Eklutna Lake Trail

Leaving Anchorage and heading north the rain was spitting and the weather was looking like it could go either way. As I took the exit for Eklutna and made some progress up the winding road the sun was shining up ahead. The sun continued to follow us back home like a stray dog who desperately wants a home. While some were able to go farther then others due to their children's speed. The average of the group was somewhere around 4 miles.

This is a great stroller friendly trail! Though it isn't paved it is wide and flat, hugging the norther shore of the glacier blue lake. Many of the toddlers took their sweet time exploring. Throwing sticks & rocks, splashing in puddles and pushing their own strollers, all while snacking in between. Great conversations were had by parents and new connections formed. Alaska is a small world.

This stray sun has seemed to make a home over our house. I think we'll keep her and call her our own.

Here's the garmin data for one way of the out and back hike this morning on the Eklutna Lake Trail.

Coastal Trail from Kincaid Park

Holding hands was a theme today among some of our little ones. Preschool choices vs. unschooling vs. homeschooling was the topic among parents. We all concurred that no matter your choice it is a healthy thing to have some "me" time.

The Coastal Trail from Kincaid Park starts behind the Chalet. Like the rest of the Coastal Trail it is paved, making it a fantastic thoroughfare for strollers. The big hill at the beginning takes you down through lush vegetation and out of the wind. Raspberries were abundant on the trailside. From there the path parallels the coastline. There are a few off shoots to go down to the beach and others that lead to benches set in front of world class views of the inlet.

Along the trail the group broke up into their usual subgroups loosely based on age. The toddlers anxious to do their own hiking served as the caboose of our train. On the way back the hill was a butt-buster. Everyone was rewarded at the end with time at the playground. We picnicked and played.

Campbell Creek Trail from... Campbell Creek Park

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, you can almost hear the chorus of angels singing as the skies opened up and let the sun shine down us for our Trek yesterday morning. Not long after I returned home we were back to the rain we've been experiencing all week. As usual mother nature showed us her approval, and welcome the about 20 parents with their kids into the woods and on the trail for another wonderful hike with our friends. 

This week was a stroller friendly week, so we headed out on the Campbell Creek Trail from... you guess it, the Campbell Creek Park near the corner of Lake Otis & Tudor. This is a portion of the paved bike trail that weaves in and around Anchorage. It was recently added on to over the past year and now connects to the Chester Creek Trail. We traveled along on an old section and then along some of the newer connector route. We did not spot any wildlife on the trail. Typically you can see salmon in the creek, when looking from above on the many bridges, or moose, but nothing on this early August morning. Before and after the trek the kids played at the playground and some took a dip in the watering hole along the creek.

While some looped around to Elmore Rd and back to the park, the family that was going the same pace as me and my kiddo hit the Tudor overpass walkway and then retraced our steps back. Of course I did not turn my Garmin on when we left, but the full trip back was recorded. Double what you see on the map for accurate distance. Much of that was impressively done by these two toddlers on their own feet, with some stroller breaks in between.

Point Worozof and the Coastal Trail

I knew it would be a glorious morning for a trek today when I saw my pups sprawled out basking in the rays of sunlight streaming through the big windows of our little house. The trail would not disappoint! While pulling up to the trailhead of the Coastal Trail from Point Worozof Denali & Foraker were looming over Cook Inlet. Someone is summiting Denali this morning! While our trek isn’t nearly as strenuous as climbing “The Big One” it seems like getting kids out for a morning trek sometimes takes as much preparation.

Mt. Susitna a.k.a. the Sleeping Lady

We hiked for a little more than an hour. There were about 35 trekkers out, including moms, dads, babes, toddlers, an aunt, preschoolers and a grandma. We broke into smaller packs along the trail with some parents with little ones in strollers & packs moving at a quicker speed and others with toddlers traveling under their own power bringing up the rear. Some of the preschoolers were riding their own bikes.

If you look close you'll see Foraker & Denali (Mt. McKinley).

Point Worozof is at the very west end of Northern Lights Blvd., located right at the end of the runway for Ted Stevens International Airport. Its beach likes on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail, between Kincaid Park and Earthquake park. We headed through the woods toward the south and Kincaid Park. There are many benches and look outs over Cook Inlet along the way. There were many moose sightings, the chirping of birds loud and sandhill cranes squawking as they flew overhead.

At the end of the hike many headed down to the beach for a picnic as the large jets took off into the sky overhead. Their loud noise a bit too much for my Little Bear, but very exciting for many of the other bigger kids.

Coastal Trail from Westchester Lagoon

What a gorgeous day. So many wonderful new faces. Spring is here! The sandhill cranes were flying overhead on their way further north. Bald eagles were soaring. There were about 42 parents and kiddos combined. Most of the group covered exactly 4 miles. It was amazing to see such a variety of kids at different ages! There were a couple of sub groups with in the groups. All going at their respective speeds as some were carrying their kids, some pushing them in strollers and a substantial bunch with little independent trekkers. We even had a few moms join us from off the trail. We hung out for at least an hour after with the kids playing and snacking.