Explore Wilderness Beauty at Kachemak Bay State Park
Kachemak Bay State Park, Alaska’s first state park and only designated wilderness park, offers an extraordinary outdoor experience just a short boat ride from Homer. Spanning approximately 400,000 acres, this remote park is a haven for nature lovers, photographers, and adventurers seeking pristine landscapes and abundant wildlife.
The park features a variety of hiking trails, including the popular Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail, where visitors can witness stunning views of floating icebergs and the glacier itself. The Saddle Trail offers a scenic return path filled with wildflowers and berries, creating a memorable hiking experience.
For those seeking a more strenuous challenge, the Grace Ridge Trail rewards hikers with panoramic vistas of volcanic peaks and Cook Inlet. Along the way, visitors may encounter diverse wildlife such as black bears, moose, sea otters, and eagles, providing unique opportunities for wildlife observation and photography.
With its vast wilderness, dramatic landscapes, and secluded feel, Kachemak Bay State Park is a must-visit destination for anyone exploring the Homer area and wanting to immerse themselves in Alaska’s spectacular natural beauty.
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Amit Ghosh
6 months agoTop experience if in the Homer area. We did the glacier view trail to teach the Grewingk glacier lake and returned to teh shore via the saddle trail. The lake is stunning with floating icebegs. The saddle trail was particularly beautiful with berries and wildflowers all around. It was a hike to remember. Beware of Bears in the area!
Rob Suminsby
6 months ago400,000 acres of beautiful Alaska, just a 15 minute water taxi ride from the Homer Spit. The hike to Grewingk glacier lake makes for a nice day hike, and you can exit via the Saddle Trail and get picked up there. For a more challenging hike with stunning views from a high ridgeline, try the Grace Ridge trail. Start at the south trailhead to get the hard part out of the way early (3000’ of strenuous climbing), and then enjoy the vista of the volcanos across Cook Inlet on your descent to Kayak Beach.
Shane Hayes
6 months agoKachemak Bay State Park is beautiful and incredible to hike in, but only if you stay on the 2-3 well-maintained trails. The Saddle Trial to Grewingk Glacier and the Halibut Cove Lagoon Trails are well maintained, but clearly curated for tourist appeal and access to paid cabins. Meanwhile, exceptional trails like Goat Rope, Alpine Ridge, and others have been neglected for years. They’re overgrown, poorly marked, and increasingly unsafe. If left untouched, many will soon be lost altogether. Alpine Ridge was only recently cut back due to community volunteers going in themselves. The park’s selective maintenance suggests a focus on optics over true stewardship. These lesser-traveled trails matter to the community and tourism. I'm not sure why the park decides to spent vast amount of resources on trails that are already 5-feet wide (saddle trail) when other trails are soon to be lost to vegetation.
Paul Parent
4 months agoKachemak Bay State Park, Alaska's first state park and its only designated wilderness park, spans approximately 400,000 acres of pristine wilderness. Accessible solely by boat or plane from Homer, this remote haven offers unparalleled opportunities for nature photography. Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail: A moderately challenging hike culminating in views of Grewingk Glacier and its iceberg-dotted lake. The trail offers dramatic vistas of the glacier and surrounding landscapes. For those seeking a more strenuous adventure, the Poot Peak Trail provides panoramic views of the bay and surrounding mountains. The hike is demanding but rewards photographers with sweeping landscapes. Halibut Cove Lagoon: A picturesque spot accessible by boat, offering unique coastal scenes and opportunities for capturing the interplay of light and water. The park's diverse ecosystems host a variety of wildlife, including sea otters, harbor seals, humpback whales, black bears, moose, and numerous bird species such as puffins and eagles. Photographers can capture these animals in their natural habitats, from tide pools to alpine meadows.
Taylor Dedman
6 months agoGreat views from the Grace Ridge through hike. ~10 mi & 3400 ft of vert is majorly worth it if the weather is clear.