Overview
Kachemak Bay State Park is a state park on the shores of Kachemak Bay across from the town of Homer in the state of Alaska.
1 things to do · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Kachemak Bay State Park
Trails End Horse Adventures
Offers tours of the head of the bay on horseback. Owned by Mark Marette of Homer.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Jul–Aug. Summer highs reach about 63°F; winter lows dip to about 19°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Sep and Dec. (climate data from nearby Homer)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- HOM Homer Airport, Homer — 12 mi away. Directions
- ENA Kenai Municipal Airport, Kenai — 72 mi away. Directions
- ANC Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage — 121 mi away (major hub). Directions
To get to most areas of the park one needs to hire a water taxi from the town of Homer.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Food for you
The village of Seldovia has a couple of nice places to dine, and Halibut Cove has the famous Saltry restaurant, and Jim Nardelli's floating Espresso stand.
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Understand
History
This is Alaska's first and largest park including 400,000 acres of park and wilderness areas.
Landscape
A collection of dramatic bays and steep rocky fjords in a mild maritime climate. A small annual rainfall of 30 inches and average summer temperatures in the 70's (°F) gave this lovely place the nickname "summerland" by the first Russians to arrive on her shores in the 1800s.
Flora and fauna
Inhabited by wildlife on land, in the air, and in the ocean, there is so much to see and do here that one could spend a lifetime exploring around. Mountain goats grace the cliffs of remote and beautiful Sadie Cove from the entrance and up to the wilderness lodge of the same name on the south facing shore. Black bears live high in the mountains and can also be seen in the springtime on the shores of the park searching for the first foods of the new season. Bald eagles fly above and in the ocean there are seals, sea lions, humpback whales, orcas, sea otters and sea birds.
Climate
Get in
To get to most areas of the park one needs to hire a water taxi from the town of Homer.
Get around
The park has a plethora of well maintained hiking trails for the novice as well as the experienced hiker.
See
The hiking trails, the glaciers, the Native villages of Seldovia, Port Graham, and Nanwallek, the artist community of Halibut Cove, the dramatically beautiful and remote Sadie Cove, and the head of Kachemak Bay.
Do
Do Trails End Horse Adventures
Offers tours of the head of the bay on horseback. Owned by Mark Marette of Homer.
Buy
You’ll probably want to do your shopping in Homer before you depart. Although there are several small villages in or near the park, retail prices are exceptionally high and variety exceptionally small, although Halibut Cove is known for its thriving arts scene and has several galleries.
Eat
The village of Seldovia has a couple of nice places to dine, and Halibut Cove has the famous Saltry restaurant, and Jim Nardelli's floating Espresso stand.
Sleep
Lodging
Stay Alaska's Ridgewood Wilderness Lodge
A Kachemak Bay wilderness lodge capable of housing up to ten people in Halibut Cove with an on-site oyster farm. Rooms have private baths, WiFi, housekeeping, and free laundry services. Hosts can arrange activities such as brown bear photography, trophy salmon and halibut charters, fly-fishing for rainbow trout, hiking, and bird-watching.
Camping
Permits for camping can be obtained through the Alaska State Parks website. Book early. Yurts are available for nightly rentals through Nomad Shelters in Homer.
Backcountry
Stay safe
This is a wilderness park. Visitor facilities are extremely limited. Bring extra food in case the unpredictable coastal weather delays you. Cell phones may not work in some areas. As always in Alaska, be mindful that you are in bear country and take appropriate precautions, including securing food and water at all times when not in immediate use.
Go next
- Homer - The "halibut fishing capital of the world" is located just across the bay.
Nearby
Homer
City / town · 49 listings · 12 mi away
Anchor Point
City / town · 2 listings · 27 mi away
Kenai Fjords National Park
Park · 5 listings · 50 mi away
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
Park · 61 mi away
Soldotna
City / town · 4 listings · 66 mi away
Kenai
City / town · 3 listings · 71 mi away
Seward
City / town · 51 listings · 74 mi away
My experience
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