These reports attempt to give people updated information on how quickly area trails are drying out in the spring. Hopefully, people will have a better trail experience and will protect trails from being damaged. Please tread lightly, especially on wheels. (For more see my Spring Trail Use Guidelines.)
If you’ve got helpful information on how certain trails or trail systems are doing, please leave a comment below or send me a report at: fbxtrails@gmail.com. And please add enough info so I know the specific trail or area and date you experienced the conditions. I’ll add those to the reports. If you have a report for an area or trail I haven’t included below, go ahead and send it. I’ll find a place for it.
More info on area trails can be found here.
Eric Troyer, editor of the Interior Trails Newsletter
P.S. Sorry some of the tables are so crammed together. Working on it.
Birch Hill Recreation Area
| TRAILS | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| South-facing singletrack trails: Blackhawk and Chinook (on FT WW) | 5/24/2020 | Awesome! |
| General report | 05/21/20 | Dry, windy weather has dried trails out nicely. They are fine for use. Occasional soft spots, but nothing super muddy. During longer periods of rain please give them a couple days to dry out. |
| Stadium area and trails originating there | 05/13/20 | Not ready yet. Stadium, trails all very soft. Foot traffic only and avoid all soft and/or wet spots (which is pretty much everywhere). |
University of Alaska Fairbanks trail system
| TRAIL | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| General report | 05/27/20 | Low-lying trails and portions of trails still wet/muddy. |
| Skarland/Equinox | 05/07/20 | Seasonal pond N of Ballaine Lake (along Skarland Trail) is bigger than I have ever seen it. Take bushwhacking to get by. |
Extensive review from Chris Swingley:
Earlier in the week (Tuesday and Wednesday, May 12 and 13) I ran on
the UAF North Campus trails, entering at the intersection of Miller
Hill and Yankovich. Mostly good, but here’s where it’s wet/soft:
* Initial 100-200 feet of the trail entrance at Miller Hill and
Yankovich is wet and soft. There are a few minor ruts from bicycle
traffic but the damage is minor.
* Trail south of “G” that goes to the bottom of the T-Field is wet and
soft in spots.
* Open water in a lot of places at the bottom of the T-Field (as is
usual this time of year).
* The rest of the trails between the T-Field and the muskox
farm/Miller Hill are in good shape with only minor soft spots.
On Saturday (May 9) I ran a bunch of the Skarland trail starting with
the first few miles of Equinox, which is getting soft and wet, but at
least on Saturday was in good enough shape that I wasn’t tearing it
up. It’s possible that’s because the ground was frozen near the
surface and may get worse before it gets better.
Exceptions:
* Estle Connector was very wet (it’s wet most of the summer, so this
is no surprise) and still had some ice on it.
* Bicycle Bumps had a few large puddles/ponds, mostly at the lower
end, but the sections out of the water were solid.
* Lots of water in the section north of Ballaine Lake as you noted.
The Equinox sign there was only a foot or so from being underwater.
Skarland (off UAF) and Pearl Creek Park trails
| TRAIL | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Skarland | 05/22/20 | Upper Skarland loop is 90% dry, and ready for running and biking. Herreid Road is passable with a bit of puddle jumping to complete the loop. |
| Skarland | 05/07/20 | West of Ballaine is mostly snow free, but still really wet |
Skyline Ridge Park
| DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|
| 05/23/20 | Singletracks are great, except for top of After Hours, which is soggy and soft still. Wider trails without gravel work still soft and mushy, like the climb out of After Hours (aka Van Trail). |
| 05/15/20 | Secret trail is good. Skyline ridge trail is still very soggy. After hours is not ready. Heart of darkness is not ready. |
Ester Dome Area
| TRAIL | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Equinox Marathon Trail | 05/28/20 | The Cut in past mile 9 to start working your way towards the top is still very muddy and wet so if others can be like me and avoid the trail for a week or 2 I think it will best for the trail. Also, the section between the Alder Chute and Henderson Rd (miles 17.5 to 19.5) is still soft, recently rutted by a four-wheeler. |
| Ester Dome/Happy Valley Singletrack Trails | 05/22/20 | Most of the trail is open. It dried out a lot this week. The drop in off Henderson is still closed. Beware of hazards: trees down, eroded areas |
| Upper Henderson road/trail | 05/13/20 | Free of snow with some muddy spots that aren’t too bothersome. Fine for running, biking, ATVs, and others. |
Goldstream Valley Area
| TRAIL | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Cache Creek Road (logging/subdv road off Murphy Dome Road) | 06/01/20 | Dry with some eroded sections (most not too bad) |
| Waterford Trail | 05/29/20 | Slowly drying out. Mile 1 has dried out fairly well. From mile 1 to the pipeline the trail is still muddy. |
| Cranberry Trail and Eldorado Creek East Ridge Trail | 05/18/20 | Cranberry Trail ok. ECE Ridge Trail still wet in places. Foot traffic only please for a while. |
| Waldheim to Monteverde | 05/13/20 | Still soft. Recently damaged with ruts, apparently from ATV activity. Please don't use. |
Moose Mountain
| AREA / TRAIL | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Moose Mountain powerline trail (starting from Monteverde) | 05/15/20 | There is still a little snow in areas along the trail from the gate up. The large 4 wheelers/atvs have been very active over the past week!.. The main multi-use trail beginning at the Moose Mtn Gate, is very sloppy mostly due to the ATV's... but things are beginning to dry up in places. Otherwise the trail is in good shape as far as brush clearing is concerned. There was an effort made just 3 weeks ago to clear some of the trail side brush with much success. Prediction is the this trail will be very nice within 2 more weeks, depending on the rain factor, but certainly the first 2 miles, starting at the gate up to the top of Moose Mtn will be a great hike, bike, run or whatever you want to do. |
Murphy Dome
| AREA / TRAIL | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Sevenmile Trail (from top parking lot down north north side) | 05/16/20 | Muddy |
| General area | 05-10/11-20 | Still lots of snow |
Chena River State Recreation Area
| TRAIL | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Stiles Creek Trail | 05/31/20 | Went out Sunday (5/31) to try biking it, starting from the lower stiles creek side, the first 1/2 mile (up until the turn for Colorado and winter trail) is doable and mostly dry, continuing on Stiles though is nearly impassable, incredibly muddy and torn up, was only able to go another mile or so by hopping off trail and dragging bike through, almost lost a shoe in the mud. This might be doable hiking but would recommend waiting to bike. Might be passable with a fat bike. |
| Far Mountain Trail | 05/30/20 | In great shape, or at least the half going clockwise from CHS is anyway. |
| Mastodon Trail | 05/30/20 | Hiked the Mastadon trail to Nugget Creek cabin. The section before Mastodon Creek is still awful and muddy, and there are lots of downed trees in the last half mile or so to the cabin. But other than that, the trail was in great shape and good for hiking or biking. |
| Angel Rocks to Chena Hot Springs | 05/30/20 | Amazing condition with the exception of the last mile or two, which has quite a bit of water and mud still, but if you pay close attention the the right or left of these watery areas there are many narrow mini-trails that are dry and take you right around it. |
| Chena Dome Trail | 05/25/20 | Lower trailhead had minimal short snowy sections to traverse around mile 3. Upper trailhead dry and no problem. Overall the loop had very few wet spots. Trail shelter is in good shape at mile 17 after the floor was fixed last fall. Lots of water holes in all the saddles memorial weekend and lots of snow patches near the trail up high. |
| Compeau, Angel Crk Hillside, Stiles | 05/24/20 | Open for the season starting Thursday May 21, 2020. Compeau: btwn miles 7-9 there were 4-5 mud pits. Stiles Creek: has some muddy sections with some pools and water in deeper ruts |
| Mike Kelly Trail | 05/24/20 | Road to the trail has several wash outs & is difficult to get through. The trail still very muddy & several large puddles of water. |
| Granite Tors Trail | 05/12/20 | Lower part is fine. Doesn't get muddy until about 2 miles in. Upstream leg of loop is washed out (has been for years). |
White Mountains Nat Recreation Area
Website / Facebook (has trail updates) / Trail Updates page
| TRAIL / AREA | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Wickersham Creek Trail | 06/01/20 | Trail is still very wet and muddy. |
| Table Top Mountain Loop Trail (Nome Creek Valley) | 05/24/20 | Bits of water and mud. |
| Summit Trail aka Wickersham Dome | 05/24/20 | Super muddy trail with only a few sections of relief. Some patches of snow still remain on trail but it’s not bad as far as snow is concerned. If you go, be prepared to get muddy and wet! |
| Quartz Creek Trail (off Nome Creek Road) | 05/20/20 | Quartz Creek Trail still has abundant snow as well. Judging from what is visible from the trailhead, there will be minimal access for ATVs on the trail this weekend. It’s unlikely that riders can make it to the top of the first hill, and if they do, the north-facing slopes are holding even more snow. As a reminder, no ATVs are allowed east of the Quartz Creek Trail (the right side as you head up the hill from the road), not even to go around a snow patch. Waiting for trails to dry and harden prevents ruts and other trail damage that is difficult and expensive to fix. |
| White Mountains Nat Rec Area | 05/15/20 | Considerable snow remains in the higher elevations an on north-facing slopes. Where trails are not snow-covered, they are wet and muddy. Waiting a bit longer for trails to dry and harden, especially for motorized use, will reduce trail damage. Quartz Creek Trail has considerable snow not far up the trail from the trailhead. Considerable snow remains around Wickersham Dome Trailhead. |
| Nome Creek Valley (part of White Mtns Nat Rec Area) | 05/09/20 | The road is plowed to mile 4. We tried to go past there with our ATV's but got stuck. (High Centered). There is still about 2 feet of snow in the area/road and in the Nome Creek Valley. I do not expect the trails in the area to be open for another two weeks. |
Elliott Highway (not incl White Mtns Nat Rec Area)
| TRAIL / AREA | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Grapefruit Rocks | 05/09/20 | The trail was dry on the way up and down on the red and blue marker trails. Still snow past the 3rd outcropping. |
Steese Highway (not incl White Mtns Nat Rec Area)
| TRAIL / AREA | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Pinnell Mountain Trail | 06/01/20 | Still significant snow fields over chunks of trail, made for slow going without the right gear for traversing. I turned around before the first shelter, another group got a little further but continued to hit big snow over the trail and also tapped out of through hiking this time. Otherwise trail is in great condition and the weather was fantastic! |
Delta Junction Area
| TRAIL / AREA | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Coal Mine Lakes road/trail | 05/18/20 | Couldn’t go past Backdown lake turn-off for a deep snow bank. |
| Donnelly Dome | 05/16/20 | South approach is dry. Still patches of snow (some deep) on north side, but you can get to the top. |
Parks Highway
| TRAIL / AREA | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Rosie Creek forestry roads (from Parks Hwy near upper intersection with Old Nenana) | 05/09/20 | Mix of snow, mud, and very nice gravel surface. |
Denali National Park area
| TRAIL | DATE | REPORT |
|---|---|---|
| Savage Alpine Trail (in Denali NP) | 05/24/20 | Open. A couple of stretches of snow traverses, nothing difficult. |
| Mt Healy via Bison Gulch | 05/24/20 | Trail is good. Dry terrain and many loose rocks. Top relatively clear of snow. |
| Mount Healy Overlook (in Denali NP) | 05/16/20 | A few small snow fields above the overlook that were very deep but we were able to posthole through. Other than that, it was great. |
| Triple Lakes Trail (from the Highway side) | 05/10/20 | Trail in good shape. Mostly dry with isolated small patches of snow. Deep snow after the 3rd lake ~3 miles in - didn't go past there. |
| Ferry Road just north of Healy | 05/09/20 | Bone dry. (Not a trail, but a service road with limited access that leads to trails.) |
South Slope Ester Dome Trails, May 18, 2020
Equinox Marathon Trail from bottom of the Alder Chute to Henderson has numerous wet seeps draining across the trail, muddy and very rutted in several locations by recent 4-wheeler traffic. You will get wet on this trail, but it is drier than the previous work.
Other trails on the south slope of Ester Dome are in pretty good shape. Some snow patches remaining in spruce forests, otherwise mostly dry.
Eva Creek Trail is still wet, but drying out. Has numerous blowdowns in its lower section and mudholes caused by ATVs in the upper section.
Did Donnelly north ridge yesterday, 6/7/20. Several others on the trail. Getting to be numerous routes from the road through brush to the ridge. Portions of the trail from the road to the ridge are very wet. Was a great hike, good weather.
We rode out the Quartz Trail as far as Little Champion Creek Friday June 12.. It is blocked by snow drifts in several places where it is cut out of the mountain side along the creek. Pretty sure it won’t be passable until July. The trail is fine to that point.
Thanks for the update, Chuck! I assume that the snow is on the north-facing slopes. It takes a while for those to melt. It turned me back one year, too.