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.

We wind up our Alaska tour with wee ones in the southeastern section of the state. “Southeast,” as it is called by Alaskans, is that panhandle-shaped, rainforested area where most visitors capture their first images of the 49th state. Cruisers will certainly spend the majority of sailing time in this region, moving through the gorgeous Inside Passage, and Alaska Marine Highway System passengers have the benefit of time to explore this popular area of the Last Frontier.

Our first trip to southeast was indeed aboard a cruise ship, and AK Kid, at the tender age of four, was integral to the creation of this list. We hope you like it, and hope that this post, and our previous “Under Five” posts will spawn some additional discussion, either here, or on our Facebook page and Twitter feed.

Southeast Alaska fun, for kiddos five and under: Let the games begin!

Exhibits with moving parts keep young children busy at the Southeat Alaska Discovery Center

1. Southeast Alaska Discovery Center, Ketchikan: If sailing north from either Seattle or Vancouver, this is the first port of call for most cruise ships. Gloriously green, serene, and incredibly wet, Ketchikan is a community full of old-time history.  One of our favorite activities is this visitor center, housing all manner of interactive displays and very friendly staff. Grab a scavenger hunt packet and wander through the rainforest display, native fish camp, and incredibly fun natural resources exhibit, where the eye candy is deliciously attractive to young children. Learn about ecosystems though twirling displays, and take a minute to pick a prize out of the bucket for completing the scavenger hunt. Don’t be afraid to allow the crawlers and toddlers to move around; staff are very accommodating! This is a winner on a rainy day (Ketchikan gets 165 inches of rain annually, it probably will be wet when you visit). Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. May through September. Winter hours are Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is $5/adults, free for 15 and younger.

Found one! Petroglyphs on the beach are a natural treasure hunt in Wrangell

2. Petroglyph Beach State Historical Park, Wrangell: If you find time to stop in this delightful southeast Alaska town, it would be a shame to miss the petroglyphs. These mysterious designs scratched into ancient rocks are a treasure hunt waiting to happen, and when that gets old, there is a beach full of rocks to turn over and explore. A mile from the main part of town (we walked it pretty easily along the local road, but you might ask about a taxi ride), Petroglyph Beach offers an accessible boardwalk and set of interpretive signs to read, and replica rocks to rub with a crayon and paper (stop in at the Wrangell museum for supplies). We found ten amazing designs, and a host of barnacle-draped rocks, tiny crabs, and some jumping bugs. What could be more fun? Free.

Forest giants tower over AK Kid in Sitka National Historical Park

3. Sitka National Historical Park, Sitka: I talk up the oldest National Park in Alaska like it was my family, and perhaps by now, it is. This is a comfortable, beautiful, and peaceful place to take kids of any age, but particularly the younger ones, who have room to roam on wide, accessible trails, with perfect green-leafed access to the beach for acres and acres of tidepooling. Junior Ranger badges are available for kids as young as three, and kids may enjoy watching a master carver at work, or guessing at the faces staring back at them from the totems. If staying downtown, walk the easy, paved path (great for strollers) right to the park, it’s lovely. Open daily May-September, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., with trails open from 6 a.m. (great for those early-rising kids). Winter hours are Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Free.

Yep, that's a glacier, all right. Mighty Mendenhall, near Juneau

4. Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, Juneau. We love Mendenhall Glacier for its access to families, and their commitment to throwing a little learning into one’s daily walk. The Visitor Center is an interesting collection of glacier-themed maps, dioramas, and such. AK Kid liked seeing the topographical map with a full view of the glacier out the wide window, too, but our favorite activity was walking the meandering trails outside. Two trails are perfect for families with small children, and both offer great views of the glacier and awesome listening vantage points for rushing water, too. The Photo Point Trail is a mere .30 miles of pavement, with benches for resting and interpretive signs to read (parents). Great for strollers and toddlers. The longer, but manageable Trail of Time offers a bit more nature, and kids will enjoy the hunt for the next sign/clue. Grab a self-guided trail brochure at the visitor center and have at it. Open all year with varying hours, but daily May-September, 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Admission is $3/pp, but it’s free to hike the grounds.

AK Kid gets cozy with pelts at the Klondike Gold Rush Junior Ranger exhibits in Skagway

5. Klondike Gold Rush National Park, Skagway.This is by far the best Junior Ranger program I’ve ever seen, with an entire building on 4th and Broadway just for kids. Try on period clothing, play games, complete the Junior Ranger kit, feel pelts, all under the tutelage of a seasonal educational/interpretive ranger. Our kid ate this up, hook, line, and sinker. Staff are incredibly attentive and helpful, too. Find the Junior Ranger building in historic downtown Skagway, up the street from the main Park Service HQ. Open daily during the summer, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.; and 1 -3 p.m. Plan to spend an hour or so exploring. Kids age three to five receive a coloring book, and kids five through eight receive the Junior Ranger kit. Love this town.