Hike up Flattop Mountain

Anchorage, Alaska

4.0/5

based on 13 reviews

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Details

Distance

3.4 miles

Elevation Gain

1300 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Dwayne Parton

Flattop Mountain is one of the most popular hikes in Anchorage, Alaska and it's easy to see why. This recognizable landmark offers a 360 degree view of the Chugach Mountains, Cook Inlet, Anchorage, and Alaska Range making it a prime spot to watch the sunset and enjoy Alaska's scenery.

This moderate to difficult climb starts at 2200 feet and gets progressively difficult as you get closer to the top. It will cost $5(cash or card) to park at the Glen Alps Trailhead where you will find a set of well maintained trails accessing different parts of the valley including O'mally Peak.

Flattop Mountain Trail is a climb but there are plenty of places to stop, rest, and enjoy views of Mt. Denali, the Sleeping Lady, and Anchorage as the trail traverses along the mountain. Even if you don't have time to summit it's worth the short drive out of town to catch the view just few hundred yards from the trailhead.

The saddle is a great place to assess your comfort level as the trail near the summit becomes steep, requiring some rock scrambling. The summit is a football field sized area with plenty of places to sit, picnic, or even camp. Camping is allowed 1/2 mile from the trailhead and does not require a fee for groups less than 12. Depending on the time of year, Flattop is also a popular place to view the Northern Lights, ski, and paraglide.

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Hike up Flattop Mountain Reviews

Xander Walsh

Hike up Flattop Mountain

03/29/18

There are better options from this trail head. Little O’Malley is a bit less traveled and has a better climb. Flattop is nice but gets crowded and if you take the main trail it gets sketchy, especially for kids, people with mobility issues. They are working on a new approach on the south side which should improve.

3.0

Sarah Jones

Hike up Flattop Mountain

06/03/17

A challenging hike this wraps around and is mostly exposed views. Usually in the summer you will be hiking with lost of tourists and locals. The last bit is kind of like bouldering, I almost gave up with 5 minutes left- a girl was screaming, a guy was clearly scared, and I was just tired! But so worth getting to the top!

4.0

Grant Cieslak

Hike up Flattop Mountain

04/05/17

Can't beat the views at the top! Fun hike up and an even more fun slide/hike down. This was recommended by all the locals. The response we got from people after the hike was "Awesome! Did you slide down on your butt??" We responded, "Yes!". Sliding probably cut out 1/4 mile of hiking. We hiked to the Flattop at the end of March were it was a little icy on the trail. Micro spikes would have been helpful as I would have felt a lot safer on the way up.

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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Hike up Flattop Mountain

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Hike up Flattop Mountain Reviews

Leave No Trace

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Hike O'Malley Peak

Hike to Rabbit Lake & McHugh Peak

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Drive along Turnagain Arm

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