Abandoned @ Eklutna Tailrace

To get to the tour we booked for this afternoon, the GPS directed us to use the Old Glenn Hwy. That led to an unexpected stop along the way ... because the scenery was beautiful and also because we had some time to spare. The spot we dallied at was the Eklutna Tailrace.

So, what is a tailrace? Merriam-Webster describes it as “a water channel below a dam or water mill.” In this case, it belongs to the Eklutna Hydroelectric Project. There is a small, artificial eddy of water that comes down from the plant and connects to the main stem of the Knik River. The water here is stocked with a variety of salmon, so it is apparently quite popular with anglers.

The glacial-fed water of the tailrace was the typical blue-gray of rivers that carry glacier flour. We crossed the footbridge over the tailrace and took a short walk on a woodland trail. The mosquitoes were buzzing about … but they were not the biting kind … thank goodness.

We followed a woodland path for a bit. Our walk led us to some beautiful views of a large body of water … might be a lake or one of the feeder arms of Knik River. Along the edge leading down to the water, we discovered junked vehicles … mostly the metal portions still remaining … peeking out of the ground here and there. Later, I read that junked cars have been used for erosion control along some of the rivers in the state. But the author speculated that this was different and that it’s more likely that easy road access and lack of population led to people simply abandoning vehicles here back in the day.

The website suggests that the Eklutna Tailrace is not a place where you find solitude. Probably more than true when the salmon are running. We found it to be the exact opposite as we were three of just six people in the park today. This falls into the hidden gem category for us.Read more