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MARC LESTER / Daily News archive
A bull moose crosses the meadows near Powerline Pass not far from the Glen Alps trail head. Powerline Pass is one of the best places to see moose in the Anchorage area. Other hot spots include Kincaid Park and near Point Woronzof.

When it comes to urban wildlife, no place is like Anchorage.

It's home to more than 280,000 people, hundreds of moose and plenty of bears, wolves, eagles and other wild creatures.

If you want guaranteed wildlife, head to the Alaska Zoo or the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage. Otherwise, you're at nature's discretion.

So, where should you look?

MOOSE

Kincaid Park: This West Anchorage park is the best place to look for moose. You might see several on one trip. Just about anywhere is possible, but two good options are the paved Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and the short hike called Mize Loop. To get to the park, drive west on Northern Lights Boulevard or Tudor Road, head south on Minnesota Drive, then west on Raspberry Road.

Point Woronzof: This is one of the more reliable places to see moose in Anchorage, as they get squeezed into a narrow corridor between the airport and Knik Arm. The Coastal Trail connects Kincaid Park and Point Woronzof, which is at the western end of Northern Lights Boulevard. Also, a parking lot overlooks the water and Mount Susitna, so even without moose it's a nice place to visit.

Powerline Pass: Drive to the Glen Alps parking lot in Chugach State Park and then hike about a quarter of a mile to the Powerline Pass trail. Turn right and head down to the Middle Fork Loop trail. In the fall, rutting moose can often be seen in this area on both sides of the South Fork of Campbell Creek. Generally, the best time to see moose is in the evening.

DALL SHEEP

Windy Corner off the Seward Highway along Turnagain Arm, Mile 107 Seward Highway, is the most reliable spot to see the white sheep. It is said to be the only place in the world where Dall sheep can be seen at sea level from a road. At times the sheep will be right beside the road, so beware of traffic jams and quick-stopping cars.

SALMON

Ship Creek, just north of downtown Anchorage, is the local place to watch people catch fish. Also on Ship Creek is the Elmendorf State Hatchery, located at the corner of Reeve Boulevard and Post Road, which is a good place to see salmon struggling upstream. At Potter Marsh, visitors can see spawning salmon swim beneath the boardwalk that parallels the Seward Highway.

BELUGA WHALES

To see these white whales, head south along the Seward Highway to either Beluga Point or Bird Point. At times, they can be viewed along the Coastal Trail near Point Woronzof. The whales have become harder to spot in recent years as their population has declined.

BEAVERS

A beaver pond is a short walk from the Eagle River Nature Center. Or you can visit one of the many beaver lodges tucked away in Anchorage neighborhoods. Beavers can often be found at Windsong Park in Muldoon, at Reflection Lake in East Anchorage or at Taku Lake near Dimond Boulevard in South Anchorage.

To get to the Eagle River Nature Center, take the Glenn Highway north to the Eagle River Loop Road exit. Go straight until you come to Eagle River Road. Make a right on Eagle River Road and follow it 12 miles into the valley. The nature center is at the end of the road.

BALD EAGLES

A bald eagle's nest is often visible along the back side of Potter Marsh in South Anchorage on the Old Seward Highway. Nests can also sometimes be found near the airport runway about half a mile south of Point Woronzof.

ARCTIC TERNS

The best place to see these long-distance fliers that spend summers here and winters on the opposite end of the globe is Potter Marsh. The best time to see them is May to July.

SNOW GEESE AND SANDHILL CRANES

Head to the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, which extends 16 miles along the coast from Point Woronzof to Potter Marsh. In addition to Potter Marsh, access to the refuge is available at Victor Road, off Jarvi Drive and from a trail that starts at Johns Park. Snow geese show up on the coastal flats in mid-April and stay for about three weeks. Sandhill cranes migrate through the area from late April through mid-May.

GENERAL BIRDING

Anchorage Audubon maintains the Upper Cook Inlet Bird Report, a phone recording that lists recent and rare bird sightings. Call the hot line, 338-2473. Some favorite local birding hot spots include Westchester Lagoon, the estuary of Fish Creek along the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and Potter Marsh. For more information, go to www. anchorageaudubon.org. n

Visit Steve's Alaska travel blog at alaska.com/alaskology.