Virgin Creek Falls

Hi there!

A hike had been planned for on our way back home from Barn Hunt trials in Soldotna (more about that in Saturday’s post), but an asthma attack prevented us from doing any activity that required any sort of lungpower. Not to be deterred, we veered off the highway at Girdwood and made our way to Virgin Creek Falls trailhead. I’d read snippets about the hike walk from a facebook group where someone had mentioned it in passing, so a quick google search provided us with semi-accurate directions.

We parallel parked along the dead-end road amongst the four or five other parked hiker vehicles, with the emergency brake on, since it was a modest incline, and dabbed a bit of bug spray on our faces. The mosquitoes are still sparse, but they are here. As we dutifully patted out necks and hairline, we watched three men and a woman in front of us get out of their rental car and assemble trekking poles for their hike, don rain jackets, and day packs. I glanced at my stretch pants and brand new tennis shoes and had a fleeting thought that maybe I needed more gear than the camera in my sweatshirt pocket and the bug spray now perfuming my neck. Nah.

Fiddlehead ferns!

Slowly, we followed the tourists across the road to the trailhead, allowing them to get ahead of us, so we didn’t hike at their heels. TheMother and I expressed our thoughts about the two houses (un)lucky enough to be situated right at the trailhead. I’m not so sure I would enjoy having a bunch of hikers traipsing past my house all the time. A bored looking gray husky lounging on the nearest house porch didn’t even have enough interest to stir when Fly rushed past in her haste to get going.

About 30 feet into the woods, I overheard the stout female tourist exclaim that she would go no further and the men could go on without her, but she was coaxed along and soon the group was out of sight. Seconds later, I saw why she had balked: there was still snow on the trail and what wasn’t snow was a field of roots. Granted, the snow was hard packed, nearly ice, but I could understand why someone with possible knee or ankle issues would hesitate.  After this short section, however, the trail was more amenable and gently ascended with the aide of a boardwalk and some logs cut in rounds for stepping pavers. The path was soft, but not mushy, snow free, and the air was cool, slightly humid, and quiet. Large moss festooned trees grew all around, it is a temperate rainforest after all, and the sound of rushing water could be heard to our right.

The only bad section of the trail, right at the entrance, of course.

Sure enough, a minute later, we could look down and see the creek as it foamed and rushed its way downhill. It was a steep cliff, so I kept Fly close, because she isn’t the most graceful of woodland creatures. We stopped for a photo op and the tourists passed us headed back toward the trailhead. Finished already?

Yes, they actually were finished. Another minute or two of hiking walking awarded us with views of the waterfall. Seriously, it is that easy of a hike and just as short. Perfect for visiting friends and family who want to experience an Alaskan hike without all the effort and hazards and occasional dull scenery. Or, it would be excellent as a pit stop during a long drive to get some fresh air and stretch the legs.

It's like Narnia here.

There were some high school girls down at the edge of the water taking glamor photos, senior photos maybe, but Fly and I navigated our way down beside them and snapped a few quick pics while the girls were re-setting themselves. Fly was more interested in chewing driftwood branches than she was of the rushing water and I was glad that the loud and swiftly flowing water didn’t make her fearful.

Other hikers were descending the trail from further above the falls, so it is possible to continue the trail for more of a hike with substance, but the falls destination was all we had set out for today and we were pleased with our one mile out-and-back stroll through the mossy woods.  Fly found signs of squirrel activity on our way back down and she was able to get a rush of hunting adrenalin before loading back into the truck for the remaining two hours of homeward traveling.

Squirrel?

Squirrel sign.

"Do I have anything on my face?"