Hiking: Thunderbird Falls

I'm the first to admit that 'outdoorsy' is not the first adjective I'd use in describing myself.  However, given the abundance of trails and hiking opportunities around here, I am working to change that :)

I stopped in at Barnes and Noble the other day and picked up this book...

I like the way it's laid out ~ it tells you the difficulty level of the hike...and there's a chart that indicates which hikes are the best hikes for kids...to see rivers/lakes...to see waterfalls etc...I chose an easy one for today...

the trail was well marked...and there were quite a few people so I wasn't concerned about being a solo hiker...

the vegetation was so pretty ~ these large leafy plants are everywhere...and some of them appear ready for fall...

 mushrooms growing on the end of a tree trunk

this is what you find at the end of the trail...

Thunderbird Falls

 upper falls

 lower falls

proof that I was actually there :)

There was also a path to go down to the riverbed

Duncan and Dave had a good time...

 Dave

 Duncan

There was an observation deck that allowed you to look down to the 'gorge' below...there were some other hikers standing there when I got to the deck and one of them asked if he could borrow the lens on my camera...there was a man 'sunbathing' across the way, they were trying to determine if he was wearing any clothes...apparently he wasn't...but after realizing he was being 'observed', he pulled his pants up...I can't help but wonder if he chose his spot intentionally though...out of all the woods in Alaska you decide to plop down and read your magazine across the way from an observation deck?  :)

Not too far from the falls were some other hikes near a lake called Eklutna...I decided to at least check it out...those hikes will have to wait for another day, but it was worth it to at least stop and see the lake today...

and I saw this mama and baby on the way to the lake...

Duncan has found his voice and started barking at them from the car window