Seward Parks & Recreation Department's ...



The Seward area is well-loved by residents and visitors for its wide assortment of trails within close range. Within 30 miles you can find Forest Service, National Park Service, Alaska State Parks and municipal trails for the entire family. If you're able to travel a hour's drive, then your trail miles multiply to a veritable hiker's heaven.

While you're in Seward, enjoy these trails...

The Two Lakes Trail is a quiet nature loop, just a bit longer than one mile. Parking is available behind the AVTEC Administration building on 2nd Avenue, at the end of "C" Street. Watch for moose, bear. Mountain bikes are neither welcomed nor prohibited. Riders who stray from the trail and damage flora and fauna cause problems for all. Please use your brain.

In 2001 the Boy Scouts of America worked long, hard hours improving many parts of this trail. They discovered remnants of a concrete staircase to the Johnson-Stucco house. The house was miraculously lowered down the cliff and moved to its present location near 5th Avenue and Jefferson Street. One can access the trail from First Lake, behind AVTEC, from Second Lake, up Dairy Hill or from the new access off 2nd Avenue, across from the Rotary Pavilion.

The National Historic Iditarod Trail (a paved bike path) begins in Seward. A monument and interpretive sign is located at Mile 0 in Iditarod Park. (It was originally here on "the corner," and moved to Hoben Park for some years. In 2003, the monument was moved BACK to its current location in Iditarod or Founders' Park.) The trail fronts Waterfront Park all the way to Van Buren Street. From there, it crosses 4th and 3rd Avenues to the lagoon Boardwalk.

Of course, the Iditarod Race does not leave from Seward. The ceremonial race start still takes place in Anchorage, Alaska, and the winners always come into Nome, as they did many years ago.

Seward takes pride in our connection to the main uses of the Iditarod trail as transporting goods, people, mail and gold. Help us celebrate this trail's centennial!

The Boardwalk was built in 1986 with volunteers from the crew of the USS Alaska and their support ships and community members. The Seward Rotary Club later added the south leg of the boardwalk. Currently you can see this south leg is missing, as we removed it this spring. It had a 'heave' caused from "freeze & thaw" conditions in the earth below the lagoon waters. Some members of the City Council are interested in reviewing budgets to repair the Rotary gift.

The Iditarod Trail paved bike path picks up again as you cross Dairy Hill Lane, then terminates at the Seward High/ Middle High School. From there, wind your way through the tall spruce at the northern end of the school parking lot, headed east again on a gravel or sawdust path. You'll pass the two ballfields. Pick up a short, paved spur at Citizens' Field and zig zag to Seward Elementary School. Take the sidewalk along Sea Lion Drive. When you cross the street at Dimond, another gravel spur jogs through the alders and dead ends next to the Seward Highway, near Forest Acres Park.

State Department of Transportation plans to construct a bike path along the Seward Highway in the future. (Work began this week, 8/16/2004, on the underpass beneath the Seward Highway, which will hopefully lead to more connections to the Seward Trails.)

The Iditarod Trailblazers continue fund-raising projects to develop the trail beyond the Seward Highway terminus, to eventually serve residents outside city limits.

Enjoy the Iditarod and Trailblazers' displays at the Seward Museum at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Jefferson Street.

Interpretive Signs are located along the bikepath. They range in topics from history, flora, fauna, weather, views, the Seward Meridian and the Gold Rush. Look for these along the paved path bordering Resurrection Bay, and enjoy.

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