Easy hikes and walks in Fairbanks North Star Borough

Creamers Field is a former dairy farm turned 2,200-acre migratory wildlife refuge. It also has a handful of trails that are great for stretching your legs when you want a run without a lot of elevation gain — and it ties into several other nearby trails if you want to log more distance. Depending on your goals, this can also be an excellent place to warm up or cool down, either before or after a longer run. If you happen to visit in the spring or fall, you might also be lucky enough to see spectacular crowds of sandhill cranes.

This marks the intersection of the rock- and root-laden Angel Rocks Trail and the trail leading onward to Chena Hot Springs. If you continue on toward the hot springs it's a hilly, forested trail with lots of up and down. There is a fee to soak in the hot springs pool and hey, please shower first! And don't forget to factor in the time it'll take to run or hike back to your starting point.

There are numerous hot springs in Alaska, but they're often remote, hard to reach, and hardly developed (if at all). By contrast, Chena Hot Springs Resort is fully built out, with a variety of lodge/hotel rooms, a good restaurant, a year-round ice museum (as in a museum built out of carved ice and decorated with ice sculptures), multiple tour options, and a rock pool around the hot springs. A day-use fee does apply for the hot springs. This destination is even more popular in the winter, when it becomes a prime destination for aurora-viewing tours.

Beautiful spot near Fairbanks with a lovely lake and stunning mountain views. You'll find a small pavilion and parking area by the crystal-clear waters.

There are numerous hot springs in Alaska, but they're often remote, hard to reach, and hardly developed (if at all). By contrast, Chena Hot Springs Resort is fully built out, with a variety of lodge/hotel rooms, a good restaurant, a year-round ice museum (as in a museum built out of carved ice and decorated with ice sculptures), multiple tour options, and a rock pool around the hot springs. A day-use fee does apply for the hot springs. This destination is even more popular in the winter, when it becomes a prime destination for aurora-viewing tours.

This trail is particularly beautiful in autumn, when the aspen leaves begin to change colour and carpet the ground. In summer, you may share the trails with mountain bikers and horse riders, whereas in winter there may be skiers enjoying the snow. The trails here a great way to spend a couple of hours and are child friendly too.

Creamer's Field Migratory Waterfowl Refuge is home to various habitats, including wetlands, ponds, boreal forest and fields. The site is managed by the state of Alaska and is preserved in order to offer shelter to wildfowl and other migratory birds. A walk through the trees and along the boardwalks is sure to delight.

With glorious volcanic rock formations that have been thrust upwards, the Angel Rocks Trail is a scenic delight. The path is characterised by these impressive granite pillars, which have withstood the weathering of the ages to still stand proud today. Expect lovely valley views from the 530-metre (1,750 ft) high point of the trail.