State Recreation Area

Caines Head State Recreation Area

Kenai Peninsula County, AlaskaAbout 6,272 acres
Status
Status not posted
Entrance fee
Statewide rule — see below
Day-use reservations
None mentioned
Dogs
Not stated — check with park
Camping
YesAlso cabins
Official site
dnr.alaska.gov

Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current

Overview

Caines Head State Recreation Area is a 6,272-acre recreation area in Kenai Peninsula County, about 9 miles south of Seward.

Things to do include historic sites, fishing, and hiking. Facilities for water recreation include a swimming beach. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites. There are also cabins for rent.

Fees and passes

Per vehicle daily parking fee at developed units (typically $5), per-site/vehicle camping (typically $20) and boat-launch fees; many remote units and marine parks are free. Listed by unit in the statewide fee table.

Statewide fee rule from Alaska's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.

Alaska park passes

  • Annual Day Use Parking Pass — $60. Day-use parking at most state parks for the calendar year (not Pillars/Eagle Rock boat launches, Arctic Valley, Eagle River Nature Center) Details
  • Annual Boat Launch Pass — $150. Boat launch fees for the calendar year Details
  • Disabled Veterans Camping Pass. Camping for qualifying disabled veterans Details

From the Alaska state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.

Reservations

Day use
No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
Booking system
Reserve Alaska State Parks (reservealaskastateparks.com)

Check availability and book

We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.

Camping

Campsites

Camping Limit - 15 Nights

From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.

Cabins and lodging

  • Tonsina Cabin
    https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspcabins/tonsinacabin.htm
  • Callisto Canyon Cabin
    https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspcabins/callistocanyoncabin.htm
  • Derby Cove Cabin
    https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspcabins/derbycovecabin.htm

Cabins (3) (see fee page)

Tonsina Cabin

Callisto Canyon Cabin

Derby Cove Cabin

Things to do

FishingHikingHistoric sites and toursCamping

Trails

The 4.5 mile coastal trail leads from Lowell Point to the recreation area, ending at North Beach. A portion of this trail can be hiked only at low tide. Historic trails following old army roads take hikers to Fort McGilvray and on to South Beach.

Accessible by foot from Seward via coastal trails or by boat.

By Coastal Trail:

There is a parking area at Lowell Point, south of Seward. Lowell Point State Recreation Site has two small parking lots with a $5 daily fee required. No motorhomes or trailers are allowed. The lower parking lot provides access to Lowell Point Beach. Warning: It is not possible to hike the beach between Lowell Point Beach and Tonsina Point due to steep cliffs and deep water. A short trail right behind the restrooms connects Lowell Point lower parking lot to the upper parking lot.

Read more from the park

The upper parking lot provides access to Tonsina Point on the popular Tonsina Trail. The land along both sides of the first mile of the Tonsina Trail is private property. Please stay on the designated trail. The Coastal Trail leads from the south end of the Tonsina Trail to Caines Head. It is important to time your trip around the tides.

Leave Seward at least two hours before low tide to avoid becoming stranded along the way. The 4.5 mile trip takes the average hiker two to three hours. Most hikers to North Beach stay overnight. Plan to stay at least until the next low tide. Please respect private property. The land along both sides of the first mile of the Coastal Trail is private property. Please stay on the designated trail.

Fishing

The shale covered, forest framed beaches of Caines Head have long been stopping points for boaters and fisherman. But early in World War II, as the territory of Alaska was attacked and occupied by Imperial Japanese ground forces, Caines Head and other Resurrection Bay vantages became strategic spots for defending the Port of Seward. The port was the southern terminus of the Alaska Railroad, a critical supply line for the war effort and for Alaskans.

A state fishing license is usually required.

Amenities

Facilities

  • Restrooms
  • Picnic areas
  • Picnic shelters

Water

  • Swimming beach

Camping

  • Tent camping

Lodging

  • Cabins

✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.

Accessibility

ADA Facility - No

Official accessibility information

Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.

Getting there

Address
Accessible by foot from Seward via coastal trails or by boat.
AK
Nearest town
Seward — about 9 mi south (straight line)
Coordinates
60.0028, -149.4182

Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)

Directions from the park

Seward Highway (1) to Highway 9 to Seward.

Nearby state parks

South Beach State Recreation Site
1.3 mi southeast (straight line)
North Thumb Cove State Marine Park
4 mi east (straight line)
Thumb Cove State Marine Park
4.1 mi east (straight line)
Lowell Point State Recreation Site
4.5 mi north (straight line)
Sandspit Point State Marine Park
5.6 mi southeast (straight line)
Safety Cove State Marine Park
6.9 mi east (straight line)
Sunny Cove State Marine Park
7.4 mi south (straight line)
Driftwood Bay State Marine Park
8.4 mi southeast (straight line)

Sources and freshness

“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology

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