Wynn Nature Center Admission & Guided Hikes
Escape to serene forests
The Wynn Nature Center hosts about five miles of hiking trails, ranging from a wheelchair accessible boardwalk to long looping hikes. With an abundance of summer migratory species and year-round resident species, the Wynn is a birding hot spot.
Explore the trails and try to spot wildlife from the viewing platforms, hike to the Daisy Lee Bitter Outdoor Learning Space, or take a break at our scenic benches, large deck and kid-friendly natural play spaces. Sign your child up for a nature program, or join one yourself. In the winter, pad through forests blanketed in snow and join a Guided Snowshoe Hike.
The Wynn is currently operating under winter conditions.
The trails are open for use, and admission is free. Dogs are allowed on leash. Guided snowshoe hikes begin in January. The Carl E. Wynn Visitor Center is currently closed, and will reopen with limited hours in January.
Daily Guided Hikes, Morning & Afternoon
Join a naturalist for a 1.5-hour guided hike through Wynn Nature Center. Hikes depart at 10:00 am and 2:00 pm daily in the summer, and hikers will explore the peatlands, wildflowers, and natural history of the Wynn Nature Center.
Price
General Admission: (Admission to the Nature Center, does not include guided hike)
Adults (age 12+): $10
Children: $5
Senior (65+): $8
Family (3-6): $25
Guided Hikes: (Admission to the Nature Center included)
Adults (age 12+): $20
Children: $10
Senior (65+): $15
Family (3-6): $50
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Summer hours
The Carl E. Wynn Visitor Center is open from 10am-6pm daily from June-September. Naturalist guided hikes occur daily at 10am and 2pm.
Members and Donors are provided free admission, and Sundays are free for all visitors.
Winter hours
Trails are free and open to the public from October 1-May 31. The Visitor Center is open with limited hours starting in January. Visitors are invited to attend the Wynnter Sundays event series, where we provide a free activity for families to explore winter ecology together.
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Wynn Nature Center guided hikes highlight the ecology and natural history of our 140-acre Nature Center. You’ll learn about local wildlife, ecosystems, peatlands, and more. The 1.5-hour tour requires about 1.5 miles of hiking through uneven terrain.
Dogs are not permitted at the Wynn Nature Center during the summer due to wildlife presence.
Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies has a two-person minimum for all guided tours. If you are the only person booked on a tour, we will reach out to you the day before your booking to inform you. You will have the option to rebook your tour or receive a refund. If multiple people are booked for the same tour, and you are the only person that shows up, the tour will not run. You will have the option to rebook your tour or receive a refund.
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Where is the Nature Center?
The Wynn Nature Center is located on the ridgeline that sits above Homer, Alaska at 62890 Skyline Drive. The campus includes the Carl E. Wynn Visitor Center, the Daisy Lee Bitter Outdoor Learning Space, and the Elliott Fischer Viewing Platform. The Nature Center protects critical moose habitat and the headwaters of Bridge Creek.
Can I go hiking by myself?
Yes! The Wynn Nature Center has about 5 miles of maintained trails. Come explore on your own by simply paying the General Admission fee.
Are the trails strenuous?
All the trails at the Wynn Nature Center are maintained. While the terrain can be uneven, muddy, and/or slippery, there is no major elevation gain or loss associated with the hikes. Our naturalists are excellent at adapting hike routes and distance depending on a group’s needs or abilities during the guided hikes–if you require accommodations, please indicate so in your booking.
Can I bring my dog on the trails?
Dogs are not permitted at the Nature Center during the summer due to wildlife presence. Leave your furry friends at home please!
In winter, dogs are allowed on leash.
Will I see moose or bears on the trails?
The Wynn Nature Center hosts major wildlife corridors and moose habitat. We often see moose around, and black bears frequent the area.
While we cannot guarantee any wildlife sightings during the guided hikes, we will be traveling through wildlife hotspots. Our naturalists communicate about any major wildlife sightings on the trails for safety reasons. We might see major wildlife, but we will not go looking for bears or moose on these hikes.
Will we still hike if the weather is bad?
It is highly unlikely that Homer’s typical summer weather would prevent us from hiking. We likely will encounter some rain and mud, but we will still hike in the rain. As the old saying goes: there’s no such thing as bad weather, just ill-suited clothing! We recommend you bring rain gear and waterproof boots.
The Wynn Nature Center is an Association of Nature Center Administrators reciprocal program participant. Members of participating nature centers receive 20% off General Admission and a 20% store discount!