Hiking - Hidden Creek Trail

Hidden Creek

Stats

Distance:  2.6 miles                     Difficulty: Easy to Moderate                            Time:  2 hrs

Summary

The best part of the Hidden Creek Trail is when it meets up with the marshlands

Hiking - Ben Walter's Park Floating Dock

View from Ben Walter's Park as a Floatplane Lands

Stats

Distance:  0.1 miles         Difficulty: Easy           Time:  15 min

Summary

Tucked away at the side of Beluga Lake in Homer, Alaska, Ben Walter’s Park is

Adventure - Grandview Tour on the Alaska Railroad.

Glacier View from the Grandview Tour

Stats

Difficulty: Easy                                                                                                   Time:  Half-day

Summary

Carol's parents visited us in Alaska in June.  Her father can't really walk much anymore so we went looking for cool activities that don't require much walking.  Not surprisingly, there aren't that many in Alaska, but we found a winner in the Grandview Tour on the Alaska Railroad.  The Grandview Tour is pure sightseeing into area of Alaska that cannot be reached in any way other than by train.

Opinion

This is a fun trip, even for those who have no trouble

Adventure - Tutka Bay Cooking Class

Tutka Bay Lodge

Stats

Difficulty: Easy                                                                                                   Time:  Half-day

Summary

There is no shortage of activities available on the Kenai Peninsula.  One of the more unexpected is a cooking lesson at the Tutka Bay Cooking School.  This half-day trip starts with a ride from the Homer docks (unless you are already staying at the Tutka Bay Lodge).  For there you take a water taxi to Tutka Bay Lodge where you are met and escorted to the long house where the cooking lessons are taught.

Opinion

This was a blast.  Not only do you learn to cook a dish on the style for the weekend (Italian, French, Alaskan), you get a full multi-course meal and the all the recipes for the meal.  Not only that,

Winter Experience - Potter Marsh

Cattails in the frozen marsh

One place worth a stop in any season is Potter's marsh.

Hiking - Portage Glacier Trail (all the way to the beach)

Stats

Distance:  4.7 miles                  Difficulty: Strenuous                                Time:  5 hrs

Summary

We chose to try the Portage Glacier Trail on 10 Jul 2013.  The hike goes up a nearly continuous inclined for a 750 ft elevation change, then back down (more gently) the full 750 ft to reach the portage glacier lake.  We found the hike on the National Park Service map (NPS Portage Glacier Trail).  This page is useful, but someone dated, see The Hike section of this post for updated information.

Opinion

This is a fabulous hike!  But we wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who is not at least reasonably fit.  The highlights of the hike include

Adventure - Blueberry Picking at the Peterson Research Station

Sunset at Peterson Research Station

Stats

When: Early – Mid August                         Where: Peterson Research Station

Summary

Alaska seems to be the US capitol for berries.  More berries grow in this state than I’ve ever heard of anywhere else.  We’ve got blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, salmon berries, watermelon berries, elderberries, currant, marionberries, cranberries, lingonberries (low bush cranberry), nagoonberries, crow berries, serviceberries, and strawberries.  Most of these grow wild, but several cultivars are grown in home yards and farms as well.  Truly, I didn’t know half these berries existed until I moved here.

On 11 Aug 2013 our neighbors asked if we wanted to take a boat ride across Kachemak Bay to go blueberry picking at the Peterson Research Station.  The Peterson Research Station belongs to the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies based out of Homer.  The station is situated on 5 acres of wild land and coastline and their lower trails go through extensive blueberry fields, with a mix of currant and salmonberry randomly distributed throughout.  The berries are fair game to visitors, although they ask that you leave a few for the bears.

Opinion

This was a blast.  We picked berries for about 2 hours and came home with 7.5 lbs (22.5 cups)

Hiking - Homestead Trail: Lower Trail (Roger's Loop to Rucksack Rd)

Stats 

Distance:  5.9 miles                   Difficulty: Moderate                                 Time:  3.5 hrs

Summary

On 14 Jul 2013 we decided to return to the Homestead Trail.  Homestead Trail isn’t really just one trail: it has several branches and paths.  In the winter some of the branches are used for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.  This time we picked the main Homestead Trail, then branched off to Rucksack Rd.  The Homestead trail hikes are inland trails.  The main Homestead Trail starts in the Homer swampland and climbs steadily into mountain meadows.  The link to the official web site is http://www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/recreation/homestead.  This is limited site that lists a few of the hikes in the Homer area.  

Opinion

This is a nice hike, but not the best hike in the Homer area.  However, the trail should be amazing when the Fireweed blooms.  Large parts of the trail wander

Hiking - Homestead Trail: Self-Guided Nature Trail

Stats

Distance:  1.0 miles                                  Difficulty: Easy                                        Time:  30 min

Summary

On 3 Jul 2013 we decided to check out the Homestead Trail.  Since we had no specific goal in mind, we picked the closest and shortest of the hikes that start at Homestead Trail trailhead.  The Homestead trail hikes are inland trails and the Self-Guided Nature trail goes through the Homer wild- and swamp-land.  The link to the official web site is http://www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/recreation/homestead.  This is limited site that lists a few of the hikes in the Homer area.

Opinion

This is a nice hike, but not the best in the Homer area.  This trail is not one for sweeping vistas, but is best enjoyed by