A moderate to strenuous hike, the trail starts next to Palmer Creek in Bear Canyon and gradually climbs out of the valley to the east rim and emerges into high meadows with fabulous views of Kachemak Bay.
Access: The trailhead is at the end of Bear Creek Court off the west end of Bear Creek Drive. There are a few parking spots NE of the building at the end of this road.
There is a second way to connect to this trail by walking up the road in the Canyon Trails subdivision. There is no parking for this access, though it is possible to park at the Kachemak City Park/Community building, head up Bear Creek Dr to Stellar’s Jay to Golden Plover to Kestral and taking the first left on a shared driveway until you see the trail sign on your left.
History: In the early 1900s this area of the bluff was used by residents to reach their homesteads. Originally called the Mary Lane trail, it went from Miller’s Landing to the Skyline Drive area and beyond to the Waterman Trail area. After roads were built, the old trail was still used by area residents recreationally. For trail history and use see Milli Martin’s booklet in the Homer Public Library’s Top Drawer Collection (1994), “The Mary Lane Trail.”
In the early 2000s, a land developer, John Fowler, routed the old Mary Lane trail up the rim, hoping it would eventually connect to the Lookout trails and then Diamond Ridge. The trail ended at Dorothy Drive but in 2023 the section line pedestrian easement was vacated after a lengthy process of public testimony, a denial of the vacation, and then a reversal on appeal (2018-2023). A portion of the trail will be rerouted in the future to a new endpoint and to fall within the Trail Easement established by Mr. Fowler and given to the City of Homer. About 2,000 feet of new trail will be marked and cleared in the summer of 2024.
Distance: ~1 mile one-way
Elevation change: 625 feet
Trailhead 225 feet
Meadow & trail easement ending at section line ~ 850 feet
Level of Difficulty/Grade: Moderate to strenuous due to the elevation gain.
Special Features:
● Bears and moose are occasionally sighted.
● Great picnic spots in the high meadows with Kachemak Bay views.
Trail Management Agency: City of Homer Trail Easement.
