The Lucky Shot Trail is a popular, all-season trail within the Willow Creek State Recreation Area. Summer use is limited to non-motorized travel while winter use is open to snowmachines as well as non motorized use such as dog mushing, skiing and fat tire biking. The winter trail is approximately 3.5 miles long and terminates at the Susitna River. In the summer, the trail surface is mostly packed soil, the last mile to the river being wetlands. The highlight of the trail may be the bridge crossing Shirley Creek where trail users can view salmon habitat and the effects from the 2015 Sockeye Fire.

A good destination along this trail is the Lucky Shot Bridge located 1 mile from the trailhead.  The bridge crosses a salmon spawning stream and some of the 2015 Sockeye Fire burn can be seen here.  Look closely and one can see salmon fry swimming in the creek.

This trail is part of the Pat Newman Memorial Park Trails, all of which can be accessed by turning west on the Willow Creek Parkway (near mile 71 of the Parks Highway) and traveling approximately 1 mile before turning left on the driveway to the Newman Memorial Park.