An Eagle River treasure

It is an easily accessed spot where everyone in the family can learn something about Alaska and the state’s great outdoors.

From toddlers to adults, the Eagle River Nature Center offers up a variety of hands-on and lecture experiences from which participants can gain a news sense of appreciation and awe for the 49th state and its uniqueness.

Beginning in June through the end of August, the center’s headquarters building is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 p.m.

Gateway to Chugach National Forest Trails

Access to hiking trails is open 24 hours, seven days a week depending on emergency announced closures regularly in effect between August and October due to bear activity. Bears often feed on the salmon from the nearby creeks during this time frame.

The center is indeed a gateway to hikes of all distances within the Chugach National Forest including the Crow Pass Trail/Historic Iditarod Trail connecting to Girdwood.

Crow Pass Trail is a 23-mile hike that follows parts of the Historic Iditarod Trail and includes a crossing the Eagle River about halfway through the hike. The water’s height varies from day to day but is regularly knee-high to waist-high deep. The water, which is coming from a glacier, is very cold and move very swiftly. Unfortunately, there have been hiker deaths attributed to this crossing, thus extreme caution is suggested. White stakes on each side of the river mark the recommended crossing site. Most people take at least two days to complete the Crow Pass by camping at the river crossing for a morning ford of the river. On July 28, 2018, a one-day race from Girdwood to the nature center titled Crow Creek Crossings brings thousands of racers to complete the challenge.

For those seeking a bit less adventure but still wanting to enjoy the great outdoors and the magnificent scenery in the nature center vicinity, two other shorter trails are easily accessed from the center.

The first is the Albert Loop Trail – a three-mile loop starting at the nature center and going to a lengthy viewing platform at the banks of the Eagle River with a large pond often featuring at least one or more beaver huts. Depending on how active the beavers are and how much rainfall has occurred, the trail can be very muddy.

The change in elevation on this trail is minimal: only 128 feet. It is a terrific choice for a family outing featuring multiple generations. The trail goes through several different types of habitat and signs along the trail provide detailed information regarding these habitats. Signage at the viewing platform details information about the mountains and the glaciers that are visible from there.

Nature center officials request that all dogs remain on leash on the Albert Loop Trail.

The Dew Mound Trail offers several loops and can be as long as six miles if you take each one of them. It is a much more rugged trail than the Albert Loop Trail and features more narrow areas and much more than double the elevation gain.

Hiking this trail provides terrific view of the entire Eagle River Valley and the picturesque, but tiny Dew Mound Lake.

The average hiker completes this trail in four to five hours.

Cabins and Yurts

The nature center owns one cabin and three yurts that are made available for rent to members and the general public.

Members of course receive a discount; it is $75 per night for non-members.

The Paradise Haven Cabin sleeps a maximum of eight. The River Trail Yurt sleeps four and the Rapids Camp Yurt and the Yukla Yurt each sleep six.

From June through August, center staff delivers one bundle of wood per night for use in the wood stove at each location. Renters needing more must haul in their own wood. Renters may use downed trees nearby for outdoor fires. Each cabin and yurt has an ash bucket, broom, dustpan, hatchet, snow shovel and splitting maul available for renter use.

Classes

Perhaps the most used program at the ERNC is its diverse selection of classes.

The Little Explorers program is held every Friday from now through October at 11 a.m. for families with children ages three to five. In terms of distance, it is a short walk of just three-quarters of a mile. In terms of time, it is all about letting preschoolers explore the Rodak Trail and perhaps meet new friends. No reservation is required, but pups must stay at home. The trail’s course is stroller-friendly.

Classes for adults and teen cover a variety of subjects from living with bears, how to prepare for the Crow Creek Crossing, river crossing techniques, edible fauna in the outdoors, wildflowers, Alaska amphibians, marine turtles, insects, wilderness first aid, medicinal plants and outdoor photography.

Dates and times are listed on the nature center’s website. Most classes have a fee and most require advance registration for planning purposes.

Classes and hikes just for teens are planned by nature center staff. Find details on the website.

The nature center also offers customized classes for larger groups. Typical topics include bear and moose safety, mammal skulls & pelts as well as craft activities to make casts of animal tracks or construct bird feeders, birch-bark canoes or learn the art of fish-printing. These groups are limited to ten participants and have varying fees.

Learn more about the Eagle River Nature Center at its website: www.ernc.org.

Call the Eagle River Nature Center at (907) 694-2108.

Trail updates are available on Facebook at the Crow Pass Trail page.

Parking at the ERNC is $5.