​Outdoor Safety on Alaska Trails

​Alaska is bear and moose country.  When hiking on the Nature Center trails you should always be prepared for a wildlife encounter.  Brown/grizzly bears, black bears, and moose are all commonly seen on our trails, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a hike!  Follow the tips below and you'll make our trails safer for both humans and wildlife.

​Being "Bear Aware"

​Being "Moose Aware"

​When hiking in bear country, here are some tips for staying safe:​

• Make Noise so you don't surprise a bear!
• Buddy up.  You are safer in a group in bear country.
• Use your senses and be aware of your surroundings.  DO NOT use headphones!
• Move cautiously, especially along creeks, on blind corners, and highly vegetated areas.  High speed = high chance of surprise.
• Carry bear spray, have it readily available and know how to use it.
• Don't feed bears.  Handle food, fish and other attractants responsibly.
• NEVER run from a bear!  Stand your ground, make yourself/group look big. 
• Keep pets on a leash or under voice command. 
• If you are camping, know the safe ways to cook and store your food.
• Pay attention to posted signs about bears and bear activity.

​To learn more about bear behavior and what to do for a bear encounter, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Bear Safety page.

​Moose are not normally aggressive, however, there are certain times of the year to be more aware of moose behavior.  During the fall mating season in late September and October, termed the rut, bull moose may be aggressive toward humans. In late spring and summer, cow moose with young calves are very protective and will attack humans who come too close.

​​When hiking in moose country, here are some tips for staying safe:

• Make Noise so you don't surprise a moose!
• Use your senses and be aware of your surroundings. DO NOT use headphones!
• Give moose an extremely wide berth, respect their personal space.  Don't try to walk past or make a moose move, take a different route or wait.
• Move cautiously, especially along creeks, on blind corners, and highly vegetated areas. High speed = high chance of surprise.
• Don't feed moose.
• Keep pets on a leash.

​​Do you know what to do when a moose charges?  Fortunately most moose charges are bluffs – warnings for you to get back. But if a moose does charge, don’t wait to find out if it’s bluffing. Run or walk quickly and get behind something solid, like a tree, or retreat to a safe place, like inside a building or car.

​To learn more about moose behavior and what to do for a moose encounter, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Moose Safety Page.

​Bear and Moose safety efforts at the Nature Center

​The Nature Center offers several Bear and Moose safety programs throughout the spring/summer/fall months.  Please see our program schedule for more info.

​​Have a school/private group/or other group wanting some more info and hands-on training in bear/moose country? 
Visit our School Programs page.

​Additionally, anyone that walks into the log cabin visitor center has the opportunity to talk and ask questions of our volunteers.  Our front desk staff is trained in bear and moose safety (either by Nature Center staff and/or Chugach State Park Rangers), and do a great deal of interacting with individual visitors regarding hiking the trails. When giving out trail information, they are frequently asked about bear and moose sightings, and they engage the visitor in a dialogue that includes determining their knowledge of hiking the backcountry. Visitors vary from casual out-of-town tourists that are not going more than ½ mile to the viewing deck, to hikers preparing to cross the Crow Pass.