Two Bit Lake

Summer Day Hikes

Distance: 2 miles round trip to viewpoint, 8 miles round trip to lake

Elevation gain: 1800 feet round trip to lake

Trail type: Hiking, 4-wheeling

Considerations: None

Though there’s disappointingly no really good hiking starting from the state recreation area at Fielding Lake, there is a good trail part way down the road leading to the lake, which quickly gains the high country with expansive views overlooking the lake and this corner of the Alaska Range.  

Drive the Richardson Highway about 66 miles south from Delta and follow the sign leading to Fielding Lake Recreation Area on the right.  Drive the maintained gravel road 3/4 mile and look for the trail leading steeply up the hill on the left.  Find a wide spot to pull off.  

The narrow, somewhat rocky 4-wheeler trail starts off steep but soon mellows out and climbs steadily up the ridge to the east of Fielding Lake.  Many spots along here have excellent views of the lake and surrounding mountains.  

Eventually, the ridge peters out and the trail traverses rolling tundra past some smaller lakes, finally ending up at Two Bit Lake, about 4.5 miles from the road.  There are some wet areas, but this trail is in relatively good shape.

 

Long Winter Hikes

Distance: 3-5 miles round trip

Elevation Gain: 300-700 feet

Trail Type: Snowshoeing, snowmachining

Considerations: Trail may be little used past Fielding Lake Road

Although the side road to Fielding Lake isn’t plowed in the winter, it is heavily traveled by snowmachines and generally makes for easy walking.  The trail up towards Two Bit Lake starts .75 mile out the Fielding Lake Road, and climbs steeply at first, quickly leading to fantastic views over the frozen lake and the mountains around it.  When I’ve been out there, the trail has been packed down by snowmachine traffic.  If it hasn’t seen any snowmachines, it likely won’t be worth it, since this part of the range generally gets a great deal of snow, and breaking trail up hill would be very difficult.