Guided Hiking
Guided Hiking in Kachemak Bay State Park
Kachemak Bay State Park offers many great hiking trails, tent camping, park service rental cabins, clamming, fishing, sightseeing, and many other opportunities. Destination Alaska can arrange full water taxi service and a personal naturalist guide to take you to some of the most incredible places in Kachemak Bay State Park. Many of our water taxi partners operate landingcraft style vessels with an enclosed aft cabin for a smooth comfortable ride. The bow of these boats is a large and open platform with a drop-down boarding/loading ramp with plenty of room for kayaks, mountain bikes, camping gear, freight, etc. Consider a water taxi and professional guide as the key to the gateway of beautiful Kachemak Bay State Park.
Access to Great Hiking
Don't miss the great hiking opportunities in Kachemak Bay State Park. Join us for a guided hike from Glacier Spit to Glacier Lake or Sadie Knob. See trail details and descriptions below. These guided hikes are offered daily and provide an opportunity for you to hike in the state park with a knowledgeable guide who will truly enhance your hiking experience!
Interpretive Hike to Grewingk Glacier
Water taxi across Kachemak Bay to Glacier Spit in Kachemak Bay State Park and join your guide for a hike to Grewingk Glacier Lake. Your guide will identify and allow you to taste edible vegetation along the way, point out the stages of reforestation along the glacial moraine, and provide you with a wealth of information you would not obtain walking this trail on your own. The trail crosses flat terrain, through stands of cottonwoods and spruce and across the dry outwash plain of the Grewingk Glacier. It ends at the broad, open beaches of Grewingk Glacier Lake. This trail offers superb views of the glacier and its surrounding peaks. Icebergs floating in the lake present opportunities for great photos. The tour includes round trip water taxi, guide and state park fee. Not included are sales tax, gratuity, and food or drink. Wear warm layered clothes and comfortable walking shoes, bring light rain gear, camera, binoculars, and your drinks and snacks for the day. There is a 4 person minimum for these trips and they are available Memorial Day to Labor day. Departure and return times will be arranged upon booking.
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Guided hikes for these trails can also be arranged upon request.
GLACIER LAKE TRAIL
- Trail access is a short ride across Kachemak Bay via water taxi.
Length: 2.2 mi/3.5 km
Rating: Easy, popular family hike
Camping: Small camping area at Glacier Spit Trailhead; Right Beach (accessible at low tide from Glacier Spit); Rusty's Campsite; Grewingk Lake.
Camping Advisory: Please consider camping on higher portion of Grewingk Lake flats; landslides from area ridges falling into lake could generate splash waves of 50 feet or more along the shore.
Hiking Time: 80 minutes from Glacier Spit Trailhead (wind exposed beach: morning drop off best, afternoon/evening pickup at Saddle Trailhead) hike to trailhead at junction of Grewingk and Glacier Lake trails (1 mile).
Water Availability: Right Beach; Rusty’s Campsite; small stream near the junction of the Saddle Trail.
Trail Description: A popular loop route joined by the Saddle and Grewingk trails. The trail crosses flat terrain, through stands of cottonwoods and spruce, and across the dry outwash plain of the Grewingk Glacier. It ends at the broad, open beach of Grewingk Glacier Lake. The trail offers superb views of the glacier and its surrounding peaks. This is an excellent day hike.
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SADDLE TRAIL
- Trail access is a short ride across Kachemak Bay via water taxi.
Length: 1 mi/1.6 km
Rating: Moderate, short steep climbs
Hiking Time: 25 minutes
Elevation Gain: 350 feet
Camping: None at trailhead; stream near Grewingk Glacier Lake sites
Water Availability: Right Beach; Rusty’s Campsite; small stream near the junction of the Saddle Trail.
Trail Description: Leading over a low ridge between Halibut Cove and Grewingk Glacier, this trail provides a popular loop with the Glacier Lake Trail. The trail switches back through steep, forested terrain and it accesses the Alpine Ridge and Lagoon Trails. Cliffs prohibit hiking the beach from the trailhead to the Right Beach Beach Campsite – boat transportation is necessary.
SADIE KNOB TRAIL
- in Kachemak Bay State. Park Access is a short ride in our water taxi across the bay from Homer. Length: 4.5 miles
Rating: Moderate to difficult (long climbs)
Hiking Time: 3 hours to Sadie Knob
Elevation Gain: 2100 feet
Water Availability: Seasonal creeks at trailheads; small streams near low areas; no water on summit.
Trail Description: Sadie Knob Trail accesses an alpine ridge (visible from Homer) between Sadie Cove and Kachemak Bay. It does not access Sadie Peak to the south. The Ridge Route climbs through a spruce forest, flower meadows and along a subalpine lake. Emerging above the timberline, and marked only with rock cairns or orange trail markers, the trail follows the ridgeline to Sadie Knob. Hikers gain superb and expansive 360 degree views of Kachemak Bay, Sadie Peak, Sadie Cove, Eldred Passage and Cook Inlet volcanoes. Watch for mountain goats, black bears and eagles along the way.
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GRACE RIDGE TRAIL
- in Kachemak Bay State Park trail. Access is a short ride in our water taxi across the bay from Homer.
Length: 8.2 miles
Rating: Moderate to difficult (long climbs)
Hiking time: 1.5 hours to first alpine knob; 2.5 hours to summit; 6-8 hours entire trail
Elevation Gain: First knob at 1745 ft.; summit at 3145 ft.
Trailhead: North end is at Kayak Beach campsite and south end in Tutka Bay across from the Sea Star public use cabin.
Camping: Kayak Beach has a campsite at the trailhead
Water availability: Seasonal stream at Kayak Beach; good stream near mile 1.6; no water on ridge; seasonal creeks near South Grace Trailhead.
Trail Description:The trail begins on left side of gravel beach at Kayak Beach Campsite (an area once used as a gravel quarry). It follows an old road now densely inhabited by alders, and then begins climbing through an old-growth Sitka spruce forest. Mile 1.4 offers an excellent view of Sadie Knob. Huge spruce trees dot the narrow ridge and the roar of hidden waterfalls below can be heard. At mile 1.6, a creek rushing along the trail offers a good water source (before climbing to the alpine areas). Climbing through subalpine alders and meadows to mile 2.9, an alpine knob offers an excellent destination for a half day hike. Stunning views of Eldred Passage, Sadie Peak, Cook Inlet volcanoes and beyond are available here. Watch for mountain goats, black bears, golden and bald eagles. To continue, follow the marked route through the alders to the southeast, cross a saddle, and climb the alpine ridgelines to the peak. Good spring skiing in the bowls of this area. The alpine portion of this route are up; unmarked, but it is easy to follow the "knife" ridges. Descending into the alders again, the trail switchbacks into the spruce forests and ends at Tutka Bay.
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Tutka Backdoor Trail!
At the end of 2019, Ground Truth Trekking completed the clearing of the 21-mile Tutka Backdoor Trail! This trail effectively connected Taylor Bay to Tutka Bay. There is over a 6000 ft. elevation gain over the course of this trail, taking you high into the alpine of the Kachemak Mountains! Depending on ability and pace most groups budget between 3 and 5 days to complete this trail. There is a fair level of difficulty in traversing this mountain range as there are sections that require river crossings and minor climbing. Let us take care of the logistics and enjoy your backpacking trip! We offer round trip service for this adventure! Our de Havilland Otter or Cessna 206 will drop you off in Taylor Bay at the trailhead on day one. We can recommend a water taxi you can arrange for a pick up in Tutka Bay. Once you are back in Homer we can assist transportation back to your vehicles. For more information and pricing give us a call at (907) 235-9191. For a more detailed look at the trail check out the link below!
2019 Trail Map (Trail has since been completed in 2020)
