After living in hibernation with six months of darkness for the winter season, summertime is us locals’ favorite season! Summers in Alaska consists of vibrant green foliage, warm weather, fishing season, and most importantly, the midnight sun. Being born and raised in Anchorage, I’ve yet to grow tired of watching the Alaskan sunset over the Cook Inlet. In this article, I’ll give you the top 5 places in Anchorage, Alaska to photograph the sunset.
5. SHIP CREEK, SMALL BOAT LAUNCH
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The sunset at the Ship Creek Small Boat Lunch is one of my personal favorites. From early June to late July, Ship Creek is a popular fishing spot for locals and visitors to Anchorage. This area is great for a clear inlet shot without intervention from city views (or lights for winter shots) with distant mountains that look so close you can ALMOST touch them! If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll catch some shorebirds grazing the mudflats.
4. LYN ARY PARK, TONY KNOWLES COASTAL TRAIL
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Anchorage’s inlet view looks stunning from every angle and the open sandy beach at Lyn Ary Park is the perfect coastal view to watch the sunset away from city noise. From this park, on a clear day, you get an amazing view of Mount Susitna, famously known as the “Sleeping Lady”. At low tide, the gorgeous mudflats appear and create an enchanting view of the mountains across the Cook Inlet.
3. POINT WORONZOF
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Ask any local where you should go in Anchorage and they will tell you Point Woronzof is a must! Right off of the runway of the Ted Stevens International Airport, this view features Alaskan wildlife, jets flying overhead, calming beach waves, and charming views of the inlet and surrounding mountain ranges. This location is very unique because it’s one of the few places in Anchorage where you’re able to take a photo of a silhouette of a plane flying over the mountains and into the sunset! Take a short walk down to the beach to see a tower covered with art from locals and visitors or take a seat on logs scattered along the beach and enjoy the never-ending sun.
2. KINCAID SAND DUNES
Source: LJAK Photo and Video via Facebook
Do you know what’s better than Malibu Beach? The Kincaid Sand Dunes! They are a short 10-minute walk from the Jodhpur Trailhead, on the southwest coast of Anchorage that transitions from a regular forest trail to sandy Alaskan paradise. The view from the sand dunes displays a broader view of the inlet and mountains, including a unique view of the Sleeping Lady compared to Point Woronzof. The Sand Dunes also give access to the Kincaid Beach along the coast.
1. THE DOME TRAILHEAD, CAMPBELL AIRSTRIP
Source: Daniel Simmons via mtbproject.com
And in first place on our list of best places to watch the sunset in Anchorage is the Dome Trailhead. The elevated view from The Dome Trailhead up Campbell Airstrip Road gives a view of Anchorage, the infamous Sleeping Lady, and the Midnight Sun. Feeling a bit more adventurous, hike or bike the moderately challenging trail to feel on top of the world!
These amazing views are Anchorage’s hidden treasures when it comes to the best places to watch the sunset in town. From the coastal inlet views to the mountain tops, there are endless places around Anchorage where the Midnight Sun shines bright waiting for you to snag that perfect Alaskan sunset photo.