Winner Creek Trail is a 6.4 mile heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Girdwood, Alaska that features a river and is good for all skill levels. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is best used from May until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
NOTE: The hand-tram over Glacier Creek is closed for the duration of 2020. This route can still be hiked, but you will have to turn around 2.5 miles in at the hand-tram. Please check here for more information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/chugach/recarea/?recid=82791 This trail can be started on either end. The mapped route on this page has the hiker starting at the Alyeska Hotel, however hikers can also start at the Winner Creek Trailhead. The first portion of the trail is wheelchair accessible. There is a hand-tram along this route that provides access over Glacier Creek.
We were able to do the first 2-3 miles of this trail due to the hand tram being closed. It was muddy, but a really relaxing and easy hike. The dense and wet forest was great scenery, and the trail itself was very well established. I wish we could have gone farther on this trail, but the first 2.5 miles were very chill.
Easy well maintained hike. There are a few steep sections of the trail that surprised me based on some of the other reviews on here. I would still rate this as an easy hike for those with average physical condition but thought it was worth mentioning for anyone with knee / mobility issues. We crossed the first bridge (cat something?) and hiked about .5 miles past the “cabin this way” sign. Aside for some pretty foliage and an overgrown trail path we did not see anything so we turned around. Hand tram is down so not much to see past the gorge
Hand tram was closed due to covid-19- but still fun to hike. Water levels are lower than I remember them! First time hiking here without angel as well.
Beautiful woods, lots of shade then amazing waterfall and rock gorge near the hand tram. So beautiful. Do it!