Kachemak Bay State Park trails report

General announcements

Please report problems, complaints or compliments at 907-235-7024 or 907-262-5581. Email: eric.clarke@alaska.gov and jason.okuly@alaska.gov

Advisory: Trails in KBSP are rough, with steep grades in places, and in some cases only marked routes. It is advisable to add 1/3 to your average hiking time.

Leave No Trace: Please practice Leave No Trace Ethics while hiking and camping. Pack out what you pack in.

Grewingk Tram is difficult to use. Staff suggest a minimum of two people in party, one assisting by remaining on the platforms to pull on the rope, reversing process when first person across completes trip. Gloves are recommended.

Bears: Multiple individuals including sows with cubs have been sighted in the Grewingk Valley along the Glacier Lake, Grewingk Tram, and Saddle Trails. Also at Grewingk Lake on the southern end where people camp. Please be bear aware. Keep food in bear proof containers or with you. While hiking, give them their space if encountered. Staff asks the public to back away the direction you came until out of sight, and wait until they move off the trail and away. This could take 20-30 minutes and possibly longer if there are cubs involved and they show signs of stress with human activity. These signs are moaning, huffing/woofing, jaw popping and stomping. Please be bear aware while hiking and report all negative encounters. 907-235-7024.

China Poot Lake Trail: The trail can be, depending upon rain events, flooded in the China Poot Lake Valley (mile 2) for 500 feet. The depth can be from shin to waist deep, depending on rain events and snow melt and is not swift moving. China Poot Lake Cabin is not in the flooded area and is accessible, depending upon water depth. Hip waders are recommended. Moose Valley Creek has changed course permenantly and until the new channel is entrenched and stable, continuing flooding is expected.

Halibut Cove Lagoon Public Use Cabins: A black bear feeding on berries was sighted close to the Overlook and Lagoon East Public Use Cabins, latrines, and associated boardwalk.The bear does not appear to be afraid of human presence. Please keep all food and garbage secured within the cabins, including anything in the fire rings. Loose pets could aggravate and stress bears which can escalate the encounter to a dangerous level.

Trail conditions

Alpine Ridge: Passable to difficult.

Blue Ice Trail: Passable

China Poot Lake Trail: Clear. Trail can be flooded for 500 feet at mile 2.

Coalition Trail: Passable to difficult. Expect brushy conditions.

Coalition Loop Trail: Passible to difficult. Very brushy conditions. Impassable to the falls. Do not hike the falls. (Trail opened and adopted by Boy Scout Troop 555)

Diamond Creek Trail: Passable. Trail has firmed up with patchy muddy areas. Be aware that portions of the trail are close to bluffs above Diamond Creek. Please take caution when hiking with pets and children. Conditions can worsen after a rain event.

Emerald Lake Loop Trail: Difficult to impassable. Difficult from Humpy Creek to Blue Ice Trail via the Grewingk Tram. Difficult to impassable from Humpy Creek to Emerald via Portlock Plateau and between Grewingk Lake and Emerald Lake.

Estuary Trail: Clear.

Glacier Lake Trail: Clear. Bears reported in the area, including sows with cubs. Sow with cub seen/encountered in the camping area of Grewingk Lake.

Goat Rope Trail: Difficult

Grace Ridge Trail: Passable. High grass in sub-alpine on both ends.

Grewingk Tram Spur Trail: Clear.

Grewingk Tram: Open. Suggest two people and gloves for operation.

Lagoon Trail: Difficult to impassable. Trail is difficult from Alpine Ridge Trail junction to Halibut Creek Flats. Impassable from Halibut Creek to Halibut Cove Lagoon Ranger Station.

Mallard Bay Trail: Impassable

Mallard/Emerald Conn. Trail: Impassable

Moose Valley Trail: Passable to difficult. Passable to Moose Valley PUC. Expect high grass and obscured tread past the Moose Valley Cabin in the valley proper.

Poot Peak Trail — North Route: Difficult

Poot Peak Trail — South Route: Difficult from Woznesenski River Trail to Moose Valley Trail. Expect high grass in sub-alpine obscuring the trail. Impassable from Moose Valley Trail to Summit route. Do not hike.

Poot Peak Trail — Summit Route: Difficult. Steep climb up scree slope and there is a short climb to the actual summit. Rock is unstable near the summit.

Saddle Trail: Clear. Bears reported in the area, including sows with cubs.

Sadie Knob Trail: Passable to difficult. Passable from the South Eldred Trailhead to alpine. Difficult from North Eldred Trailhead to junction with portion of trail going to alpine and South Eldred Trailhead.

Tutka – Jakolof Trail: Passable. Trail traverses through an old forest clearing and can be obscured on the Jakolof Bay end.

Tutka Lake Trail: Passable

Woznesenski River Trail: Difficult to impassable. An overflow channel has made the Woznesenski River Trail impassable from mile 3 to mile 9 from Haystack Rock. The main channel has moved along the north side of the river and is partially being diverted. Very brushy and many trees down from China Poot Lake (mile 11) to Woznesenski River Valley (mile 9).