Preserving, for public benefit, land across Alaska's Kenai Peninsula with natural, recreational, or cultural values by working with willing landowners.
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Calvin and Coyle Woodland Park
Located within the Homer city limits, Calvin and Coyle Woodland Park provides an important buffer between residential development along East End Road and the State-designated Homer Airport Critical Habitat Area including the Beluga wetlands complex. Situated on property owned by KHLT, the park is a designated birding hot-spot, provides habitat for numerous species of mammals, and features a seasonally maintained nature trail for non-motorized use. Bird list
The trailhead is at the end of Mariner Drive, just a mile east of downtown Homer, with a small parking lot and an information kiosk. The 1.5-mile round-trip trail winds through spruce forest and meadows, with an observation platform at the far end overlooking the Beluga wetlands. Interpretive signs along the trail offer insights about the natural surroundings.
(Note: This is a foot trail only, unsuited to wheelchairs or strollers) Trail map
General donations help us to maintain our trails. Are you interested in becoming a trail volunteer? Contact us Joel Cooper at joel@kachemaklandtrust.org.
Park and Nature Trail History
Kachemak Heritage Land Trust acquired the land through two separate donations in 1991 and 1997, from D. Bailey Calvin and Maurice J. Coyle, and from Harry L. Buxton. The name Calvin and Coyle Woodland Park was bestowed before the addition of the Buxton parcel, and the original name was kept.
Funded in part by a generous donation from KHLT members Morgan and Jeannie Sherwood, a nature trail was established in the early 1990’s. Richard Purington coordinated a volunteer force led by Rick Randall and including a visiting youth group, who cleared the trail corridor, laid wood slab treads in soggy areas, and helped build a boardwalk into the edge of the Beluga wetlands. Educator and KHLT board member Daisy Lee Bitter authored an interpretive brochure for numbered trailside posts, later replaced with signs. Carpenters Dave Rector and Jerry Frederick helped build a viewing platform at the edge of the wetlands.
The trail saw popular use for recreational and educational outings until an extensive spruce bark beetle infestation in the late 1990’s resulted in substantial tree death and windfall, significantly altering the character of the forested areas. No longer pertinent, the interpretive signs were removed, and use of the trail declined. The boardwalk into the wetlands became unsafe and was closed.
In 2008, Homer Soil and Water Conservation District submitted a grant application through the Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Recreational Trails Program to provide funding for the Calvin and Coyle Woodland Park Nature Trail redevelopment project. The grant was awarded in 2009, providing funding to re-route a portion of the trail and improve the corridor and tread throughout the trail length.
Work on the redevelopment proceeded in 2009 and 2010, with new trail construction including two-plank boardwalk and footbridges at creek crossings. Funding for contract work by Homer Soil & Water Conservation District was greatly supplemented by the volunteer efforts of Dave Brann, Alder Seaman, and Anna Meredith and her brother Joe.
ConocoPhillips funded a new trailhead parking lot off Mariner Drive with significant help from the City of Homer, Steve Gibson of Small Potatoes Lumber, Jeff Middleton, Kelly Snow, and Josh Hankin-Foley. Eagle Scout Kyle Wentz raised the funds for and built the two new bridges on the trail. Long-time KHLT supporter Ed Murphy built the information kiosk for the renovated trailhead.
The project was completed in spring 2011 with the construction of additional boardwalk on some older trail sections, and installation of new interpretive signs developed in partnership with the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies and teachers from Paul Banks Elementary School.
The primary objective for Calvin and Coyle Woodland Park is to provide both educational and recreational uses while protecting its wildlife habitat values. Many thanks to all of the generous land donors, funders, and volunteers who provided vital assistance in establishing and renovating the park for public enjoyment!