Activities in Kenai Peninsula
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Sunny Cove Sea Kayaking
Though the best and most impressive paddling in the region is within Kenai Fjords National Park, getting there requires a costly water-taxi. If you're looking to save money and don't mind foregoing the park's tidewater glaciers and more ample wildlife, kayaking right outside Seward in Resurrection Bay can still make for a stunning day on the water. Sunny Cove Sea Kayaking conducts guided trips.
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Mt Marathon Trail
According to (rather suspect) local legend, grocer Gus Borgan wagered around US$100 in 1909 that no-one could run Mt Marathon in an hour, and the race was on. Winner James Walters clocked in at 62 minutes, losing the bet but becoming a legend. The 3.1-mile suffer-fest quickly became a celebrated 4th of July event and today is Alaska's most famous footrace, pitting runners from all over the world against the 3022ft-high peak. In 1981 Bill Spencer set the record at 43 minutes, 23 seconds. Many runners take twice as long, and each year several end up with broken bones after tumbling during the hell-bent descent.
You can trek to the top several ways. At the end of Monroe St, …
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Iditarod National Historic Trail
Though the celebrated Iditarod Race to Nome currently departs from Anchorage, the legendary trail actually begins in Seward. In 1995 Mitch Seavey mushed from Seward along this well-worn path into Anchorage, where he continued with the regularly scheduled Iditarod; he finished 20th. At the foot of Ballaine Blvd, an unprepossessing sign and lonely dogsled mark Mile 0. Nearby, a paved bike path heads 2 miles north along the beach.
A far more interesting segment of the trail for hikers, however, can be reached by heading east 2 miles on Nash Rd, which intersects the Seward Hwy at Mile 3.2. From here you can follow the Iditarod National Historic Trail through woods and thick b…
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Harding Ice Field Trail
This strenuous and very popular 3.5-mile trail follows Exit Glacier up to Harding Ice Field, one of the largest in North America. The 936-sq-mile expanse remained undiscovered until the early 1900s, when a map-making team realized that eight coastal glaciers flowed from the same system. Today you can rediscover it via a steep, roughly cut and sometimes slippery ascent to 3500ft; for reasonably fit trekkers, that's a good three- or four-hour trip. Beware of bears; they're common here.
The trek is well worth it for those with the stamina, as it provides spectacular views of not only the ice field but of Exit Glacier and the valley below. The upper section of the route is sn…
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Bishop Creek Trail
- Homer, USA
- Activities › Hiking
This hike is a 7-mile waterfront trek from north of Homer back into town (you could do it in reverse, but you're likely to miss the turnoff to the highway). The views of Kachemak Bay and the Kenai Mountains are superb, while the marine life that scurries along the sand at low tide is fascinating.
The trailhead is opposite Diamond Ridge Rd, 5 miles north along the Sterling Hwy. The trail begins by descending along Diamond Creek, then hits the beach. Check a tide book, and leave before low tide and return before high tide. High tides cover most of the sand, forcing you to scramble onto the base of the nearby cliffs. Within 4 miles you'll pass a sea-otter rookery a few hundr…
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Resurrection River Trail
This 16-mile trail accesses a 72-mile trail system connecting Seward and Hope. This continuous trail is broken only by the Sterling Hwy and provides a wonderful wilderness adventure through a diversity of streams, rivers, lakes, wooded lowlands and alpine areas. It's difficult and expensive to maintain, so expect natural hassles like downed trees, boggy patches and washed-out sections, especially in spring. Resurrection River Cabin is 5½ miles from the trailhead.
The southern trailhead is at Mile 8 of Exit Glacier Rd. The northern trailhead joins the Russian Lakes Trail 5 miles from Cooper Lake or 16 miles from the Russian River Campground off the Sterling Hwy. The hike …
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Lost Lake Trail
This challenging 7-mile trail to an alpine lake is one of the most scenic hikes the Kenai Peninsula has to offer in midsummer. The trailhead is in Lost Lake subdivision, at Mile 5.3 of the Seward Hwy. After 3 miles you come to the summer trail that winds 1½ miles south to the Clemens Memorial Cabin. The final 2 miles are above the tree line, making the shores of Lost Lake a wondrous place to pitch a tent.
If you'd rather not return the same way, continue around the east side of Lost Lake to the Primrose Trail, an 8-mile alpine trek ending at Primrose Campground at Mile 17.2 of the Seward Hwy. Plan on seven to 10 hours for the round-trip to Lost Lake, and bring a camp sto…
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Kayak'Atak
Kayak'Atak rents kayaks and can help arrange transportation throughout the bay. It also offers various guided tours, some including a 'gourmet lunch.' Make reservations in advance.
There are some excellent kayaking opportunities in the Seldovia area. Just north, Eldred Passage and the three islands (Cohen, Yukon and Hesketh) that mark its entrance are prime spots for viewing otters, sea lions and seals, while the northern shore of Yukon Island features caves and tunnels that can be explored at high tide. Even closer are Sadie Cove and Tutka and Jakolof Bays, where you can paddle in protected water, amid interesting geological features and near numerous camping areas alon…
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Homestead Trail
- Homer, USA
- Activities › Hiking
This 6.7-mile trek from Rogers Loop Rd to the City Reservoir, just off Skyline Dr on Crossman Ridge Rd, is a 2½-mile walk to Rucksack Dr, which crosses Diamond Ridge Rd. Along the way you pass through open meadows with panoramic views of Kachemak Bay and Mt Iliamna and Mt Redoubt on the other side of Cook Inlet. The trek continues another 4.2 miles, following Rucksack Dr and Crossman Ridge Rd to the reservoir. Cars are banned from both dirt roads.
To reach the trail, head out of town on the Sterling Hwy and turn right on Rogers Loop Rd across from the Bay View Inn. The trailhead is a half-mile farther, on your right.
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Otterbahn Trail
The Otterbahn Trail was famously created by local high school students, who dubbed it the 'we-worked-hard-so-you-better-like-it trail.' The trailhead lies behind Susan B English School, off Winfred Ave. Lined with salmonberries and affording great views of Graduation Peak, it skirts the coastline most of the way and reaches Outside Beach in 1½ miles. Make sure you hike it at tides below 17ft, as the last stretch runs across a slough that is only passable (legally - property above 17ft is private) when the water is out.
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Rainbow Tours
Whenever you're out in the bay there's a chance of spotting whales - sometimes you can even spot orca from the tip of the Spit. Rainbow Tours runs a dedicated whale-watching tour. The comfortable 65ft vessel, MV Rainbow Connection, leaves Homer at 09:00, cruises to Seldovia, and then spends six-plus hours seeking out humpbacks, orcas, minkes, finbacks and gray whales in Kachemak Bay and Kennedy Entrance. The price includes lunch. Be sure to bundle up and bring your binocs.
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Carl E Wynn Nature Center
- Homer, USA
- Activities › Hiking
Located on the bluffs above Homer, this is highly recommended for families and anyone interested in the area's ethnobotany. With a few short interpretive nature trails, one of them boardwalked and wheelchair accessible, this is a grand place to learn which plants can be used to heal a cut, condition your hair or munch for lunch. Naturalist-led hikes leave at 10:00 and 14:00 daily in summer. It also has a slate of lectures and other programs; call the center for a schedule.
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Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies
- Homer, USA
- Activities › Hiking
This nonprofit organization devoted to promoting appreciation of Kachemak Bay's ecosystem, runs the Carl E Wynn Nature Center and the Peterson Bay Field Station, both of which offer guided hikes and educational programs throughout the summer. Drop by to learn more about their offerings, and to get maps and info about Kachemak Bay State Park. It also operates the Yurt on the Spit, which does a daily 'Creatures of the Dock' tour.
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Exit Glacier Guides
For those not satisfied with merely gazing up at Seward's backyard glacier, Exit Glacier Guides gives you the chance to tread upon it. Its five-hour ice-hiking trip gears you up with ice-axes and crampons, ascends part-way up the Harding Ice Field Trail and then heads out onto the glacier for crevasse exploration and interpretive glaciology. By the time you read this, Exit'll likely offer overnight treks as well.
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Mt Alice Trail
Seward Hwy near Bear Lake marks the trailhead for the Mt Alice Trail, a fairly difficult and highly recommended 2½-mile climb to the alpine summit. Bald eagles, blueberries and stunning views can be had elsewhere, but it's the solitude - this trail is relatively unused - that makes Mt Alice great. Back at Bear Lake, you can either backtrack to town or forge on another 11 miles to rejoin the Seward Hwy.
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IdidaRide
Hey, this is where the Iditarod started. Why not meet the dogs? IdidaRide is cheesy, but it's more like Stilton than Velveeta: after touring Iditarod veteran Mitch Seavey's kennels and hearing junior mushers discuss their experiences with subzero sleep deprivation, delicate doggy feet and cutthroat competition, you'll be strapped in for a 20-minute training run in a cart hitched behind a team of huskies.
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Ranger-Led hikes
At 10:00, 14:00 and 16:00 daily, rangers at the Exit Glacier Nature Center lead free one-hour hikes to the face of the glacier, providing information on the wildlife and natural history of the area. For a more strenuous outing, show up at the nature center on a Saturday at 09:00 for the guided ascent of the Harding Ice Field Trail. The trek lasts eight hours; pack a lunch and rain gear.
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Turnagain Arm Trail
An easy 11-mile, hike that begins at Mile 115. Originally used by Alaska Natives, the convenient route has since been used by Russian trappers, gold miners and happy hikers. The trail, with a mountain goat's view of Turnagain Arm, alpine meadows and beluga whales, can also be accessed at the McHugh Picnic Area (Mile 112), Rainbow (Mile 108) and Windy Corner (Mile 107).
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Paddling
Bluewater paddles out of Resurrection Bay along the coastline of the park are for experienced kayakers only; others should invest in a costly drop-off service. You'll be rewarded, however, with wildlife encounters and close-up views of the glaciers from a unique perspective. Most companies can arrange drop-off and pickup for the more remote Northwestern Lagoon.
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Bird Ridge Trail
The Bird Ridge Trail starts with a wheelchair-accessible loop, then continues with a steep, popular and well-marked path that reaches a 3500ft overlook at Mile 2; this is a traditional turnaround point for folks in a hurry. Or you can continue another 4 miles to higher peaks and even better views from sunny Bird Ridge, a top spot for rock climbing.
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Two Lakes Trail
This easy 1-mile loop circumnavigates pleasant Two Lakes Park (cnr 2nd Ave & C St), through woods and picnic grounds, across a salmon-spawning creek and around the two promised lakes at the base of Mt Marathon. Unsatisfied hikers can access the Jeep Trail nearby, which climbs Mt Marathon, for a much more intense climb.
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Sunny Cove Sea Kayaking
Sunny Cove Sea Kayaking doesn't rent kayaks, but does arrange a multitude of different trips, including three-hour paddles in Resurrection Bay, full-day journeys in Aialik Bay, and excursions that combine a half-day of paddling with a salmon-bake lunch on Fox Island and a Kenai Fjords cruise.
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Kenai Fjords Tours
With an office at the small-boat harbor, Kenai Fjords Tours goes the furthest into the park (Northwestern Fjord) and offers the widest variety of options, including an overnight on Fox Island. It also does package deals that include rail travel from Anchorage.
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Bald Mountain Air
Bald Mountain Air runs trips to the Katmai National Park headquarters at Brooks Camp, where countless bears converge to snag salmon ascending Brooks River - and where countless tourists converge to watch them. Once-in-a-lifetime photos are pretty much certain.
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Major Marine Tours
Major Marine Tours offers a half-day Resurrection Bay tour (adult/child $69/34) and a full-day tour viewing Holgate Arm ($136/68). The latter tour is a local favorite for its wildlife and prime rib and salmon buffet feast (adult/child $19/9).
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