I was camping Friday night at Granite Creek, just before the Hope Junction on the Seward Highway. My plan was to backpack Devil's Pass but when I woke up, it was gray and freezing and I wasn't sure if I could light a fire up there so I decided to bag it and do a day hike instead.
When I head down to the Kenai, I always noticed a trailhead at the rest stop on the left side before passing the the Hope Junction and always wondered where it led to. There is no mention of it in any guide book. While there is a route marked on the National Geographic Map, it is not named and I thought it was as good as time as any to check it out.
Be glad I saved you all the time of checking it out yourself because it so not worth it. It's basically an old mining road that hunters use to get in the backcountry forest and bag moose. At the end of the trail are a few beaver ponds but mostly it's in forest with no views. You can hear the traffic on the Seward Highway most of the trail and it's really distracting. I was pretty bored and really glad it was over.
The only reason I'm putting it on the site is in case anybody with some adventure for the unknown who was wondering what the trail was can now be relieved of having to take precious hours that could be better spent on much nicer trails with much nicer and numerous views.
If you still want to do this trail, watch out for hunters.
This was the first time I had used the Granite Creek Campground. Very nice and away from the noise of the traffic.