Lion’s Head View Trail: The Best Hike To View the Matanuska Glacier in Alaska- This scenic hike is one not to miss! The Lion’s Head Trail is near the famous Matanuska Glacier. It is a short drive from Anchorage, making it the best day hike from Anchorage, Alaska. This article will give you all the information you need to know about the hike, how long, how difficult, where to park and much more!
Stats
Length: 2.1 miles (3.4 kilometer) out and back
Time: 1.5-2 hours
Difficulty: Hard
Elevation Gain: 991 feet (302 meters)
Trailhead: Lion Head View Trailhead
Overview
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When To Go
It is best to plan to hike the Lion’s Head Trail between the months of May through August. This time frame will give you the best chance for the trail to be cleared of snow and ice. We hiked this trail at the beginning of August 2021.
How To Get There
The Drive and Parking
The Lion’s Head hike is located near the Matanuska Glacier. It is about a 2 hour drive from Anchorage, Alaska. The trailhead is right off of the Glenn Highway.
This is not your typical trailhead. It is located on private property, but no worries you can still access this hike! So parking will be near the AT&T tower near mile 106 on the Glenn Highway, on the right coming from Anchorage.
You can park along the gravel lot and road. This area is not monitored, please don’t leave valuables in the car, or atleast leave them out of sight.
Trail Access
When you arrive you might see a sign that says ‘no trespassing’. Don’t freight! You just need to call the number on the gate and let you know that you are hiking the trail. This is how the trail is still accessible to the public. AT&T has agreed to let the trail be open if they monitor who is on their property. When you call you will leave your name and how many are in your group. When leaving the trail you will need to call and let them know you are finished.
Where To Stay
This area and hike can be explored as a day trip from Anchorage. We did this hike as we were driving through from Talkeetna (after our plane tour) to the Chitina area. After an evening stop we continued on to McCarthy to visit Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.
How Hard Is The Hike?
The distance of this hike may be short but it is considered a difficult hike due to the quick elevation change and unmaintained trail. Parts of this trail are very rocky and have a quick incline. I was on my butt scooting on some points along the boulders and rooty hill sides. Make sure you have good footwear and strong footing.
The Route
Parking and Access
Once parked and called in to AT&T you can start by hiking past the gate and up the slight hill.
Start
The start of the trail will be a gravel road, once up around the bend to the left you will see some AT&T buildings. Make sure you are respectful of the buildings and area.
The trail to split off to the right. This was a little difficult to find but we followed some hikers that were a little ahead of us.
You will hike through a few trees along the trail, thank goodness for the shade!
Uphill
Once through the trees the trail will start going uphill fast. Make sure you pay attention to the trail as it is easy to lose as it is not maintained. I used my hands a lot on this trail to go through a little bit of brush, climb up larger rocks and grab on to roots and trees to get me up and over some of the sections of this trail. Make sure you bring water and take some breaks if you need it.
At The Top
You will be getting close to the end when you start to see views of the Matanuska Glacier. We thought we were at the end but the trail will go around the ridge and up to the left before at the end of the trail.
We used our Maps.Me App to help us find the very end of the trail.
Once at the end we enjoyed the sweeping views of the Matanuska Glacier, ate a snack, and rested our feet. Heading down please make sure to pay attention to the trail as we veered off of it once and had to find our way back to the correct route.
When back to your car make sure you give the same AT&T number a call to let them know you are finished and off of their property.
Tips For The Hike
Leave No Trace
Make sure you practice Leave No Trace 7 principles to leave minimal impact on the trails.
Be Bear Aware
Make sure you are Bear Aware while in any part of Alaska. We carried bear spray while on any hike in Alaska. We did not see any moose or bear along this hike, I would be surprised if you did as this is a well trafficked hike. Stay alert, make noise, and seal food in containers. I also used a bear bell since we are usually pretty quiet hikers.
Watch For Weather
Make sure you keep in eye on the weather before heading out on this hike. Alaska’s weather is known to change with little notice.
Go Early
Going early will help you beat the crowds and the heat. Or in the evening! I even heard from people camping along the trail to watch sunset or sunrise.
What To Bring
Water– we each carried 2 liters of water in our hydration bladders with an additional collapsible water bottle for this day’s hike. If staying nearby at least bring a waterbottle.
Hiking Poles– If planning on hiking I do love using them for uphills and downhills, much easier on your knees. But not exactly necessary for these small hikes and I used my hands more on the rocks.
Layers– You never know what Alaska weather and high elevation hikes may bring you. Dress in thin layers and make sure you bring a raincoat as well.
Sunscreen– Sunscreen is essential for anytime while hiking.
Bear Spray– we each had our own, and I also attached a bear bell on to my backpack. When on the bus they will ask you to seal it in your backpack. Bear spray is probably not necessary if sticking to the main populated trails. When using the buses you will need to put this in your backpack.
Bug Spray– Alaska summers are known for their bugs. Although we didn’t seem to get bitten by bugs much while in Denali National Park.
Hiking Shoes– Good sturdy hiking shoes are a must. I love my Ahnu’s.
Snacks/Food– This is a long hike, we packed many snacks such as granola bars, jerky sticks, fruits strips and more. We also packed a sandwich to eat at the top.
Sunglasses/Hat– Again it is very bright at the top as it is a pretty wide open area. I would pack sunglasses and maybe even a hat if you are sensitive to the sun.
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