Thunderbird Falls Parking Area and Trailhead

I thought it would’ve been bigger (grander). But I’ve heard it’s better in the winter when it freezes over. The hike isn’t bad. There is also an option to walk down to the actual bottom of the waterfall. We choose the deck view, turns out it was a better choice. We got to watch a guy go 3 ft up the hillside and get stuck for about 10 mins until what looked like his kid show him how to step down. All in all, the fall colored trees are what made the hike worth it for me. Oh yeah, there’s a $ 5 parking fee.

One of the Anchorage-​areas easiest and shortest hikes. Definitely family friendly and accessible for most able-​bodied folk. The trail is kinda steep in some places, but the ground is even, so if you take your time it can make for a nice family outing. The only caveat is I don’t recommend this trail if you have a toddler/​small child that is hyperactive and doesn’t listen. There is no railing along most of the trail and since it runs along a ride, a naughty little one who doesn’t follow directions could easily take a header off the edge.
The main trail takes you to an overlook platform, that as someone else mentioned, is a pretty good distance from the actual falls. If you take the trail that splits off to the left and go down the embankment, the trail runs along the rapids and takes you directly to the falls. The walk is mostly easy, but there are a few muddy spots, so wear shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. The only problem is that from ground level, the view of the falls is somewhat obstructed by an out-​cropping of rock (which is why it’s a good idea to plan to walk to the platform before heading down to the trail that runs along the creek. If you’re wearing good shoes, have a waterproof camera and a bit of bravery, you can scoot along the unstable shoreline and hop along the rocks to get around the outcropping that blocks the view of the falls. Once you get closer you can get some awesome pictures, but the water spray is pretty strong, so be prepared, especially if you have cell phone or expensive camera.
The hike to the platform is .4 miles from the trailhead, so a roundtrip is .8 miles. If you circle down to river-​level, the hike, roundtrip is about 1.8 miles total.
Very cool place to visit.
Free. Parking is $ 5 for an all day State Park Pass.
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A word of caution about Unilocal «address» for this location (and all park locations in «Anchorage») ITS NOT IN ANCHORAGE!!! Thunderbird Falls isn’t in Eagle River either. Coming from Anchorage, you’ll pass all 5 of Eagle Rivers exits. Then you’ll pass Chugiak, then Birchwood, then Peter’s Creek then you’ll see the exit for Thunderbird Falls which dumps you off right AT Thunderbird Falls parking lot. Don’t trust your GPS, don’t trust Unilocal’s address. Just go down the Glenn Highway and take the exit that says «Thunderbird Falls» and you’re there. Bam!