Looking to avoid the crowds? Try Eklutna Lake on a week night, especially if there's a smidgen of rain. We went on a Thursday evening and had the trail nearly to ourselves. No sign of bears, either, though we did make plenty of noise as we rode the lakeside trail to the Bold Creek bridge and back, a total of 10 miles.
Distance: 5 miles one way to Bold Creek, but trail continues to end of lake and beyond.
Distance: 5 miles one way to Bold Creek, but trail continues to end of lake and beyond.