Free Families to Parks Program encourages outdoor use

If there was ever a time for families to build a habit of unplugging and heading outside in Alaska year-round, it’s now. As screen time continues to increase thanks to the shift to online learning, and the state continues to sift through the physical and mental health ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic, making time to be up and moving away from the phones and computers has never seemed more important.

But local parks officials and outdoor recreation experts know that the changing seasons and the march into winter are also going to make getting outside more challenging than ever, says Erin Kirkland, a volunteer State Parks ambassador who runs the family-focused website AKOntheGo.com — and because of that families need a little help.

The solution? Organized park activities that balance social distancing with activities and guided exploration, Kirkland says. Now she’s working to put together a monthly program that provides just that.

Kirkland worked with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources (DNR) last year to introduce the Families to Parks program. Designed for quarterly events, Families to Parks gave Anchorage-area residents with small children a way to explore some of the local parks while gaining confidence in outdoor recreating that they could use later on their own, Kirkland says.

But now the ongoing pandemic makes the need even more urgent, says Wendy Sailors, a development specialist for DNR, and instead of a quarterly program, they are planning to offer the meet-ups monthly, bringing families into various parks throughout the fall and winter.

The first such event will be Sept. 5 at Independence Mine in Hatcher Pass.

“It’s harder for people in general to motivate themselves to get out in the winter time. People love to get out in the summertime when the sun is shining,” she said. “As the winter comes on we really want to support Alaska as we continue to go through what we’re going through.”

The state parks experienced a record number of visitors this summer thanks to residents traveling in the state, and traffic in Hatcher Pass has been anything but light on recent weekends.

But as the weather begins to cool, families for whom spending time outdoors is not a part of their regular habit will be tempted to stay inside, said Kirkland. Now is the time to help them learn what’s out there, even if it means increasing visits to already trafficked areas while giving families the tools to learn how to explore on their own.

To do that, she said, the Families to Parks program gives families a chance to explore and ask questions with the help of a ranger or other experts. Those families are then encouraged to next take those skills into other regions or parks.

“What we’re trying to do is open the door to further exploration elsewhere and we have to start that somewhere,” she said. “What we do is say ‘OK, you’ve done this, so next time take a step forward and go somewhere different.’”

To keep the events safe, Sailors said park employees will be focusing on well-distanced outdoor activities.

“We want to make it as simple for someone to come as possible,” she says. “We always do an open house format so folks can come and go. The hope is that people will sort of stagger. We will always follow the current state and Borough or city we’re in guidelines as far as COVID goes. We will make sure that we have masks available if we’re closer than six feet.”

The Independence Mine event will be from noon to 3 p.m. September 5 at the Independence Mine State Historic Park, which is currently managed by Salmon Berry Tours. Parking is included with a State Park annual pass or $5 per vehicle. The event is ideal for kids kindergarten to fifth grade and will include gold panning and free State Parks 50th Anniversary posters.

Future Families to Parks events will be held at Bird Creek on Oct. 10, Matanuska Lakes on Nov. 14, Glen Alps on Dec. 12 and Government Peak Recreation Area on Jan. 9, 2021. Users can visit the State Parks Facebook page for more information at Facebook.com/AlaskaStateParks.