Days 19-20: Valdez, AK to Anchorage, AK

We're closing in on 5,000 miles on the car, so now seemed like the perfect time for a pit stop in Anchorage for an oil change. Overall, there's not much to cover from our time in Anchorage, much of it was spent on mundane tasks, and our first bout of not-so-great weather for the trip kept us from exploring much. But, here are the highlights:

Matanuska Glacier: As you head down the Glenn Highway toward Anchorage, about halfway down you'll arrive at the Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site (the glacier is shown above). There's a viewpoint right by the road, or a quick mile-long hike out to other viewpoints. We took the longer route, which was very educational and allowed us to stretch our legs a bit. We got to see some drunken trees, learned about the Matanuska Colony (a New Deal experiment), and got some excellent views of the glacier. (Added bonus—seeing the glacier that our ferry was named for!)

Chester Creek Trail: After getting settled in and preparing dinner, we decided to go for a walk down to the Chester Creek Trail, a suggestion from our host. By all accounts, Anchorage has an unparalleled trail system throughout the city, and we both found this one (shown above) to be quite pleasant, if a little tame, of course, after being out in nature.

Kincaid Park: The drive through Kincaid Park alone was worth it, followed by a quick walk around. The park includes 1,400 acres of rolling, forested hills, apparently filled with plenty of wildlife—including moose, black bear, bald eagles, and many more—though they were all apparently busy with other things when we arrived. A beautiful park, no less, with excellent views of Mt. Susitna across the Cook Inlet (above).

Our lovely Airbnb (shown above): Very accessible, with everything we needed, and a great place to try to plan out our next few days on the Kenai Peninsula.
A trip to Natural Pantry to stock up on all the things they don't sell at your average Alaska roadhouse. Excellent store. Two thumbs up.