The fish are plentiful on the Kenai Peninsula, but getting out into the woods is one of the best ways to experience the beauty of this place.
Hiking above the tree line offers breathtaking views of the mountains, lakes and rivers. The fragrant wildflowers and berries are abundant along the trails. Hikers usually encounter birds and small critters along their journeys, with a good chance of seeing larger wildlife as well.
Day hiking on the Kenai Peninsula can take you along beaches, creeks and rivers, through forests and to mountain peaks, depending on your desires and abilities. The Peninsula begins less than an hour's drive south of Anchorage.
The Hidden Creek Trail on Skilak Lake Road is a 1.3-mile one-way hike, with a 300-foot gain in elevation. The Kenai National Wildlife Refuge estimates hikers can complete the round trip in about two hours. Skyline Trail is a very strenuous one mile hike one way, with an elevation gain of 1,800 feet. The view of Skilak Lake and the Kenai Mountain range is tremendous from the top, but round-trip hiking time is up to five hours because of the steep terrain.
Within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge boundaries, popular day hikes include: Egumen Lake Trail, a flat 0.3-mile one-way hike; Lower Kenai River Trail, a 2.3-mile one-way hike with an elevation gain of 300 feet; Upper Kenai River Trail, a 2.8-mile one-way hike with an elevation gain of 260 feet; Seven Lakes Trail, a 4.4-mile one-way hike with an elevation gain of 150 feet; Bear Mountain Trail, a 0.8-mile one-way hike with an elevation gain of 400 feet; Skilak Lookout Trail, a 2-mile one-way hike with an elevation gain of 700 feet; and Fuller Lakes Trail, a 2.9-mile one-way hike with an elevation gain of 1400 feet.
Resurrection Pass Trail is one of the most traveled trails on the Peninsula for hikers and mountain bikers. The total trail length from the south end in Cooper Landing to the north end in Hope is 39 miles. Eight public-use cabins are available along the trail, though reservations must be made in advance through the Chugach National Forest. For information on the trail or to reserve cabins, call 907-271-2500, or the National Recreation Reservation Service at 877-444-6777, or visit the Web site at www. reserveusa.com. Tent camping sites are marked along the trail.
A popular day hike along the Resurrection Pass Trail ends at the spectacular Juneau Falls about four miles up the Cooper Landing end of the trail.
The Russian Lakes Trail in Cooper Landing is 21 miles long, with a well-maintained surface, mostly through forest. Lower Russian Lake is a good four-mile day hike, with great fishing for rainbow trout. From Russian River Campground, the trail also goes to Russian River Falls, where visitors can watch spawning red salmon jumping through the falls.
Beachcombers should head north to Captain Cook State Park at the end of the Kenai Spur Highway. You can walk for miles on the beach, searching for agates, shells and other beach treasures. Children love exploring the boulders on the beach, which provide good picnic spots to sit on and bask in the sun or use them as shelter from the wind. A number of Cook Inlet oil-drilling platforms are visible from this beach.
In the Seward area, popular hikes include: Ptarmigan Creek Trail, 3.5 miles long with an elevation gain of 255 feet. This fairly easy trail ends at Ptarmigan Lake, with rainbow trout and Dolly Varden in the lake; Lost Lake Trail is seven miles long with an elevation gain of 1,820 feet and ends at Lost Lake (a Chugach National Forest public-use cabin is available with advanced reservations -- reserveusa.com), two miles above timberline; Caines Head Coastal Trail in Caines Head State Recreation Area, a 4.5-mile trail that follows along the shoreline of Resurrection Bay. This trip must be timed with the tides. A three-mile stretch between Tonsina Point and North Beach can only be hiked during low tide. A camping shelter is available at the end of the trail in North Beach.
From mid-July through late August it is possible to catch silver salmon along the beach.
The Harding Icefield Trail in Kenai Fjords National Park is a 3.5-mile strenuous trail with a steep ascent that offers hikers a tremendous view of Exit Glacier, the glacier valley and the edge of the Harding Icefield. Trails in the same area offer easy access to the face of Exit Glacier. The first 0.3 mile of the Lower Loop Trail is paved for wheelchair access.
Carter Lake Trail is 3.3-mile one-way hike with an elevation gain of 955 feet. This is a good trail for day hiking, and after the first 1.5 steep miles, is level for the remainder in sub-alpine and alpine country hosting a multitude of wildflowers.
Johnson Pass trail is 23 miles with an elevation gain of 1,000 feet. According to the Chugach Forest Service, this is an excellent trail for hikers seeking more privacy and spectacular scenery with few extreme elevation changes. A good day hike would be five miles up and back along Bench Creek, starting from the north end of the trail at Mile 64 of the Seward Highway.
Primrose Trail is a more difficult eight-mile, one-way hike with an elevation gain of 1,500 feet (the trail also connects with Lost Lake Trail, giving hikers the option of a longer 15 mile hike, rejoining the Seward Highway at Mile 6). A good day hike along this trail would be to view the Porcupine Creek Falls at Mile 3 of the trail. The trail follows an old mining road, and an active mine can be seen at Mile 3.75. The last two to three miles of the trail are at timberline, with dramatic views of mountains and lakes. Mount Ascension (5,710 feet) forms the west border of Lost Lake.
In Hope, the five-mile Gull Rock hike has a 620-foot elevation gain. This well-maintained trail through forest and wildflowers offers incredible views of Turnagain Arm and the surrounding mountains. Several primitive camping sites at Gull Rock overlook the Arm and the beaches below. Side trails lead down to these beaches for beachcombing and seclusion. Turnagain Arm is notorious for its drastic tide changes and mud.
Whatever your destination on the trails of the Kenai Peninsula, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge suggests day hikers carry the following items: water and high calorie food, a map and compass, first aid kit, sturdy shoes, rain gear, different layers of clothing such as wool or polar fleece, waterproof matches, a whistle, pocketknife, bug repellent, sunglasses, sunscreen, a camera and binoculars.
