Swan Lake Boardwalk & Trail

Bryan and I went on a little exploratory walk after work yesterday. We both had endured a rather hectic day, so spending time out in Nature seemed like a particularly good idea.

The trail we chose to explore is call the Swan Lake Boardwalk & Trail, and they just happened to be having their Grand Opening Celebration this month. This area is the location of a former Dena’ina village site and holds cultural significance. It was purchased by the Great Land Trust company back in 2014; they have been developing numerous trails and wildlife viewing spots on the land since then.

It was nice, but I have to say the trailhead could not be in a worse place. It is right off the side of the road in a developing neighborhood. I mean, literally right off the side of the road! And there is no parking at all – apparently, they expect you to just park on the side of the road in the ditch, or perhaps in somebody’s driveway if you want to be That Guy.

But once you get on the trail, it is quite nice. They have boardwalks that keep you up out of the soggy ground and have a good gravel/dirt path for the places that do not get soggy. Oddly, the boardwalks are slightly wobbly. I am not sure if that’s poor construction or if they are supposed to be that way. They are brand new – so one would expect them to be in good condition.

If you take the first left hand turn and go for about 500 feet you end up at the lake (otherwise known as Quggesh Lake in the native tongue) with a grand view of the Palmer Hay Flats and the Chugach Mountains in the distance.

Heading back on the main trail, it takes you on a one-mile loop up a slight incline, periodically giving you a beautiful view of the mountains and the inlet.

It is very buggy. I had sprayed myself liberally with the insect repellent like normal, but Bryan (who normally prefers to forgo the pleasure) was being eaten alive. We had to move along at quite a clip in order to outrun the little beasties.

All in all, it was exactly what we needed to shake off the workday, and we topped it off with some sushi for dinner!