In the hills above Karen Hornaday Park, Homer has a rare opportunity to add something unique to Homer’s system of trails: a loop trail, starting at the northeast edge of the park, climbing into wild, open terrain, and returning by a different route to the west end of the park.

The land that makes this loop possible has only recently become publicly owned. When a critical parcel above Hornaday Park came on the market last year, a group of Homer residents stepped in to purchase it, hoping the City would recognize its public value and buy it from them. Today, the community owns the series of switchbacks on the hillside above the park, a winding path that leads up to a beautiful meadow on land the City has owned for many years that was previously accessible only through private property.

Hikers are already using this area. The old switchback road provides uphill access, and informal footpaths and game trails cross the meadow before dropping back down toward the west end of Hornaday Park. In public discussions last year, City staff acknowledged this existing use and considered flagging the most commonly used route across the meadow to channel foot traffic, but in the end recommended pausing before marking any route so that an engineering assessment could help identify the best long-term trail alignment.

Late May and early June offer a brief but invaluable window to evaluate this hillside. Snow has melted, but vegetation has not yet grown tall enough to hide wet areas, drainage patterns, or erosion-prone soils. Anyone who has visited the area later in summer knows how quickly nettles, cow parsnip, ferns and fireweed can obscure these details.

While May may feel far away, it is actually very close given the pace of municipal planning. With that in mind, I asked the City Manager late last year to provide an update on plans for the engineering assessment at the Jan. 12 City Council meeting.

I am also paying close attention to the scope of the upcoming assessment. An out-and-back trail following the existing switchbacks would undoubtedly be simpler and less expensive in the short term, and therefore tempting. But it would also fall well short of the long-term public value this land can offer.

A loop trail above Hornaday Park would give Homer something it does not currently have: a walkable route from near downtown into open, unspoiled nature, without a dead end. A loop trail would encourage exploration, distribute foot traffic more naturally, and help limit the spread of informal side paths. It would create a richer experience for residents and visitors alike.

We have already taken the hardest step by securing the land. The next step is simply to make sure we ask the right questions at the right time — using dedicated trail funds that we already have — in order to assess the full potential of this place before narrowing our options.

If you support the idea of the City acting sooner rather than later to fully assess the feasibility and best routing of a loop trail — one that connects hillside, meadow and park into a complete and memorable experience — I encourage you to share that perspective. You can reach the City Manager at citymanager@cityofhomer-ak.gov and City Council members via the City Clerk at clerk@cityofhomer-ak.gov. Better yet, consider attending our Jan. 12 meeting and speaking in favor of this approach.

Thoughtful feedback now will help ensure that this once-in-a-generation opportunity results not just in another trail, but in a trail worthy of Homer’s status as a world-class recreation destination.

Jason Davis is a Homer resident and small business owner who serves on the Homer City Council. The views expressed here are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of the City Council or the City of Homer.