Potter Marsh
The easiest way to start your day off right.
The first view along the boardwalk at Potter Marsh.Crisp morning air chills your face as you sit on a wooden bench listening to ducks splash in the clear water of a stream. The sky is alight with the soft pinks and oranges of a sunrise, and the colors reflect off the calm water of a nearby pond. Mountains come slowly into view as the sun rolls higher in the sky, bringing the tide in and filling the ocean inlet with salty sea water. The peaceful solitude fills your soul as you sip on a cup of warm coffee. This is not a dream, but a reality when you visit Potter Marsh at sunrise.
Rabbit Creek is teaming with fish. You can easily see them since the boardwalk passes right over the creek.As one of the first stops along the Seward Highway, Potter Marsh is a great first stop on a day of sight-seeing. The conditions of this spot provide habitat for wetland birds to nest, making Potter Marsh a perfect spot for bird watchers. The elevated boardwalk provides periodic seating and a great vantage point to observe the local birds and the occasional moose or bear. During the summer, salmon and other fish can be seen swimming up Rabbit Creek to spawn. The longer you look into the waters, the more fish you see.
Potter Marsh is along the south eastern boarder of the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge. The marsh was created in 1917 alongside the construction of the Alaska Railroad embankment alongside Cook Inlet. As Bob Ross would say, the creation of Potter Marsh was a “happy little accident”. When the railroad built up the level of the tracks to keep them from being covered with water at high tide, water built up on the north side of the tracks, creating Potter Marsh. The newly created marsh became a refuge for waterfowl and migratory birds. This scenic area provides amazing wildlife viewing year-round. The flat, marshy ground means you have unencumbered views of the mountains to the west of Anchorage, making the boardwalk a fantastic place to view the sunrise.
Before heading out on your adventure along the Turnagain Arm, stop at Potter Marsh. The serene location is a great place to begin your day of Alaska adventuring. I highly recommend stopping in the morning. It’s my favorite time of day to visit the marsh. There are fewer people, and I love the crisp morning air. For more information about Potter Mash, including directions, click here. To read about the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge, click here.
Happy Traveling!
Kat