Kachemak Bay

Welcome to Park History For More Information Believed to be descended from the Chugach Eskimo, the indigenous inhabitants of this area harvested sustenance from Kachemak Bay’s diverse riches including fish, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds. Archaeological remains show evidence of thriving culture and traditions, but around 500 A.D. these people left the bay; their motives remain undiscovered. However, Kachemak Bay did not remain untapped by humans for long. By the time of European exploration, the area was the territory of the Dena’ina Athabascans. Homer Ranger Station (907) 235-7024 Marine VHF Ch. 16 Kenai Area Office PO Box 1247 Soldotna, AK 99669 (907) 262-5581 Kachemak Bay State Park & State Wilderness Park www.alaskastateparks.org www.alaskastatetrails.org Before the establishment of the park, the land “across the bay” was a place of natural beauty, solitude, and recreation for the people of Homer. When Kachemak Bay State Park was designated in June 1970, it became Alaska’s very first state park. People quickly took to the park, making it one of Alaska’s most loved backcountry destinations, and over the years legislative actions added acreage and a wilderness park. Today, there are nearly 400,000 acres of land within the parks, every one of them the result of concerned lawmakers and grassroots citizen action to preserve and protect this marvelous corner of the Alaskan landscape. Welcome Alaska’s first state park and only wilderness park together encompass nearly 400,000 breathtaking acres of mountains, glaciers, forest, coastline, and ocean. The park boasts an unmatched variety of habitats, wildlife, and recreational opportunities including: fishing, hunting, kayaking, beachcombing, camping, and hiking on over 85 miles of trails leading into the backcountry. Go where no road can take you, and set your course for one of the wildest and most remote state parks in the wildest and most remote state. Tutka Lake Background photo Alpine Ridge Photos not otherwise credited are courtesy of Alaska State Parks employees Overlooking Kachemak Bay and Homer Spit Photo courtesy of Leanne Quirk Grewingk Glacier Lake Photo courtesy of Emily Lochart Beachcombing Paddle Boarding Berry Picking Photography Biking Picnicking Bird Watching Public-Use Cabins Camping Canoeing Kite surfing in Kachemak Bay Photo courtesy of Emily Lochart Packrafting Relaxing Clam Digging Scuba Diving Climbing Skiing Exploring Snowshoeing Fishing Solitude Glacier Traversing Tidepooling Hiking Surfing Horseback Riding Tracking Hunting & Trapping Whale Watching Kayaking Wildlife Viewing On the Water Getting There Public-Use Cabins Access to these parks is by boat or airplane. Air charters, water taxi services, and boat rentals are available in Homer. Check the Kachemak Bay webpage at www.alaskastateparks.org for a list of authorized commercial air and water taxi services. Six public-use cabins located at Halibut Cove Lagoon, Leisure Lake, Moose Valley, and Tutka Bay are available for rent. Reservations can be made up to six months in advance. For reservations and informational fact sheets for each cabin, visit www.alaskastateparks.org. Red squirrel Photo courtesy of Emily Lochart Wildlife Kachemak Bay is a State Critical Habitat Area with estuaries, coves, and fjords that support a myriad of marine wildlife. Rich intertidal zones offer natural classrooms for marine studies. Visitors frequently observe sea otters, harbor seals, porpoises, and various whale species among the waves. On land, you may spot moose, black bears, mountain goats, coyotes, and wolves. Many bird species also inhabit the area, including bald eagles, gyrfalcons, murres, and puffins. Six yurts are available for rent at various locations in Kachemak Bay State Park. A commercial operator maintains and rents these yurts. Each yurt sleeps a maximum of eight people and is equipped with a wood stove. Contact the Homer Ranger Station for more information. China Poot campsite Camping Black bear cubs Photo courtesy of Emily Lochart Always wear a life jacket. The bay can be rough at times. When conditions are poor, be patient as the weather often improves in the evening. Carry food and warm clothing for an unexpected overnight. Marine charts show many of the bay’s hazards and should be carried by all boat operators. Refer to Nautical Chart #16645, Gore Point to Anchor Point. For more information on safe boating, visit www.alaskaboatingsafety.org. Yurt Rentals Photo courtesy of Emily Lochart Sandpipers and dunlin Photo courtesy of Chuck Young/USFWS Tufted puffin pair Photo courtesy USFWS Mountaineering Alaska State Parks Area Highlights Otter eating a crab Photo courtesy of Jill Wheeler Backpacking Coalition Bay yurt Camping is allowed in most areas of the park. Several sites throughout the park have amenities for campers including: fire rings, picnic tables, tent platforms, toilets, and bear-resistant food caches. Check the map for campsite locations. China Poot public-use cabin Public Mooring Dock at Halibut Cove Grewingk Glacier Lake Photo courtesy of Brody Reid Halibut Cove Lagoon offers an 80-foot-long dock, capable of mooring boats up to 26 feet long. The dock provides access to the ranger station, toilet, three public-use cabins, and nearby trails. Dock space is limited, and available on a first come, first served basis. Public mooring buoys are located at the Saddle Trailhead, Right Beach, Halibut Cove Lagoon Trailhead, and Tutka Bay public-use cabin, and are rated for a maximum vessel length of 40 feet. Mallard Bay Mallard Bay che Ka Miles Kilometers 0 1 2 4 This map is not intended for navigational purposes Humpy Creek Hum y Ba Wilderness Park Boundary Mallard/Emerald Connector Trail py State Park Boundary Creek Road Portlock Plateau N ewingk Gr k ma Legend 0 1 2 4 Kachemak Bay State Park Hiking trail Trailhead Emerald Lake Loop Trail Cre Cabin ek Grewingk Tram Spur Trail Ho m Sp it era Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park ak m e h c a K y a B ake Glac Right Beach Blu e La Saddle Trail Halibut Cove ine Rid ge For more information on trails in Kachemak Bay State Park, including detailed camping and water availability, visit www.alaskastateparks.org and www.alaskastatetrails.org Tra i l of A Reservations for this popular cabin at China Poot Lake, and others, are first come, first served. Peterson Bay Emerald Lake Loop Trail Halibut Cove Lagoon China Poot Bay Access: Grewingk Glacier Trails or Humpy Creek Trailhead Distance: 12.6-mile loop Travel Means: Foot Elevation Gain: 2,800 feet Goat Rope Spur Trail Goat Rope Summit Halibut Cove Lagoon View from Alpine Ridge Trail Coalition Haystack Coalition Loop Trail Neptune Bay Mo o ge North Eldred Two Loon Lake Poot assa rth Sadie Knob Trail 4th Lake Sadie Knob So Wosn esen ski River South Eldred Sadie C Tra i l Poot Peak tP l eak South Trail Summit Spur Trail sk e s en Kayak Beach/Quarry i River Hazelle Lake eR idg l View from Moose Valley Trail Sadie Peak Tu tk aB ay Jakolof B ay ad Ro Tu kolof Trail -Ja a tk Access: Halibut Cove Lagoon Distance: 2.8 miles one way to China Poot Lake Travel Means: Foot Elevation Gain: 500 feet This popular trail gently climbs through the forest and over a low ridge, passing two small lakes where common loons are often seen and blueberries are plentiful in August. Moose Valley Trail Access: North end at mile 1.0 China Poot Lake Trail or south end at mile 0.8 Poot Peak South Trail. Distance: 6.7 miles Travel Means: Foot Elevation Gain: 1,200 feet (traveling southward) South Grace Ridge Tutka-Jakolof Tutka Lake View from Grace Ridge Trail Tutka Lake Trail Glacier Lake Trail China Poot Lake Trail ac eT rai Blue Ice Trail offers the only developed access to a glacier in Kachemak Bay State Park. At Grewingk Creek, there is a hand-operated cable car pulley system that requires two people for operation. Caution: Unless properly trained and outfitted for glacial travel, do not climb on ice or in ice caves. This trail crosses flat terrain and ends at the broad, open beaches of Grewingk Glacier Lake. The trail comprises a popular route joined by the Saddle and Grewingk Glacier trails. Kayak Beach Campsite Gr Access: Glacier Spit Trailhead, Humpy Creek Trailhead or Emerald Lake Loop Trail. Distance: Grewingk Tram Spur Trail, 1 mile; Blue Ice Trail, 1.9 miles Travel Means: Foot Elevation Gain: 500 feet Access: Glacier Spit Trailhead or Saddle Trailhead Distance: 3.2 miles one way to Grewingk Glacier Lake from Glacier Spit Trailhead Travel Means: Foot Elevation Gain: 200 feet sn Wo ove oo P uth reek No rt View from Goat Rope Spur Trail rai hT Eldr ed P P e ak No et C Qui al se V ley Trai l China Poot Lake This trail accesses beautiful Emerald Lake and its alpine surroundings. The trail climbs to Portlock Plateau for fantastic views of Kachemak Bay. Look for bears and mountain goats on the high ridges. Grewingk Glacier Trails China Poot Lake Trail Tram Ranger Trail Descriptions l a ask Trail on o g La lf Gu View of Emerald Lake Grewingk Glacier Lake Alp Saddle Drinking water rail Trail Kachemak Bay State Park Glacier Spit T Ice d ld L ke Ro a Scenic Em ier er Kachemak Bay State Park Campsite This trail passes along the shore of Two Loon Lake, ascends through forested ridges and valleys, and then opens into Moose Valley’s meadows. Look for high waterfalls beyond the log footbridge over Moose Valley Creek. Be attentive—tall grasses can obscure trail markers. Toilet Poot Peak Trails Access:​China Poot Lake Trail to China Poot Lake Distance: 4.3 miles North to South Trail loop with summit Travel Means: Foot Elevation Gain: 2,430 feet There are two routes that branch off the Wosnesenski River Trail to the summit of Poot Peak. The north route is very steep and is not maintained. The south route is not as difficult and is maintained, but it is longer than the north route. Both trails lead to the Summit Spur Trail. Only hikers with rock climbing training should continue beyond this point—climbing the peak is hazardous due to shifting scree and falling rock. Wosnesenski River Trail Access: China Poot Lake Campsite, Haystack Trailhead Distance: 11.3 miles one way Travel Means: Foot Elevation Gain: 900 feet Beginning from the Poot Peak Trail, this route winds through forests, meadows and bogs, up and over a low ridge, and into the Wosnesenski River Valley. The Wosnesenski River is a glacial river, braided with gravel flats on either side; this is a highly scenic area with sweeping vistas of mountains and glaciers, and a spectacular 600-foot waterfall. Sadie Knob Trail Access: North Eldred Trailhead, South Eldred Trailhead. Please respect private property south of these two trailheads. Distance: North route, 1.6 miles; South route, 1.9 miles; ridge trail to Sadie Knob, 2.6 miles Travel Means: Foot Elevation Gain: 2,200 feet This trail accesses an alpine ridge between Sadie Cove and Kachemak Bay. The North and the South routes connect the north and south ends of Eldred Passage—both join the ridge route at Quiet Creek. The trail follows the ridgeline to Sadie Knob where hikers can enjoy superb and expansive 360° views of Kachemak Bay. Caution: Vertical cliffs and rugged country! Clouds often shroud the trail, limiting visibility to under 50 feet making it easy to lose the trail. Wait for clouds to lift so you can spot trail markers in tricky areas. Grace Ridge Trail Access: North end at Kayak Beach Campsite or south end at South Grace Ridge Trailhead Distance: 8.9 miles one way Travel Means: Foot Elevation Gain: 3,100 feet This hike offers stunning views of Eldred Passage, Sadie Peak, Cook Inlet volcanoes and beyond. Watch for mountain goats, black bears, and golden and bald eagles.