Sitka

Hiking and Bird-Watching

Seven miles north of Sitka, Starrigavan Recreation Area is a peaceful, end-of-the-road place to explore the rain forest. The state ferry terminal is less than a mile from Starrigavan, and a popular Forest Service campground is also here. Several easy trails lead hikers through the area, including the ¼-mi boardwalk Estuary Life Trail. It circles a small estuary and includes a bird-viewing shelter and access to a nearby artesian well. The ¾-mi Forest and Muskeg Trail winds through a spruce-hemlock forest and traverses a muskeg, with interpretive signs along the way. Across the road is the delightful 1.25-mi loop Mosquito Cove Trail, which skirts the rocky shoreline to Mosquito Cove before returning through thickly forested hills. Sitka, AK.

Get a map of local trails from Sitka Trail Works. 801 Halibut Point Rd., Sitka, AK, 99835. 907/747-7244. www.sitkatrailworks.org.

More Sports and Outdoors

• Bicycling
• Boat and Kayak Tours
• Bus Tours and Historical Walks
• Fishing

• Four-Wheeled Fun
• Hiking and Bird-Watching
• Underwater Action