Hope, AK

Nestled at the mouth of Resurrection Creek on Turnagain Arm is a quiet little community with a positive outlook for its name -- Hope.

Driving to Hope is like taking a trip through history.

Hope was the first gold rush boom town on the Kenai Peninsula, and ended up with a name that symbolized the feeling of the people who first settled there through a coincidence. In 1889, before gold was found in Dawson or Nome, a man found gold in Resurrection Creek. Prospectors arrived there looking for riches, and a tent city sprung up on the banks. The community decided to name itself after the youngest man to step off the next boat arriving there -- his name was Percy Hope.

Located 88 miles south of Anchorage, Hope is still an old, rustic town of 200. Take the Seward Highway to the Hope Cutoff, and you will be transported back in time.

Many of the original cabins and buildings still exist from the gold rush, giving photographers a chance to step back in time and photograph Alaska as it used to be. Many artists also come to the community every year for the quiet atmosphere and scenic inspiration.

The 38.6-mile Resurrection Pass Trail extends from Hope to Cooper Landing and is a popular adventure for hikers in the summers, and for skiers in the winter. There are several U.S. Forest Service cabins located on the trail system, and people can reserve them through the Forest Service for use. In the winter, dog sleds can be hired to traverse the trail.

In town, the Hope Museum is a must-see.

It is filled with artifacts from the gold rush era. There is a public access area on Resurrection Creek where you can dig and pan for gold as well.

When traveling to the Kenai Peninsula, a stop in Hope is well worth the extra time. The town was even voted "Alaska's Most Friendly Town" in August, 2001 by Alaska Magazine.