No Dime Design: Our Favorite Hikes

Hiking is something that we really love to do as a family. With only a few precious months of snow free summer we really have to cram it in there! There are so many to choose from that we try to make a list every year so we branch out and try a new one every now and then.

Here are a few of our favorite hikes/outings that we try to fit in every year:

Up first is South Fork Falls. It's really close, relatively short, super easy and has nice trails for strollers. Since people live up this trail the roads are packed down during the winter too. I love the little bridge over the river.

South Fork Falls

My very personal Favorite is Winner Creek. I love EVERYTHING about this hike! With hand trams, waterfalls, bridges and gold mining all under a beautiful rain forest like canopy there's not a whole lot not to like. The trail head is near Aleska Resort. It's well traveled in the winter and the summer. Even though it's a longer trail it's pretty flat but not stroller friendly.

All of that is great but it's special to me because this was the first (or second-depending who you ask) date my husband took me on.

Winner Creek

The Eagle River Nature Center is just the trail head for several different hikes. Most of the shorter ones are stroller friendly, accessible in the winter, and very easy. The dogs love coming with us on hikes, especially if they can get wet. You can see them here in their full blown hiking gear. They love putting their bags on- I think it gives them a sense of purpose. If you stop into the Nature Center there is always something going on and usually lots of activities for the kids.

Eagle River Nature center

Eagle River Nature Center

Eklutna Lake is a nice one for the views. It wraps all the way around the lake and there are a few side trails in there too. The lake is fed from a glacier and it makes the water a gorgeous hue.

Eklutna Lake

We like to go to Mirror Lake for picnics, BBQs, a little bit of swimming, and playing with the dogs. Indiana will fetch balls out of the water as far as you can throw and as long as your arm still works. They also have a large field, a horse shoe pit, and volley ball pits.

Mirror Lake

If you are looking for a unique Alaska experience visiting a glacier could well be on the top of your list. Byron Glacier has easy access over a short hike. Even though you can actually walk on and in the glacier it is a nice warm hike and a summer day. The only pictures I have of this hike right now don't actually show the glacier because we tried to go too early in the spring and there was just too much snow so we chickened out and went to the near by Begich-Boggs Visitors Center. it's kind of like a mini museum. If you'd like you can take a boat to see the Portage glacier from here.

Byron Glacier

Begich-Boggs Visitors Center

Hatcher's Pass is actually a pass through the mountains which hold lots of trails. Independence Mine is one of our favorites. It's kind of like a mining ghost town. Here my husband is on a different hike with some friends. The whole area is great for picking wild berries and catching glimpses of wild life.