Alaska Family Trip Questions

[Neilbob]

In a month, my family and I (wife and two teenage daughters) will leave for our first trip to Alaska. We have most of the trip nailed down but have a few decisions still to make.
1) We have a day around Anchorage and are trying to decide between Hatcher pass area or Chugach State Park. I lean toward Chugach, but have also been told that Hatcher Pass is one of the most beautiful areas. Looking at Google Earth, it looks very busy though. Any thoughts / recommendations between the two, or specific areas or hikes to look at? Goals would be the scenery, get away from crowds, and do a 4-6 mile hike or multiple smaller hikes.
2) Hikes around the Cooper Landing area. My wife wants to do Palmer Creek Lakes trail, but it's over an hour drive from where we're staying. It does look amazing though. I was looking at Crescent Lake Trail and/or Slaughter Ridge Trail that are closer (and who wouldn't want to hike Slaughter Ridge...). Any experience with these trails or other recommendations?

Thanks for any input, and feel free to DM me.

 

[LongWayAround]

I don't know anything about those two areas, but the exit glacier by Seward was a nice little hike. My lady still gives me a hard time about not taking her to the sea life center in Seward when we were up there a couple years ago.

 

[Neilbob]

I don't know anything about those two areas, but the exit glacier by Seward was a nice little hike. My lady still gives me a hard time about not taking her to the sea life center in Seward when we were up there a couple years ago.

Good deal. We're doing a boat tour in Kenai and then have some time in Seward. The sea life center is definitely on the girls list of things to do. Exit glacier is on the list too if we have enough time.

 

[dallen]

Hatcher pass is a nice area, go up to the trail to the independence mine. It’s not usually too busy. A short hike around Palmer is the butt…(butte). It’s a bit of a climb but you have some pretty awesome views from there. Drive up the Turnagain arm and up to the pass. Lots of close easy hikes in that area and it’s gorgeous if the weather cooperates. Everything in Alaska is an hour plus……it’s a big place.

 

[Htm84]

Anywhere you’re gonna go is gonna be crowded. If you wanna see more wildlife then the park is a better option. If it’s sunny and nice out you’ll wanna be at the trailhead early no matter what. Most of Alaska starts their day at noon it seems like. Try Williwa lakes or hidden lake in the park. Lots of sheep and moose with the occasional bear or wolf.

Palmer creek and crescent lake are pretty cool. But just about anywhere down that way is. Lots of grayling in crescent lake but you’ll wanna make sure it’s open. They close it for fishing in the spring I believe and I’m not sure when it reopens.

 

[kwackkillncrew]

like it has been said, youre in alaska, in the summer. Chances are the anchorage trails especailly flat top/power line pass are going to be packed with people. Hatchers pass should have less people then the direct anchorage area. if you get to the trail head early to mid morning, you should be good with finding a spot.

Other hikes near anchorage
You could check out the trails at eklutna lake, like the twins peak trail. There will be less people around eklutna compared to any of the trails in or adjacent to anchorage. Id say check out the eklutna lake trails.

Bear Mountain trail/peters creek trail.
That is in Chugiak. Start from the same trail head, peters creek is pretty easy and goes back a few miles, if you like to get elevation, about 200 yards in you can cut to the left and hike up to the top of bear mountain. Its steep but not to bad. Get great views from up there.


Cooper landing is a real busy place right now since there is major construction of the cooper landing bypass happening. I havent hiked those trails, but have heard good things about the trail up to Trout and Juneau lakes.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

Good deal. We're doing a boat tour in Kenai and then have some time in Seward. The sea life center is definitely on the girls list of things to do. Exit glacier is on the list too if we have enough time.

Don't miss Homer when you are in the Kenai.
Take plenty of mosquito repellent with you!

 

[grossklw]

The conservation center is pretty cool on your way down too. My kids love stopping. The catwalk over the bears is a hit. Good call on the sealife center, they have a full length glass aquarium there and when the giant bull stellar sea lion swims bye he looks like an f150. My kids could sit there for hours watching him.

I can’t help a ton around cooper landing or Seward but if you need Homer recs shoot me a PM. We spend a couple weeks up there every year.

 

[MountainTracker]

In a month, my family and I (wife and two teenage daughters) will leave for our first trip to Alaska. We have most of the trip nailed down but have a few decisions still to make.
1) We have a day around Anchorage and are trying to decide between Hatcher pass area or Chugach State Park. I lean toward Chugach, but have also been told that Hatcher Pass is one of the most beautiful areas. Looking at Google Earth, it looks very busy though. Any thoughts / recommendations between the two, or specific areas or hikes to look at? Goals would be the scenery, get away from crowds, and do a 4-6 mile hike or multiple smaller hikes.
2) Hikes around the Cooper Landing area. My wife wants to do Palmer Creek Lakes trail, but it's over an hour drive from where we're staying. It does look amazing though. I was looking at Crescent Lake Trail and/or Slaughter Ridge Trail that are closer (and who wouldn't want to hike Slaughter Ridge...). Any experience with these trails or other recommendations?

Thanks for any input, and feel free to DM me.

Hatcher Pass, Reed Lake trail 9 miles round trip.


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[AK Troutbum]

Slaughter Ridge is a really nice hike with good opportunity to see some wildlife like moose and black bears. Hatchers Pass is also really nice, especially the Reed Lakes trail. There are tons of good trails/hikes in the Anchorage bowl and the valley, with Symphony Lake, Lazy Mt., Bear Mt., and Twin Peaks being a few that initially come to mind. The main key to any of them is just catching it on a nice, sunny day. Here's a couple pics from Slaughter Ridge in mid June of last year.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

In 2019 we spent a month on the Kenai and still didn't get to see it all. Also if you can take a plane over to Kodiak and stay over night. The bears are unbelievable.

 

[Luke S]

If you are close to Anchorage hiking up above Eklutna Lake on the Twin Peaks trail is very good.

Near Cooper Landing Slaughter Ridge is nice but with road construction at the base it might be less so. I think Seward and Exit Glacier is closer then Palmer Creek Rd and its spectacular if you hike up to Marmot Meadows or the overlook at the top.

 

[Htm84]

like it has been said, youre in alaska, in the summer. Chances are the anchorage trails especailly flat top/power line pass are going to be packed with people. Hatchers pass should have less people then the direct anchorage area. if you get to the trail head early to mid morning, you should be good with finding a spot.

Other hikes near anchorage
You could check out the trails at eklutna lake, like the twins peak trail. There will be less people around eklutna compared to any of the trails in or adjacent to anchorage. Id say check out the eklutna lake trails.

Bear Mountain trail/peters creek trail.
That is in Chugiak. Start from the same trail head, peters creek is pretty easy and goes back a few miles, if you like to get elevation, about 200 yards in you can cut to the left and hike up to the top of bear mountain. Its steep but not to bad. Get great views from up there.


Cooper landing is a real busy place right now since there is major construction of the cooper landing bypass happening. I havent hiked those trails, but have heard good things about the trail up to Trout and Juneau lakes.

Twin peaks is a good one. But it gets a little scrambly up high.

 

[Htm84]

Hatcher Pass, Reed Lake trail 9 miles round trip.


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And start early. That parking lot gets hammered

In 2019 we spent a month on the Kenai and still didn't get to see it all. Also if you can take a plane over to Kodiak and stay over night. The bears are unbelievable.

I’ve been here 10 years and haven’t even scratched the surface.

 

[MountainTracker]

And start early. That parking lot gets hammered

I’ve been here 10 years and haven’t even scratched the surface.

True with the two trailheads there. My experience is most people stop at the boulder field and it only gets better from there. It’s hard to find a bad hike ha.


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[FranklinBluth]

We did April Bowl in Hatchers Pass last year through to Government Peak on the Palmer/Wasilla side. We were by ourselves after we got past Hatch Peak. Would second the Reed Lakes recommendation as well. Gold Cord Lake is cool and a relatively short hike from Independence Mine.

Exit Glacier is also great - we got up into a group of mt goats last year with the kids on that hike. Mt Marathon is also fun if you get down to Seward.

 

[Rogue Bay]

Good deal. We're doing a boat tour in Kenai and then have some time in Seward. The sea life center is definitely on the girls list of things to do. Exit glacier is on the list too if we have enough time.

The glacier is definitely worth seeing if you can swing it. The glacier runoff is pretty wild and I thought that alone was worth it.

 

[Marbles]

If in Anchorage, I would pass on driving up to the Valley. Wolverine is a good hike that is less crowded year round.

Rainbow, or Bird Ridge would also be closer and nice hikes.

Slaughter is steep, but a nice short hike. Devil's Creek or Summit Creek are good hikes as well and will get you in the alpine.

I hike Skyline a lot for training, if you push back on the ridge you will have fewer people. But it would not be my first recommendation.

Crescent lake is pretty, but doesn't get very high in the alpine. For a low trail, Bear Lake starting on the Seward highway is better in my opinion. Bear lake is more rainforest than the other hikes, never get to alpine views though.

Hope might be worth spending a day in, but personally there is enough around Cooper Landing and Moose Pass that I wouldn't spend the time driving.

It really depends on what you want.

 

[Sizthediz]

If you can swing it Brooks Falls. Really fun experience. My wife and I took a flight out of Homer.

 

[Neilbob]

Slaughter Ridge is a really nice hike with good opportunity to see some wildlife like moose and black bears. Hatchers Pass is also really nice, especially the Reed Lakes trail. There are tons of good trails/hikes in the Anchorage bowl and the valley, with Symphony Lake, Lazy Mt., Bear Mt., and Twin Peaks being a few that initially come to mind. The main key to any of them is just catching it on a nice, sunny day. Here's a couple pics from Slaughter Ridge in mid June of last year.

Man that’s gorgeous! Hopefully we’ll catch it on a day like that