The Scenic Alaskan Hike That Will Likely Bring You Unbelievably Close To Deadly Wildlife

With strikingly beautiful national parks and breathtaking hikes, Alaska is the perfect destination for those seeking outdoor adventures and playgrounds. The area around Anchorage, which is surrounded by five national parks and places like Far North Bicentennial Park, is precisely one of these outdoor playgrounds perfect for adventurers. Although Far North Bicentennial Park is not exactly a national park, it is an open area offering visitors 4,000 acres of wilderness. Located near Campbell Creek — a place that was used as an airstrip during World War II — the park mostly attracts hikers, runners, bikers, or just people interested in exploring Rover's Run, a well-known trail in the park.

Rover's Run might not seem otherworldly or something especially dangerous at first. It is without any steep steps, cliffs, or anything of the sort. However, during the summer months Campbell Creek is filled with salmon swimming upstream, attracting hundreds of brown bears every year. As such, the chances of running into one of these bears while traversing Rover's Run are incredibly high, making it one of Alaska's most dangerous outdoor routes.

Rover's Run is pretty popular among locals visiting Far North Bicentennial Park. According to travelers on TripAdvisor, the park is "a great way to spend a quiet morning," with even dog walkers having taken a liking to this specific trail. It takes almost 3 hours to complete the hike on Rover's Run, which also happens to be a very popular spot for birdwatching. The setting is pretty safe year-round except during the summer salmon rush. 

During this season and until late October, the brown bears are seen near South Fork's Campbell Creek fishing for food, so it is pretty common for people hiking the trails to run into the animals. To prevent unfortunate encounters, experts and park authorities have cautioned people to avoid Rover's Run until after the bears leave the area in October.

Despite the seasonal warnings though, people continue to visit the trail, sadly adding to Rover's Run's long history of wildlife attacks since 2008. If you still decide to visit Rover's Run either to engage in outdoor sports or thinking you can do some bear-watching, carrying bear spray is a must. However, Rover's Run is definitely not the safest place for the latter, and it might be a better idea to instead visit these underrated places in Alaska for safely watching bears in their natural habitat.

With its 4,000 acres of wilderness, trails, and wildlife such as moose, eagles, and bears, visiting Far North Bicentennial Park while in Anchorage is worth it. By parking in the lower area of the park, you'll have access to several paths surrounded by lush forests, while the upper parking lot leads to ski trails used for mountain biking during the summer. At the south tip of the park, you'll find the Hill Top Ski Area's Spencer Loop, which passes near the creek and offers great views of Anchorage and other nearby areas like the Denali National Park.

The Alaska Botanical Garden can also be found within the park, and it is open year-round. The entry fees change depending on the season, so plan your visit accordingly. If you're in the market for more of an educational experience, on the western side of Far North Bicentennial Park you'll find the Bureau of Land Management's Campbell Creek Science Center. Lastly, you can also hike towards the east on the park's trails to the Chugach State Park.

As Alaska's largest city, Anchorage offers tons of adventures. The city is even home to the world's largest chocolate waterfall, perfect for making up for the calories lost while adventuring through its surrounding wilderness. Just be sure to follow safety precautions when visiting Far North Bicentennial Park and you'll be set for enjoying the scary hike at Rover's Run.