AK on the GO

With longer days, warmer weather, and almost-green hillsides, hiking trails are beckoning to AK Fam as we prepare for yet another summer of outdoor recreation, the Alaska way. Last summer I guest-blogged for Trekaroo and listed some good choices for family hiking in Alaska, but felt there was so much more to share. Plus, AK Dad and AK Kid spent the weekend cleaning out the garage and subsequently unearthed our stash of trekking poles, dirty hiking boots, and day packs, giving me a decided itch to put  my feet to the trails!

Hiking in Alaska is so, so easy with kids, provided you follow a few basic guidelines: Be critter-cautious, pack for ever-changing weather and emergencies (10 essentials, rain/snow gear and all that), and know the destination. Check out this list, lace up the boots, and head out during your Alaska visit. In addition to our Trekaroo choices, maybe try these hikes and walks with your crew:

There's always something interesting along the Beaver Lake/Herring Cove trail near Sitka.

SOUTHEAST ALASKA: Beaver Lake/Herring Cove trail in Sitka. AK Fam took this hike last summer and was thrilled at the varying terrain, interesting views, and not-too difficult route for AK Kid, then six. At a manageable 1 3/4 miles, this trail terminates at a nice little lake and passes through muskeg, berry bushes, and rock formations along the way. Take a backpack for little ones, however, as the trail tread is narrow and utilizes rocky steps in some places. Suitable for preschool on up for self-hikers, backpacks for smaller kiddos. Reach this trailhead by driving out Sawmill Creek Road six miles out of town. Sitka Visitor Center can help you find the way, too.

The view from the top of the Mt. Roberts Tram in Juneau.

Mount Roberts Tramway trails, Juneau. Oh, how fun it is to ride a tram up a steep hill, hike around, then take the tram back down. Alpine hiking is easy here, with carefully-marked trails and stunning views of Juneau and Gastineau Channel. Look for wildflowers, listen to birds, and take the self-guided tour of carefully marked trees to preserve an ancient Native Alaskan tradition. Suitable for the whole family, some trails are easier with jog strollers than others, so check the map carefully once you reach the top. Keep an eye on small hikers, often muddy trails are slippery. Find tram prices HERE. Access to the tram is easy, since it begins right at the cruise ship dock in downtown Juneau.

Accessible trails for all make Eagle River Nature Center a great choice for famlly-friendly hiking, all year round.

SOUTHCENTRAL ALASKA: Eagle River Nature Center trail system, near Anchorage. If you’re new to hiking, or Alaska, this is one place where you’ll be educated, informed, and helped along with outdoor recreational pursuits. ERNC is one of the best places for the whole family to enjoy hiking, with short or long trails suitable for strollers, wagons, babies in backpacks, and even the hard-core overnight contingent. Try the easy Rodak Loop trail, winding down toward the Beaver Pond, or the seasonally-operational Albert Loop trail (closed during the fish runs so bears can eat their fill). We like the Historic Iditarod Trail leading to Eagle River, then on toward Crow Pass, where a public use cabin and two yurts are fun to spy amongst the trees. Great classes and lectures are available at ERNC, too! FREE, but parking is $5 for non-members. Reach the center by taking the Glenn Highway north to Eagle River Road, then follow the road to its terminus.

Reflections Lake near Palmer Hay Flats lives up to its name on a sunny summer afternoon.

Palmer Hay Flats is a relatively new area, and organization, committed to this swath of meadow/muskeg land near Palmer and Wasilla, in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley area. Drive the 35 or so miles north along the Glenn Highway toward Palmer, and exit at the Knik River Road, and choose your trailhead. We like the Reflections Lake trail with its partially-boardwalked tread and lots of dragonflies in the summer. Ducks, geese, swans, and moose also enjoy this little lake, and it’s the perfect distance for small legs. If you’ve been driving for some time, this is a great walk to stretch legs before continuing north.

Still all smiles after a hike near Riley Creek Campground in Denali National Park!

DENALI NATIONAL PARK: We could go on and on about the virtues of hiking in this incredible national park, but we’ll save that for another post. If you’ve got kids who are avid hikers, drive out the Park Road toward Savage River and Mile 13-15, also the last stop unless you’re on a shuttle bus. From here, take a walk along the paved trail, or break off and scramble among the rocks toward the Savage River Canyon (I love that name). Closer to the Denali Visitor Center and Park Entrance, try the short, easily-accessible trails nearby, which offer a more interesting way of getting to and from Riley Creek Campground, the Sled Dog Kennels, and Wilderness Access Center. Try a guided hike with one of the rangers, or give one of the self-guided hikes a try. Inquire at the Visitor Center for information and maps, they have a ton of both. Here is a link to all the nearby trails.

"In the meadow we can build a snowman..." Or, in this case, the whole neighborhood, if you're Snowzilla.

What could be better than eating a lot, sleeping in, then waking up to fluffy snow falling outside? Eating, sleeping, waking up to snow, AND having a full calendar of pre-holiday fun sitting in your inbox, that’s what. It is indeed post-Thanksgiving Fun Friday, typically one of our busiest posts of the year, and we’re charged up to share a long weekend o’ family fun with you. A big, snuggly ‘thank you’ to Fun Friday sponsor Alaska Center for Pediatrics, who reminds parents to make sure kids have appropriate headwear if they’re going to be shredding ski slopes or sledding hills. (REI has a winter sale going on, btw, with all helmets marked down 30%).

Giddyup, let’s go, let’s get out in the snow this weekend. Leave the shopping to other people!

FRIDAY: Light up your evening with the Anchorage Downtown Partnership’s annual Tree Lighting event at Town Square Park. At 5 p.m. the fun kicks off with music, followed by the arrival of Santa Claus and his eight not-so-tiny reindeer. Stick around for some cocoa and more music before wandering the lit streets of downtown Anchorage. FREE. Park at any one of the downtown garages tonight and donate to local charities, too! All ages. Bundle up!

The Anchorage Museum is hosting its annual Craft Weekend and Read Alaska Book Fair Friday-Sunday. We adore this event for all the opportunities to browse Alaskan artisans and pick up holiday gifts, yes, but also to allow AK Kid to check out Wonderland of Toys, a display of children’s playthings that date back to the 1800′s. Museum staff love this exhibit, and each year look forward to showing modern kids just how much fun one can have with a toy that doesn’t plug in. Both events open Fri-Sat, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday Noon-5 p.m. FREE.

Creamer’s Field in Fairbanks welcomes everyone to “Thanksgiving For the Birds” today from 12-4 p.m. Make a variety of bird feeders, learn about feathered friends who hang out all winter long in Alaska, and enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies in the Farmhouse Visitor Center. FREE, suitable for all ages.

The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is FREE all day today, as a ‘thank you’ to supportive visitors. A snowy day is the perfect time to say howdy to the moose, caribou, elk, bears, and bison of this incredible facility in Portage. Have visitors? Pack ‘em up in the family truckster and head south.

Wood bison huddle together on a cold, winter afternoon at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Portage.

SATURDAY:

It’s Police Navidad, going on at the Dena’ina Convention Center in downtown Anchorage! A cooperative effort between Anchorage law enforcement and social service agencies, this event is FREE and chock-full of family fun for all ages. Crafts, music, cultural presentations, and tons of prizes that will blow your mind, like Alaska Railroad trips, custom-built playhouses, and much, much more. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Eagle River Nature Center offers its own Thanksgiving For the Birds celebration at 2 p.m. Kids K-6 will make suet and bake ‘bird cookies’ for ERNC’s feathered visitors and hang them around the Center’s woodsy surroundings. FREE, $5 parking for non-members.

Zoo Lights welcomes your family now through January 8, each Thursday-Sunday at the Alaska Zoo. Open at 5 p.m. (get there right on time for best results) and lit up through 8 p.m., Zoo Lights is a wonderful way to get into the holiday spirit. Wander the trails, listen to musical polar bears, and embrace the lighted world of our Alaska Zoo. Tickets and info available HERE.

Hanging out in Homer this weekend? Take the kids to the Pratt Museum and a Stocking Stuffer Party from Noon-5 p.m. We love this little museum, where art and culture meet science in a quiet, unassumming manner that works. Decorate some holiday cookies, make a graham cracker house, and enjoy the fun exhibits during Family Free Day. Call 907-235-8635 for more info.

Everything is lit up for ZooLights at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage.

SUNDAY:

Take the fam on a little outdoor adventure with volunteers from Eagle River Nature Center. Bundle up the kiddos, pack some snacks and warm drinks and hike the 1.25-mile trail to a Public Use Cabin, leaving the center at Noon. Have small children? Sleds are perfect for this adventure. It’s an easy hike, and you might spot a moose browsing in the trees or spy an eagle flying overhead. Call 907-694-2108 to sign up, since space is limited. FREE, $5 parking for non-members.

After the hike, warm up in the ERNC’s cozy seating area and check out Bird TLC’s awesome raptors, visiting for a little post-Thanksgiving treat! This food-related, unique celebration will be absolutely a blast, because Bird TLC is asking for, um, raw, leftover turkey necks or fresh cranberries for this party. FREE, $5 parking for non-members. Donations always welcomed for Bird TLC.

Speaking of hiking and outside and such, we’ve been trekking the trails around Anchorage, and having a ball! This fresh snow is perfect for some snowshoeing and skiing, and we’re lucky to have so many open spaces for both. You don’t need to drive far to explore; try Russian Jack Springs park at the corner of Boniface and DeBarr in northeast Anchorage, Campbell Creek Science Center off Elmore Road in southeast Anchorage, or Goose Lake park in Midtown Anchorage. Wind your way around the birch trees, see how many animal tracks your kids can find, and make your only agenda that of F.U.N.

Our AKontheGO Calendar is full, full, full of family fun this holiday season. Want to know more? Click on the “Calendar of Events” tab at the top of the page, or shoot us your event at togoak@gmail.com.

In the meantime, let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!