Gulkana Wild and Scenic River
Managed by operator=Bureau of Land Management
8,186 acres1.8 mi of trail
Swede Lake TrailHungry Hollow
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
–Not graded
Outdoors in Paxson
More than half of Paxson’s land is conserved: 88%
88% of Paxson’s land is conserved, about 172,076 acres. The biggest trail networks: Gulkana Wild and Scenic River (1.8 mi). 2 acres are parks and preserves, 88 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
88%
172,076 acres · of 304.0 sq mi of land
Trails
24 mi
0.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
2 ac
88 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
under 1%
of residents within ½ mile
Highest peak
5,338 ft
Sugarloaf Mountain
Lakes & rivers
19
1 boat launch
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Gulkana Wild and Scenic River, with 1.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Delta Wild and Scenic River
Managed by Bureau of Land Management
6,403 acres
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Who protects it
172,076 conserved acres
88% of Paxson’s land. Who manages Paxson’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Bureau of Land Management110,119 ac
State natural resources65,871 ac
National Public Lands · 110,119 acState Other or Unknown · 65,871 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. Public access isn’t recorded for 2 of 5 parcels. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glennallen Field Office National Public Lands | Bureau of Land Management | 110,119 | Open |
| State Tentatively Approved (tad) State Other or Unknown | State natural resources | 64,451 | Unknown |
| State Land Disposals - Other Than Municipal State Other or Unknown | State natural resources | 1,421 | Unknown |
Things to do
16 places to go in Paxson
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Boat launches in Paxson
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Paxson
Sevenmile Lake Overlook
DirectionsPeaks in Paxson
Sugarloaf Mountain5,338 ft elevation
DirectionsPaxson Mountain5,200 ft elevation
DirectionsPlus 6 peaks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Campgrounds in Paxson
Duck PointU.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Lands
DirectionsHufman’s Haunt CampsiteIn Gulkana Wild and Scenic River
DirectionsMeier's Roadhouse CampsiteIn Gulkana Wild and Scenic River
DirectionsMeier's Roadhouse CampsiteIn Gulkana Wild and Scenic River
DirectionsPebble BeachU.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Lands
DirectionsPorcupine CoveU.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Lands
DirectionsTrails & water
4 named trails and 19 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 10.6 miUnpaved · 18.5 mi
Swede Lake Trail10.6 mi
Hungry Hollow1.4 mi
Swede Mountain Trail0.7 mi
Rusty Lake Trail0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
When to get out
June is the best month for walking in Paxson
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 5.8 | 8.6 | 11.5 | 14.8 | 17.9 | 20.2 | 19.2 | 16.1 | 12.8 | 9.7 | 6.6 | 4.8 |
| High (°F) | 7 | 15 | 22 | 37 | 51 | 63 | 66 | 60 | 51 | 33 | 15 | 11 |
| Rain (in) | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.2 |
February is the driest month (0.5 in) and July the warmest (highs of 66 °F). 3.2 inches fall in July, the wettest month. The climate in Paxson →
Questions about parks and trails in Paxson
Where can I hike in Paxson?
The longest trail networks: Gulkana Wild and Scenic River, 1.8 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Paxson’s trails?
Gulkana Wild and Scenic River and Delta Wild and Scenic River don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Is there public land near Paxson?
294,822 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Paxson or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 97,232 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Paxson neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →