Welcome to the grounds of the Pratt Museum, the only interdisciplinary museum in the 25,600-square-mile area of the Kenai Peninsula. Built on homestead land donated by Sam and Vega Pratt, the mission of the Pratt Museum and Park is to strengthen relationships between people and place through stories relevant to Kachemak Bay. Indoor exhibits focus on art, natural history, native cultures, homesteading, fishing, and marine ecology. Outdoor exhibits include the historic Harrington cabin, botanical garden and forest nature trails. Please take time to visit the museum and learn from the stories told in its exhibits. The Pratt Museum has graciously given permission for this geocache placement along one of their well-maintained nature trails.
Your search begins on the southwest side of the parking lot that surrounds the museum building. A waypoint is provided to mark the trailhead at the beginning of your short walk through the woods. You’re going to be walking on the South Loop Trail (see trail map photo and other trail photos and spoilers below – this is meant to be an easy find). Take the trail that goes to the right near the planter boxes as you leave the parking lot, walking about 400 feet one-way. Do not leave the trail until about the last ten feet, recognizing that this is a forest nature trail (not a place to be making social trails or taking short cuts!) The final coordinates for the small geocache hide will bring you to the north side of an angle in the trail, near an incredibly large stump. Step carefully towards the stump and the large tree on the stump's right (east) side, making sure not to disturb any moss or vegetation (there is a hardened clear area under the spruce trees here). The cache is about six feet above ground, hanging on the large tree on the offside from the trail. Please be gentle in extracting the logsheet container from the main cache container (which is to be left hanging on the tree at all times), and make sure it’s securely seated magnetically when you replace it. No pen is provided – you must bring your own. There is no room for swag or trackables. You’re reminded to leave no trace of your journey here, and to practice CITO (cache in – trash out) actions along the way. Dogs are allowed on the trail, but must be leashed and you must pick up after your dog too! This place is one of the real gems to be found in Homer, and I encourage you take time to enjoy a visit inside the Pratt Museum after you make your find out here along the South Loop forest nature trail.
This cache is placed by a Sourdough Member of GeocacheAlaska! Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to advocacy and education efforts supporting the get-outside game of geocaching across Alaska. Visit our website to learn more!