10 Most Popular Lakes Of Alaska City (2024)

Alaska’s adventures boast natural beauties in abundance and have some of the most unique and awestruck landscapes of mountains, rivers, forests and some abundant lakes. Alaska is a city that is hugely diverse with various terrains and that too at different elevations. The city is home to over one million lakes and out of which 3,197 are natural lakes, and the rest are human-made lakes.

Whether you want to enjoy kayaking or want to catch some fishes, you will find something of your interest in Alaska City for sure. There are plenty of lakes in Alaska, and each one of them offers exceptional scenic views unique in its way. So, if you plan to visit this fantastic city Alaska make sure to add these lakes to your itinerary to give you a satisfactory feeling after your vacation.

10 Most Popular Lakes Of Alaska City

Here are some of the most popular and beautiful lakes in Alaska city:

1. Kenai Lake

The beautiful Kenai Lake is located near to Chugach National Forest on the Kenai Peninsula in the southern part of Alaska. You will find small communities residing near the lake, including Moose Pass, Primrose, Crown Point and more. You can fulfill your basic necessities for your vacation time from these nearby towns. The splendid and beautiful views around Kenai Lake will leave you awestruck. The lake also offers boating, swimming and plenty of hiking trails to enjoy your time at the lake. Make sure you go for the Juneau Creek Falls for clicking the best nature-filled pictures to take back in the form of memories. You can also enjoy nightlife near the lakeside by availing camping facilities from the nearby communities. Image Source

2. Skilak Lake

When you move towards the West of Kenai Lake, you will find one more mesmerizing beauty that is the Skilak Lake in Alaska. Near the lake, there are numerous vacation rentals where you can enjoy your stay with nature by your side. Also, the nearby towns of the lakes have some fantastic cafes, including MoosebackAnnies, Suzies Café, Magpie’s Pizzeria and more. Apart from that, you can also go for a tour to High Mark Distillery. The area around Skilak Lake not only offers some beautiful picturesque views but also provides numerous joy activities like fishing, hiking and boating. You will get to see the boating launches both at the lower Skilka and Upper Skilak. If you are craving some more epic scenic views, then hike up to Skilak Lookout Trail. This hike will surely entice you.
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3. China Lake

China Lake is amongst the most beautiful lakes in Alaska City, located in the east-central of Alaska, which offers a relaxing vibe to enjoy in the sun. The lakes sprawl around an area of 260 acres and allow numerous adventure and fun activities to enjoy your stay at the Chena Lake. The exciting part of this lake is that winter ice fishing is a prevalent activity that is enjoyed by the locals as well as by the visitors too. The lake also offers a boat rental facility so you can enjoy boating. The recreational area of Chena lake offers volleyball courts, cross-country skiing, picnic areas and nature abundant trails to fill your soul with joy and natural vibes all around.

4. Tangle Lakes

Located in southeastern Alaska, Tangle Lakes is a beautiful series of lakes that comes under the most beautiful lakes in Alaska City. There are no towns or communities or towns near the lake, so that this lake will offer you some vacation rentals in the wilderness and greenery surrounding all of it. The popular activities near the lakeside area are kayaking from lake to lake as this is a series of the lake via connected streams. Tangle Lakes entirely provide you an option to reconnect with nature while enjoying the serene scenic beauty. Adventure seekers can also hike up to the Tangle Lake District. Be aware of the animals like bears, caribou, and moose in the interior areas of the Alaskan interior.
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5. Trail Lake

The North of Kenai Lake is the Trail lake. Near the lake, you will find a tiny community that is full of vacation rentals and lakeside homes in which you can enjoy your stay surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful lakeside picturesque views. The Trail lake is also the jumping point for Scenic Mountain Air, so if you love admiring mountains, then you can admire the views from Kenai Peninsula from the above side. There are also a plethora of hikes, and one of them is the Vagt Lake Trail, which offers excellent views on the way to this isolated lake. One more special trail is the Lakes Hatchery, where you will learn about how sockeye, coho and chinook were raised and released. You can also enjoy sightseeing via boat or fishing activities with a day trip to Chugach Backcountry.
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6. Wonder Lake

Lying within the Denali National Park and preserved in the interiors of Alaska city, Wonder Lake is an isolated and perfect lakeside to enjoy some relaxing time with your family or friends under the lap of nature. To enjoy a decent stay near the lakeside, you will find plenty of vacation rentals near the lake where you can stay overnight and enjoy the beautiful views of giant Mount Mckinley, which is also the tallest mountain on the continent. Various activities that can be enjoyed at Wonder lake include kayaking, swimming, and fishing. Breathe in the fresh air and go straight for hiking to the wonder lake trail and then head toward the Sanctuary river trail where you could witness bears and some wild sheep too. There’s no doubt why Wonder Lake is one of the best lakes in Alaska City.
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7. Eklutna Lake

Ekutna lake lies at the northeast anchorage and near the Chugach State Park in Alaska City. You will find numerous lakeside homestays and vacation rentals near the lakeside by the Knik River. Near the anchorage, this lake makes a perfect location because you will be in close prominence to all types of fun activities of Alaska whether its Alaska Heritage museum or the glacier discovery tours, you will have plenty of options even if you want to move out from the wilderness. Eklutna Lake is beautifully surrounded by Twin peaks that give some great views of the lake and also has some wildlife, including hers of Dall Sheeps and bears. If you are looking for some joyful activities, then swimming, lounging can be entirely enjoyed here.
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8. Chilkoot Lake

The very popular and sceniclakes in Alaska city are the Chilkoot Lake, which is located in a southern Alaskan area in the state of the panhandle. The lake boasts beautiful views of nature and easy access to water facilities for a relaxing vacation time. This lake also brings the best salmon fishing activity in the state, with almost four salmon runs where you can also view bears, but with caution. With the recent boat launches, Chilkoot lake is a perfect place to enjoy Kayak and Canoe. The Haines Ferry terminal is also very close, so if you want to visit the Juneau down, then you can ferry yourself from there very easily.
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9. Mendenhall Lake

The very isolated and unique Mendenhall lake lies alongside Juneau within the Glacier Bay National park. All the vacation rentals near the lakeside are also very close to the numerous hiking trails, which are full of wilderness and picturesque views resting under the lap of nature. The best way to enjoy it is by staying near the Mendenhall river and kayaking up to Mendenhall Lake, where you will witness visually alluring Nugget Falls. You can also hike up to the famous Mendenhall Glacier yourself if looking for more adventures.
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10. Auke Lake

Last but not least is the Auke Lake of Alaska city, which is located just right by the Auke Bay and to the south of Mendenhall Lake. For staying in the wilderness, you can stay in rental homes located on the narrow pieces of land near the lake. You can enjoy both swimming and kayaking in either of the water bodies. Walk down to the log cabin Chapel on the lake and hike through the woods, and enjoy wilderness just right in your ways. Also, Auke Lake is famous for fishing activities, primarily because of the availability of beautiful trout, salmon and dolly warden fishing in that lake.
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Conclusion

There are numerous beautifully located lakes in Alaska city, and however, for your ease, we mentioned the above lakes, which you should not miss to enjoy your day relaxing your mind under the lap of nature with splendid scenic views just in front of you.