Whether you plan to travel the Seward Highway in Alaska or are touring the Anchorage area, you will definitely want to make a stop at Potter Marsh, which is located just about 10 miles south of downtown Anchorage. Potter Marsh is a state game refuge that is part of the greater Anchorage Coastal Wildlife refuge and hosts a variety of AK’s most interesting creatures.
You will be amazed at the wildlife and unique Alaskan plant life you will be able to witness from this one Anchorage-area attraction. At Potter Marsh, you can expect to find many different animals and birds, depending on the time of year you plan to visit. If you are in the area from now (late April) through mid-May, birds abound! You can often spot bald eagles, Arctic terns, Pacific loons, pintails, and many more. Many of these birds also stay through the summer to raise their young right there in the marsh.
From June through September, prime vacationing months in Alaska, you will likely be able to see many types of salmon that have ventured north to spawn. A great place to see the salmon swim is from the Potter Marsh boardwalk. Rabbit Creek flows directly under the boardwalk giving you a firsthand view of this unique spawning season; at least three salmon species habitat in Rabbit Creek to spawn. Year round at Potter Marsh, you can often see muskrat and moose, the latter of which is a must-see when you visit Alaska.
One of the best ways to see these Alaskan creatures as well as the spruce, cottonwood, and alder trees that border the marsh is to take advantage of the Potter Marsh boardwalk, which is about 1,550-feet long. The great part about the boardwalk is that it includes several interpretive signs that give you more information on the creatures that live in the marsh as well; plus, you never know when a naturalist may be at the boardwalk, ready to answer your questions. You may even want to bring your binoculars to get a close-up view of the birds and animals from the boardwalk.
If you are simply passing through Potter Marsh on your Alaska RV rental tour of the Seward Highway or the area south of Anchorage, Potter Marsh also has a highway pull-off site where you can simply drive your Anchorage RV off the road, pull out your binoculars, and get a good view of these marshlands teeming with water birds and other wildlife. Even if a quick drive-by viewing is all you have time for, we still recommend that you check out Potter Marsh.
Considered one of the best places to view wildlife without having to backpack into the AK wilderness, Potter Marsh is a haven for visitors who want to catch a glimpse of native Alaskan wildlife. Just a short drive from Anchorage, you will be glad you decided to spend some time at Potter Marsh.
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Another educational vacation stop for adults and especially for kids. Giving kids an appreciation for the treasures of Alaska, and the world, will help us all to “green” the future.