Anchorage area has an array of routes for all bike riders

• Type: Off-road scenery

• Difficulty: Easy

• Distance: 13 miles one way

• Best Suited For: Mountain biking

• Description: One of the most scenic areas in Southcentral. Bring a tent and some fixings and make a weekend of the outing, camping at the Eklutna Lake campground. An old gravel roadbed trail follows the lake's edge, climbing occasionally, and getting more rugged as it reaches into the valley toward Eklutna Glacier. Take the Glenn Highway north to the Eklutna exit, north of Peter's Creek. Follow Eklutna Lake Road to the end, about 10 miles. Ride from the trail head parking lot, over the Twin Peaks Creek bridge and take a right onto the Lakeside Trail. Parking is $5.

(2) Hiland Road

• Type: Hill-climbing heaven

• Difficulty: Tough

• Distance: 8 miles one way

• Best Suited For: Road biking strength

• Description: This hill climb on steroids has some wicked steep pitches but a few breaks and downhills in between for the dedicated cyclist trying to gain strength. From Anchorage, take the Hiland Road exit and turn left. Park at the park-and-ride at the gate by Hiland Landfill. Drive to the stop light at the beginning of Hiland Road, on the right. Beware of fast drivers.

(3) Moose Run

• Type: Scenic fitness gauge

• Difficulty: Moderate

• Distance: 5 miles one way

• Best Suited For: Road cycling

• Description: This longtime Arctic Bicycle Club route is used for routine time trials, or races against the clock, during the racing season. But you don't have to be a racer to use this course as a barometer of your overall fitness. Coming from Anchorage, the beginning of the route is off the Arctic Valley Road exit. Park at the Moose Run driving range parking lot and begin your ride there. Follow Arctic Valley Road away from the mountains, veering right at the frontage road along the highway. The route will climb, descend and climb again before dropping into the intersection of the Arctic Valley-Fort Richardson exit and Glenn Highway. Don't cross the highway but continue straight and follow the frontage road three miles to the rifle range. The rest of the area is off-limits to civilians. Turn around for a 10-mile round trip.

(4) Arctic Valley

• Type: Steep and winding

• Difficulty: Lots of hills, sustained climbing

• Distance: 6.5 miles one way

• Best Suited For: Mountain biking

• Description: Arctic Valley Road is a winding, steep gravel road that often has washboards and other bumpy segments. It's a good place to practice mountain biking because of the light traffic and wide road. Outstanding views. From Anchorage, take the Arctic Valley Road exit and park about a half-mile down the road on the right, in the Moose Run driving range parking lot. The road turns into gravel in about a half mile.

(5) Tony Knowles Coastal Trail

• Type: Scenic and accessible

• Difficulty: Easy, with some hills

• Distance: 10 miles one way

• Best Suited For: Casual riding, any style bike

• Description: The Coastal Trail is a paved multiuse pathway heavily used by walkers, rollerbladers, runners and cyclists. Do not use the trail for fast training; it's simply too congested. Multiple access points -- a good one is off the west end of Second Avenue at H Street. The trail follows the coastal area edging Anchorage, eventually making a steep climb the last mile or so to Kincaid Park.

(6) Lake Hood Loop

• Type: Scenic and casual

• Difficulty: Easy

• Distance: 4.5 miles

• Best Suited For: Casual riding, any style bike

• Description: This flat route will let you see the bustle of Spenard and watch floatplanes come and go in the summer. Beware small planes on the runway and watch for traffic. On a clear day, this is a nice casual biking spot that can be incorporated into a picnic or family outing. Park at Spenard Beach Park, off Lakeshore Drive and Wisconsin Street, and ride toward the Millennium Alaskan Hotel and around the lake clockwise. Picnic tables near the far end of Lakeshore Drive, a few hundred yards from Spenard Beach, make a great place to picnic.

(7) Kincaid Park

• Type: Scenic and challenging

• Difficulty: Easy to difficult, depending on trail

• Distance: Short as 1 mile, long as 30 miles

• Best Suited For: Mountain biking

• Description: Kincaid Park has 30-plus miles of dirt trails, ranging from wide grassy paths to winding dirt singletrack. There are lots of hills, which makes this area challenging for beginners, but very accessible. Try parking at Kincaid Park chalet or the Raspberry Road trail head. The trails can be confusing, so be sure to ask at the chalet for details if you're unfamiliar with them.

(8) Rovers Run-Moose Meadow-Black Bear

• Type: Technical and fun

• Difficulty: Moderate, with roots and rocks

• Distance: A 5.5-mile loop

• Best Suited For: Mountain biking

• Description: A good trail for mountain bikers looking to refine their bike-handling skills. Expect roots, rocks, twists and turns in this loop section, which often gets wet and stays wet. Ride only in good conditions to avoid tearing up the trail. The best access is via the Campbell Airstrip trail head. Ride across the bridge, turn left on the Viewpoint Trail and then another quick left onto Rover's Run, the wettest and most technical of the three trails. Moose Meadow Trail intersects about a mile down the trail (take a right), but keep going straight to make a longer loop. This will lead to the Gasline-Richter and Ridge Loops, which eventually lead to the Black Bear Trail (look for the Campbell Airstrip sign). This fun trail is mostly downhill, and after crossing a small bridge will head left onto Moose Meadow. Moose Meadow leads to Viewpoint and, ultimately, back to the parking area.

(9) Brown Bear

• Type: Ultimate singletrack

• Difficulty: Technical singletrack, very challenging

• Distance: About 1 mile

• Best Suited For: Mountain biking

• Description: We can thank the mountain biking trails group SingleTrack Advocates for this technical, narrow singletrack trail built in Hillside Park specifically for mountain biking. Access the Brown Bear Trail from the west side of the Multiuse Trail that starts at the Hilltop parking area. Or via the Black Bear Trail at the other end. It's a short trail, but one that will test the mettle of even the most accomplished mountain biker.

(10) Powerline Pass

• Type: Off-road challenge

• Difficulty: Taxing

• Distance: 12 miles, end to end, Glen Alps to Indian

• Best Suited For: Mountain biking

• Description: Only the most experienced of riders will want to tackle this rocky, steep backcountry trail, which, amazingly, people once drove vehicles on. Park at the Glen Alps parking lot ($5 Alaska State Parks parking fee), and access the trail to the far left of the stairway to Flattop. After passing the gate, turn right toward Powerline Pass. There's a creek about 4 miles in and the trail becomes rougher. Powerline Pass is at Mile 6, but you can keep going for the steep, switchback descent into Indian. The trail ends at Ocean View Road, right by the Indian House Restaurant, where you can be met by a ride -- or pedal 16 miles back to Anchorage.

(11) Potter Marsh to Portage

• Type: Long, scenic road miles

• Difficulty: Moderate due to frequent windy conditions

• Distance: 44 miles one way

• Best Suited For: Road biking

• Description: Great ride for road racers or touring enthusiasts who consider a 50-mile day just the beginning. The views, on a clear day, are spectacular, but you'll be sharing the road with lots of traffic, so bike defensively. Some cyclists hop onto the Bird to Gird trail in Indian to get a reprieve from the traffic. Park at the south end of Potter Marsh, where the mailboxes and Potter Hill are located. To extend the ride, turn left on Portage Valley Road, past Girdwood, and ride to the Begich Boggs Visitor Center. Beware, head- and crosswinds can be vicious.

(12) Bird to Gird Bike Path

• Type: Family-friendly day trip

• Difficulty: Easy to moderate at hilly sections

• Distance: 13 miles one way

• Best Suited For: Road or mountain biking

• Description: Family-friendly bike path follows Turnagain Arm as it makes its way to Girdwood. Parking is at the ballfields in Indian (Mile 103 Seward Highway) or, for a shorter option, the Bird Point lookout (Mile 96.5). Add extra miles by riding all the way to downtown Girdwood and stopping for lunch. Parking at Bird Point and Indian is $5 per vehicle.

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Compiled by Melissa DeVaughn. Find her online at adn.com/contact/mdevaughn or call 257-4482.