There are those moments while traveling that you encounter such a breathtaking location that its memories burns deep within your mind. There has been one particular place that has held special meaning to me over the last few years and that is a place known as Liberty Falls on the road to Kennecott/McCarthy near Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. I first came across this gem while traveling in 2006. At the time I was in a water flow frenzy when it came to photography and someone told me about this beautiful waterfall off the road to Chitina.

On a whim I decided to stop by there to take a look. Situated on the shores was a quaint little campground known as Liberty Falls State Park. I was devastated to hear of a flood that hit the area and virtually destroyed it later that fall and when I was again in the area during my 2007 journey there I knew it would be awhile before it opened. But I never gave up hope. After all it is a beautiful setting and offered not only a calm and serene place to rest your head at the end of a long day but also offered some wonderful hiking trails in the surrounding area.

Last night while I was planning my fall trip in which my friend C will accompany me I began to piece together an itinerary. I thought it would be great to add a journey to Kennecott/McCarthy to the agenda for some fall foliage photography before heading north to the Top of the World Highway. However as I began to plan the agenda was coming to 7 days over the Labor Day holiday. Which would require us to take one day off more than planned. Now I don’t think this is a problem to me because I have a solid banking of vacation time saved. But it might be an issue for C who is relatively new to her job. So it came to me today. Why not leave an evening after work instead of the following morning and we could camp at Liberty Falls?

So I went to the state website to see if it was open. Only to encounter the dire words “Closed for summer.” In further research I found out that not only was it closed temporarily but is closed permanently. Apparently during a land survey it was determined that the area fell on Ahtna native land an they have closed it for good. And those hiking trails I mentioned? Are now on private property and can’t be used without a use permit.

This is one Alaska treasure that I’m just saddened to lose. I shall remember my time there last summer while hiking and the beautiful views we encountered. I shall relish that trip just a bit more in knowing that they can’t quite be encountered as easily again.