Winter Waterfall Walk

Winter Waterfall Walk

This tour is for naturalists and lovers of waterfalls. Barbara Falls is hands-down the best waterfall in the Chugach State Park, especially in the winter. Experience incredible diversity among the vegetation in a boreal forest. Species like giant spruces, paper birches, and aspens reign from high above while fruticose, foliose, and crustose lichens dominate the forest floor.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Barbara Falls, Ken Logan Circle, Eagle River, Anchorage, AK 99577

This tour is for naturalists and lovers of waterfalls. Barbara Falls is hands-down the best waterfall in the Chugach State Park, especially in the winter. Experience incredible diversity among the vegetation in a boreal forest. Species like giant spruces, paper birches, and aspens reign from high above while fruticose, foliose, and crustose lichens dominate the forest floor.

We'll start the tour at the base of Barbara Falls, where you’ll feel the spray of glaciated water on your face and see shimmering icicles. After stocking up a store of photos to make your friends jealous, we’ll cross South Fork Eagle River to a short 1.5-mile loop. Here we’ll explore the vast vegetation in the area, possibly on snowshoes if conditions allow. We may even spot moose, snowshoe hare, and a few types of birds. Speaking of which, all our guides are experienced in the back country and will educate you on animal safety before we set out.

Halfway through our tour we'll take a snack break with a delicious sun butter & jelly sandwich and hot drinks. Recharged, we will finish the tour by heading back towards the trailhead. We will then head back to the city, leaving you plenty of time to visit our great, local restaurants, or maybe even take a museum or brewery tour!

Experience Requirements:
This tour may include either the use of micro-spikes or snowshoes. No experience required, but you should be able to walk at least 3 miles on flat pavement, or 2 miles of uneven rolling terrain over the course of 2 hours. Some parts of trail are steep and hilly, placing additional stress on areas of the body not impacted by level terrain. Not recommended for those with severe cardiac or respiratory issues/illness. May be difficult for those with severe joint issues. If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know and we will accommodate you with a different snack option.

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes