Middle Powerline Access Trail
  21. Hemlock Burn Trail (New Trail)
  22. Hemlock Spur Trail
  23. Hidden Lake Trail — Powerline Trail junction to Middle Fork Loop Extension junction
  24. Hunter Pass Trail — South Fork Eagle River Trail junction to pass
  25. Indian to Girdwood National Recreation Trail
  26. Llama Trail
  27. Lost Cabin Valley Trail (winter-only bicycle managed use)
  28. Middle Fork Connector Trail — Wolverine Bowl Trail junction to Middle Fork Loop Trail (New Trail)
  29. Middle Fork Loop Extension — Middle Fork Loop Trail to Hidden Lake Trail (New Trail)
  30. Middle Fork Loop Trail
  31. Muktuk Marston Memorial Overlook Trail
  32. Muktuk Marston Trail (New Trail)
  33. Near Point Trail — Near Point Knoll Trailhead to existing Near Point Trail junction (New Trail)
  34. Near Point Trail — Wolverine Peak Trail junction to end of old homestead road
  35. Penguin Creek Trail
  36. Penguin Creek Trail (New Trail)
  37. Peters Creek Valley Trail — Six Mile Creek to Wall Street Creek
  38. Peters Creek Valley Trail — Trailhead to Six Mile Creek
  39. Powerline Pass Trail — Powerline Trail junction near Green Lake to Powerline Pass
  40. Powerline Trail — Upper Indian Creek Trailhead to Powerline Pass
  41. Powerline Trail — Wolverine Bowl Trail junction to base of Powerline Pass near Green Lake
  42. Ptarmigan Valley Trail
  43. Rabbit Lake Trail
  44. Rendezvous Ridge Trail — Muktuk Marston Overlook Trail to Rendezvous Peak to Hunter Pass Trail junction
  45. Shebanof Avenue Connector Trail
  46. Silver Fern Loop Trail (New Trail)
  47. Silver Fern Trail
  48. South Fork Bird Creek Trail (New Trail)
  49. South Fork Rim Trail
  50. Spencer Loop Connector Trail (New Trail)
  51. White Spruce Trail
  52. Wolverine Bowl Trail
Final Revisions removed or downgraded bicycle designation 6 trails
South Fork Eagle River Trail (3 segments), Rendezvous Peak Trail, and Eklutna Lakeside Loop Trail removed entirely. Lost Cabin Valley Trail downgraded to Pack & Saddle with winter-only bicycle managed use retained.
  1. Eklutna Lakeside Loop Trail (New Trail) — downgraded to hiker-pedestrian
  2. Lost Cabin Valley Trail — downgraded to Pack & Saddle; winter-only bicycle managed use retained
  3. Rendezvous Peak Trail — Trailhead to saddle between Rendezvous and Mt. Gordon Lyon — removed
  4. South Fork Eagle River Trail — Trailhead to Hunter Pass Trail junction — removed
  5. South Fork Eagle River Trail — Hunter Pass Trail junction to footbridge over South Fork — removed
  6. South Fork Eagle River Trail — Footbridge over South Fork to Eagle Lake — removed
2022
11 AAC 12.115 enacted — 11 AAC 20.050 repealed 20 (28) trails open to bicycles
New statewide bicycle regulation (Reg. 242). Six trails opened for CSP: Hemlock Burn Trail, Beaver Pond Trail, Eklutna Spillway & Lakeside Loop Access Trail, Near Point Trail, Rabbit Lake Trail, and Shebanof Avenue Connector Trail. The 1D9 Eagle River Greenbelt was renamed Lower Eagle River Trail. Fat-tire bicycles given their own regulatory framework, with winter-only access to designated CSP areas; the Director may open additional areas. Class 1 e-bikes and asphalt trails added.
  1. Beaver Pond Trail — Park boundary to Indian to Girdwood Trail junction
  2. Bird Creek Valley Trail System
  3. Eagle River Greenbelt Pathway — Glenn Highway to ERNC (New Trail)
  4. Eklutna Lake Spillway Trail
  5. Eklutna Lake Spillway and Lakeside Loop Access Trail
  6. Eklutna Lakeside ATV Access Trail
  7. Eklutna Lakeside Access Trail
  8. Eklutna Lakeside Trail
  9. Eklutna Lower Lakeside Trail
  10. Four Mile Creek Loop Trail
  11. Gasline Trail — Prospect Heights Trailhead to Powerline Trail at Y junction
  12. Glen Alps Lower Powerline Access Trail
  13. Glen Alps Middle Powerline Access Trail
  14. Hemlock Burn Trail (New Trail)
  15. Indian to Girdwood National Recreation Trail
  16. Llama Trail
  17. Middle Fork Connector Trail — Wolverine Bowl Trail junction to Middle Fork Loop Trail (New Trail)
  18. Near Point Trail — Wolverine Peak Trail junction to end of old homestead road
  19. Peters Creek Valley Trail — Trailhead to Six Mile Creek
  20. Powerline Pass Trail — Powerline Trail junction near Green Lake to Powerline Pass
  21. Powerline Trail — Wolverine Bowl Trail junction to base of Powerline Pass near Green Lake
  22. Powerline Trail — Upper Indian Creek Trailhead to Powerline Pass
  23. Rabbit Lake Trail
  24. Shebanof Avenue Connector Trail
  25. Silver Fern Trail
  26. South Fork Rim Trail
  27. White Spruce Trail
  28. Wolverine Bowl Trail
Note: The regulation (11 AAC 12.115) has combined and renamed some trails from the CSP Trails Plan.
now
24 trails with planning-level bicycle designation not yet implemented pending
Status varies: some trails are built and require only a regulation change; others are planned but not yet constructed. All are identified in the CSP Trails Plan as appropriate for bicycle use.
  1. Alder Trail — Denali View junction to Hemlock Knob Trail near Gasline junction (New Trail)
  2. Alder Trail — Powerline Trail junction to Denali View Trail junction
  3. Bird Creek Valley Trail System — Campground Access (New Trail)
  4. Bird Pass Trail
  5. Coastal Trail — Indian to Potter (New Trail)
  6. Connect Peters Creek & Ptarmigan Valley with a Motorized Trail
  7. Eagle River Campground Trail System (New Trail)
  8. Hemlock Spur Trail
  9. Hidden Lake Trail — Powerline Trail junction to Middle Fork Loop Extension junction
  10. Hunter Pass Trail — South Fork Eagle River Trail junction to pass
  11. Lost Cabin Valley Trail
  12. Middle Fork Loop Extension — Middle Fork Loop Trail to Hidden Lake Trail (New Trail)
  13. Middle Fork Loop Trail
  14. Muktuk Marston Memorial Overlook Trail
  15. Muktuk Marston Trail (New Trail)
  16. Near Point Trail — Near Point Knoll Trailhead to existing Near Point Trail junction (New Trail)
  17. Penguin Creek Trail
  18. Penguin Creek Trail (New Trail)
  19. Peters Creek Valley Trail — Six Mile Creek to Wall Street Creek
  20. Ptarmigan Valley Trail
  21. Rendezvous Ridge Trail — Muktuk Marston Overlook Trail to Rendezvous Peak to Hunter Pass Trail junction
  22. Silver Fern Loop Trail (New Trail)
  23. South Fork Bird Creek Trail (New Trail)
  24. Spencer Loop Connector Trail (New Trail)

Source: Alaska Administrative Code registers (1985, 1988, 1996, 2002, 2009, 2022); CSP Trail Plan (1986); CSP Trail Management Plan (2009); CSP Management Plan (2016). Compiled by Chugach Mountain Bike Riders.

Related Posts

Scroll to Top