Visiting Anchorage, Alaska in winter might not be on your bucket list, but it should be. Anchorage isn’t just a city in the cold north, but it’s a really cool community with amazing nature and landscapes all around. Our family likes being in Anchorage outside of tourist season because it means we get to do different activities and dine out without crowds. There are still all the Alaskans and a few tourists, but there are so many wintery things to do in the daylight hours that it’s like we have wherever we are to ourselves.
If you’ve made it here, you’re thinking about visiting Anchorage in the winter, and trust me when I say that it’s easier than you might think and it really is worth braving the cold for. We’ve got lots of advice for planning a winter trip to the Anchorage and Palmer areas, as well as some fantastic recommendations for things to do. We enjoy the snow and cold but we also like to take it easy, so we’ve put together a good mix of Alaskan activities. If you have any questions about visiting Anchorage in winter or need additional recommendations, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan an unforgettable trip.
Anchorage Alaska in Winter: What to Expect
People’s image of what Anchorage looks like in winter is usually quite different than it actually is. It’s not a picture-perfect postcard of a winter wonderland directly in downtown ANC, but just beyond the edge of the city it is. Downtown Anchorage can be cold and windy, full of snow drifts and slick crosswalks, but don’t let that discourage you. Downtown Anchorage has some awesome restaurants, and of course the Anchorage Museum (which is impressive, more on that below), so being downtown as a home base for your trip is a great idea. You’ll find that most of the winter activities are NOT downtown though and you’ll likely be heading north to Palmer for many adventures. THAT’S OKAY!
When you’re visiting Anchorage, Alaska in winter you are coming for the real Alaskan experiences, not to have a metropolitan getaway (cuz that ain’t Anchorage, FYI). Expect your days to start before the sun comes up… so like 8:30 am or after, and you’re evenings to begin early with a lovely afternoon sunset. A winter trip to Alaska means that you’re using ALL the daylight hours to enjoy being outdoors and then really leaning into the coziness of turning in early. The roads tend to be plenty clear and traffic patterns are like any other city, it’s just really cold and icy and normal for everyone else. I love it though, and I think you will too.
Is Anchorage Worth Visiting In Winter?
I think Anchorage in the winter is special because it is so mellow and easy to enjoy. Alaskans embrace the cold and are usually really welcoming (or impressed) by visitors who want to do that as well. Yes, there’s a good stretch of winter where the daylight is minimal, but it means that instead of having a rushed, non-stop visit, you’re actually having a more calm vacation and typically just doing one or two activities each day. I know when we do our standard Alaska summer road trip we are busy from waking to sleep, so visiting Anchorage in the winter affords us a much more relaxing and reenergizing trip.
Another unique aspect of visiting Anchorage in the winter months is how different the scenery is, including the wildlife. Year round you can see snow on many of the mountain peaks, but in the winter that same snow carries down through the river valleys and sits on the frozen rivers. It makes a bright backdrop for the dark wildlife to stand out against. And Denali is often very clearly seen from Anchorage during the winter. It’s awesome and so different from a summer experience; absolutely worth the visit.
When Does Winter Start In Anchorage Alaska
While the calendar date for the start of winter is the same everywhere, the snow and ice show up in Anchorage, Alaska usually a month before winter solstice. Starting in November and lasting into April, you’ve got winter weather moving through and bringing all sorts of changes. Visiting Anchorage in winter doesn’t mean that you’ll be traversing 5 foot snow drifts on December 21st, but it could be just that. Having lived in AK, I can tell you that no two winters are the same and sometimes the snow shows and goes. It’s a mixed bag, but that’s why we like to explore beyond the city and seek out the snow that’s bringing us to Anchorage.
As you’re considering when to visit Anchorage for the best chance at an Alaskan winter experience, you’ve got just as good a chance of a winter wonderland in December as you do in January. I think February and early March are the best times to visit for snow and winter fun, as you have quite a bit more daylight (7-11 hours) for exploring and doing all the activities you may want. From the beginning of February to the beginning of March Anchorage sees an increase in daylight of more than 3 hours!
How Cold Does Anchorage Get In Winter
I love talking about how cold it gets in Anchorage in the winter. We’ve had -17 degrees F and we’ve had +45 degrees F. While it’s true that December and January will bring the coldest temps, weather systems change and the cold can be much less severe than you expect. Having said that, we always prepare for the coldest possible temperatures when we visit Anchorage in the winter, both for safety and for comfort.
Read all about Planning an Alaska Winter Vacation here!
What To Do In Anchorage, Alaska In Winter
The adventures are what bring us and countless others to Anchorage in the winter. There really are so many things to do and places to explore in the Anchorage area, whether it’s snowy or just a cold winter’s day. We’ve picked our favorite Alaska activities that truly add to the experience of visiting Anchorage in winter. As you’re making your plans, keep in mind your budget and how long the daylight hours will be during your visit. This will help you have an unforgettable trip and love the Alaskan winter.
Northern Lights Viewing in Anchorage
I would say that seeing the Northern Lights is on most people’s Alaska bucket list, and that’s likely a big reason many want to visit Anchorage in the winter. Here’s what’s tricky about that though: the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) are light visible in dark skies. Anchorage is a legit city with everything you expect from a city, including light pollution. Yes, Alaska in the winter is amazing for seeing the Lights, but you need to get out of Anchorage to see them. If it’s an incredible show with very high activity and a very southern corona, you may be lucky and get to see them within the city of Anchorage, but likely you need to take a little drive.
Best Locations for Aurora Viewing Near Anchorage
If you don’t want to leave the actual city after dark for any reason, but you’re willing to drive someplace nearby, there are a few places where you may be successful watching the Aurora Borealis in Anchorage proper.
- The Tony Knowles Coastal Trail at sea level – here you’ll have the hill Anchorage is built on obstructing much of the light from the shipyard and airforce base.
- Point Woronzof Overlook – this is right next to the ANC airport runway, but you have a great view across Cook Inlet and a good amount of the light pollution is blocked.
- Kincaid Park – when you drive into the park and get out of your vehicle at the Chalet, you’ll be able to walk westward on the path to an area away from the lights of the park, blocking much of the city light.
- Drive north out of the city towards Eagle River and Chugiak. If you can get past the light pollution from JBER (the Base) you’ll have great chances of seeing the lights. Driving up the Knik River Valley on Knik River Road will get you away from the potential light pollution of Palmer or Wasilla and you can get a broad view of the Northern Lights when they’re happening.
The key to seeing the Aurora Borealis, whether you’re here in Anchorage in the winter or if you’re actually visiting any other part of Alaska and there’s a display, is to get to where the sky can be the darkest. Drive outside of town or up a hill away from civilization and you may just be lucky!
When to See Northern Lights in Anchorage Alaska Winter
I’ve seen the Northern Lights in the Anchorage area as early in the season as late August and as late as early May. Really it comes down to having enough darkness, both from the setting sun and away from city light pollution. While visiting Anchorage in December and January gives you the most hours of darkness, this isn’t always the best Aurora season. The Northern Lights are caused by solar winds hitting the Earth’s magnetic field in a particular way, and due to our orbit and rotation, February and March tend to be the best months with the greatest Aurora Borealis activity.
Winter Flightseeing in Anchorage
You may be thinking that you can’t imagine flightseeing in Alaska in the winter with all the snow and wind, but let me just put that idea out of your mind. It’s amazing and getting to see the wintery landscapes around Anchorage and the mountains in amazing. We had the most beautiful helicopter flightseeing from Palmer and it blew our minds. Our kids said that our trip with Outbound Heli Adventures was their favorite thing we’ve ever done anywhere in Alaska. That’s saying something.
Flightseeing can be done via plane or helicopter, but I prefer the helicopter experience for a winter visit, as it’s so smooth and is more controllable than many airplane flight paths. For our winter helicopter trip we got to land on the frozen lake at the Knik Glacier and explore ice caves and slot canyons between icebergs stuck in the 3 foot thick lake. We landed on a mountain top for golden hour and then we explored snow covered valleys and even looked for wildlife. We saw mountain goats running on the edges of cliffs and 15 moose in the valley below. Really, this is such cool sort of activity for a winter visit and absolutely worth it if you can swing it in your budget.
Skiing and Snowboarding Near Anchorage
There are actually a few places for skiing and snowboarding around Anchorage. And interestingly enough, you might even be surprised how affordable it can be. You don’t have to travel to ANC carrying your own ski gear if you don’t want to, as you can rent it when you arrive. REI in Anchorage has affordable ski gear rentals as does the rental shop at Skeetawk (one of our recommendations). You can visit Anchorage in the winter without plans to ski even and then add it to your itinerary quite easily.
The options for skiing in and near Anchorage include:
- Alyeska Resort – the premiere ski destination in Alaska
- Skeetawk Ski Area – a non-profit ski area in Hatcher Pass, Palmer
- Hilltop Ski Area – Anchorage, also a non-profit
- Arctic Valley Ski Area – Anchorage, also a non-profit
You also have lots of options for cross country skiing, aka Nordic skiing. Anchorage has some wonderful Nordic trails that are maintained by the city and they’re a great option if you want an easy ski activity in Anchorage that’s low key and a fun addition to your winter visit.
Alyeska Resort
Located in Girdwood, south on the Seward Highway on the way to the Kenai Peninsula, the Alyeska Resort is quite grand with some of the most daunting slopes in Alaska. This is a full scale destination with lifts, rentals and a beautiful hotel. Visiting the Alyeska Resort is a premium experience and may eat more of your vacation budget than you intend, but it’s epic and is on a lot of skiers bucket lists.
Hilltop Ski Area
The Hilltop Ski Area is just 20 minutes from downtown Anchorage. They have rentals onsite and their day passes for the ski lift are pretty inexpensive. Public ski areas like Hilltop and Skeetawk are really affordable, especially if you’re used to paying the prices of major ski destinations. And even Arctic Valley Ski Area (also in Anchorage) which has a bit more expensive lift ticket, is still very affordable to add to your Anchorage winter visit.
Skeetawk Ski Area in Palmer
We really enjoy the Skeetawk Ski Area in Hatcher Pass. This is already one of our favorite hiking destinations, so adding skiing to the reasons we love Hatcher Pass just makes sense. Skeetawk is smaller than Hilltop or Arctic Valley, but it’s also much more mellow. With just a few runs and a very simple setup, Skeetawk is a lowkey treat to enjoy a day of fun, inexpensive skiing.
Dog Sledding Experiences near Anchorage
Is there anything more Alaskan than dogsledding? When you visit Anchorage in the winter you’ll have some options for experiencing dog mushing culture and everything that goes along with it. Most dogsled tours happen in the Wasilla and Willow areas north of Anchorage, but there are a few options for tourists closer to the city. The Alaska Mushing School does winter tours and you can both meet the sled dogs and get to ride on an active sled through the snow. About an hour north of Anchorage the Alaska Dogstead also does mushing tours and they have lots of experience with the Iditarod to share! Further up you have even more options, including the famous Alaskan Husky Adventures. Dog sledding MUST be a part of your winter Anchorage visit.
Book Alaskan Husky Adventures here!
Dogsled races are what a lot of people are interested in when they come to Anchorage. There is more than the Iditarod to enjoy. The most popular Anchorage race is the Fur Rondy, properly known as the Fur Rendezvous Open World Championship Sled Dog Race (we loved being a part of this in Fairbanks). This race happens at the end of February into the first week of March.
Ice Fishing Around Anchorage During Winter
Let me lay it out for you plain and simple: ice fishing is a once in a lifetime activity… meaning you only need to do it once in your lifetime. Some people really enjoy the process of sitting in a hut on the ice and catching their lunch, but it’s not our favorite. In fact, when we head to Anchorage or Fairbanks in the winter they ask if we “have to” go ice fishing. Here’s the thing about it though, ice fishing culture is its own thing and if you’re lucky enough to know somebody in AK who loves it, they’ll show you a great time on the ice and make it fun and memorable.
When it comes to being a visitor and doing a tour, it’s cool to watch the fish through the cut hole in the ice and then it’s lovely to chat with your ice fishing guide and hear stories, but in general, it’s not a thrill. For an Alaskan fishing thrill you need to come visit in the summer and fish for salmon!
Winter Kayaking and Sauna
It might sound a little extreme, but one of the most unique and fun days we’ve had visiting Anchorage, Alaska in the winter was spent on the Knik River, kayaking and enjoying a complete sauna experience. You might not think it’s safe or worth considering to be so immersed in the cold, but if you can mentally conquer the idea you’ll love it. Adventures by True North AK takes people to a special place on the river that doesn’t freeze up to do some exploring via kayak (yes, you’re bundled up) and then we followed it up with an afternoon Finnish sauna and several cold plunges into the river. I know, totally not what you’d expect, but really fun!
Book winter kayaking here! Book a sauna and cold plunge here!
Snowshoeing and Cross-Country Skiing Trails
If you’ve gotten to spend a few weeks exploring Anchorage and the rest of the area in the summer then you know that there are lots of hiking trails all around, from the parks to the refuge areas nearby. Visiting Anchorage in winter is a great opportunity to explore these same trails on skis or snowshoes. I mentioned that Kincaid Park in Anchorage has a great Nordic trail system that is groomed, but you don’t have to restrict yourself to this one system.
From Chugach State Park and Eklutna Lake to the Reflection Lakes trails in Palmer, there are lots of easily accessed snowshoe and cross country ski trails. Up at Hatcher Pass, the Gold Mint Trail is a very popular cross country skiing trail (but we like to hike it in the snow). In Palmer the Government Peak Recreation Area has wonderful groomed trails for cross country skiing and snowshoeing. You have lots of options! Also, many of the snowshoe or cross country skiing trails also allow fat tire biking, which is really popular in Anchorage.
Tip: Alaska Outdoor Gear Rentals and REI in Anchorage are both excellent outfitters to rent cross country skis or snowshoes. In Palmer, you can stop into Backcountry Ski and Bike for rentals as well. You can also rent ice skates, if that’s your thing, but be sure to get a current recommendation from a local if you’re planning on skating wild ice (that’s why we like trail-based activities).
Winter Wildlife Viewing in Anchorage Alaska
Getting to see wildlife when you visit Anchorage in the winter is such a treat! Our kids are always excited to see moose in Alaska, and when we’re visiting in the winter months it’s even easier and more common than our summer trips. With bare branches and bright, snowy backdrops, the moose really stand out when you’re driving or out exploring.
The best tour we’ve ever done for wildlife NOT in a National Park in AK was here in the winter. Alaska Backcountry Adventure Tours in Palmer does an incredible winter UTV tour in the Knick Valley that goes all the way back to the Knik Glacier and is just filled with wildlife. We saw 14 moose on this one tour, and then a ton of Dall sheep, countless bald eagles and it was all just beautiful. The kids loved it and it is in their top three favorite things we’ve done in Anchorage in the winter.
Moose Watching in Winter
If you don’t want to do a tour for wildlife watching, you can create your own adventure to see moose around Anchorage. The easiest place to go to see moose is Kincaid Park directly in the city. Any time of year Kincaid Park is THE moose destination, and in the winter months it’s even better because there is so little foliage to hide them.
Beyond the city of Anchorage, you can head south on the Seward Highway and likely spot moose in Potter’s Marsh, just a half hour from downtown, or continue onto the Portage Valley (by the Alaska Wildlife Conservations Center) and Kenai Peninsula where you’ll no doubt see plenty more moose. To the north, spending time in the Palmer area along the Knik and Matanuska Rivers, Reflection Lakes and the Palmer Hay Flats are all wonderful moose watching places. Remember that moose are WILD and you should not approach them. Safety for both yourself and the animals is very important, so keep your distance and enjoy the snowy moose viewing safely.
Bird Watching Opportunities
Unlike looking for moose when you come to Anchorage in the winter, bird watching is more difficult. Remember that Alaska is in the north, and that’s where all the birds migrate from. Besides raptors like eagles and owls, most of the birding that happens in Anchorage in the winter months is focused on very small birds, like waxwings, or the rogue ducks that have stuck around. Bald eagles are the most common sight, especially in the Anchorage area, but if you’re lucky you may encounter an owl or two while hiking or snowshoeing. Birding in winter is tricky here, and not my top pick of an activity.
Anchorage Museum
One of the best things to do in Anchorage in any season, but especially in winter is to visit the Anchorage Museum. I love it here, and I would venture to say that it’s in my top five favorite museums in the USA. The Anchorage Museum is a combination of history, art and a celebration of Alaska Native culture. It’s anything but boring and is full of different sorts of exhibits for so many interests. I particularly love the Alaskan Art section that showcases both traditional and modern art styles focusing on the landscapes and people of Alaska. I love it.
Alaska Native Heritage Center
The Alaska Native Heritage Center is a very special place, and it’s open for visiting in winter. Located at the edge of the city of Anchorage, the Alaska Native Heritage Center is full of art, educational exhibits and a very large outdoor park showcasing the many different lifestyles of indigenous Alaskans. If you’ve gotten to visit multiple areas in Alaska, this is a wonderful addition to your winter Anchorage trip to tie it all together and get a solid understanding of Alaska Native peoples. It’s a meaningful and worthwhile visit.
Now you should feel fully inspired and excited to visit Anchorage, Alaska in the winter. If you have any other questions about planning your trip or need additional Alaska recommendations for other seasons, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy and ready to be a resource for people planning travel to such fun, beautiful places as this.
