Trailconditions

Nature Center Trail Conditions for Thursday, May 15, 2008

All trails are open for hiking. Muddy conditions in places, but drying up by the day.

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Trails are always "open", even if the building is not.

ALL local trails are open, including the Albert Loop. Contact Chugach State Park at 907-345-5014 for more information regarding conditions of the Crow Pass Trail from Girdwood to Echo Bend (3 miles from Nature Center).

Please ask at the front desk for up-to-date details and check for any new trail notices at the Nature Center's main trailhead. Questions? Please call us (907-694-2108) or inquire at the front desk if you would like more information.

ALBERT LOOP TRAIL: is 3 miles long and has good views of the Eagle River Valley, Polar Bear, Eagle, Cumulus and Hurdy Gurdy peaks. The trail gives access to Eagle River gravel bars and gives close-up opportunities for observing beaver activity, as the trail passes through prime beaver habitat. Boardwalks and bridges provide for comfortable hiking and skiing, though some muddy spots need to be negotiated as recent dam building has flooded portions of the trail (spring & summer).

DEW MOUND TRAIL : Dew Mound trail is now completely open for hiking. The first loop of the trail begins right at the bottom of the hill where it intersects with the Rodak Trail. Three major loops will bring you back to the Crow Pass/Iditarod Trail. The first mile is muddy (till it freezes) but easily negotiable. Slopes have been widened for winter skiing. The back country part of the trail to Dew Lake and on to Echo Bend is now well marked with orange flags and easy to follow for hiking or snow shoeing. Skiing on the back-country portion beyond Rapids Camp Loop is for the adventurous only, as there are several steep slopes.

RODAK TRAIL: The Rodak Trail is a 3/4 mile long self-guided nature trail. Interpretive panels highlight items of interest along the way and explain many of the natural features of the Eagle River Valley. On a clear day, the viewing platform, situated on the edge of a beaver pond, provides excellent views of the Eagle River Valley as well as a good opportunity to spot wildlife, including spawning red and silver salmon in late August. We offer guided nature walks on this trail every day at 1:00 PM during the summer.

CROW PASS/IDITAROD TRAIL: This section of the historic Iditarod Trail, between the Eagle River Nature Center and Girdwood, was formerly used as a transportation and mail route between the villages of Portage and Knik. A roadhouse for weary travelers existed just below the current ford site after Raven Gorge. The trail was abandoned when the railway was completed in 1919 and reopened for hiking in 1971 by a Girl Scout trail crew.

For current trail conditions on the Girdwood side contact Chugach National Forest, Girdwood Ranger Station. This is a wilderness trail, with no cell phone coverage or road access between Eagle River and Girdwood. You can obtain a map of Chugach State Park at the Eagle River Nature Center or other sports stores/hiking shops in Alaska.

Check the National Weather Service forecast (www.pafc.arh.noaa.gov) before any backcountry trip. Always leave a written trip plan with a reliable person. ALWAYS be prepared for the worst conditions with shelter, adequate gear and the ability to warm, dry and feed yourself.