Caines Head State Recreation Area

Caines Head State Recreation Area encompasses 5,961 acres of dramatic headland terrain just south of Seward, best known as the site of Fort McGilvray — one of the most remarkably preserved World War II military installations in Alaska. The park is accessible by a 4.5-mile coastal trail from Lowell Point or by water taxi from the Seward Small Boat Harbor, making the journey itself part of the experience.

Fort McGilvray was built during World War II to protect Resurrection Bay from potential Japanese naval attack, representing an $8 million investment that included two piers, 6.5 miles of road, underground ammunition magazines, a submarine detection station, and an elaborate fortified complex housing two six-inch guns with a range of 16 miles. Visitors can explore the fort's interconnected tunnels, gun emplacements, and observation rooms — a time capsule of wartime military engineering preserved by the remote Alaska climate and significant historical interpretation efforts.

The coastal trail winds through old-growth Sitka spruce forest, along sea cliffs, and across tidal flats that must be crossed at low tide. North Beach at the trail's end offers free primitive camping with sweeping views across Resurrection Bay, and the coastal scenery along the way ranks among the finest hiking on the Kenai Peninsula. Hikers should carry a headlamp for exploring the fort's unlit underground passages.

Access is via the Lowell Point State Recreation Site, where a $5 daily parking fee applies. The park is open year-round, with summer being the ideal season for the tidal trail and water taxi service. For visitors combining history and wilderness in a single excursion near Seward, Caines Head delivers both in abundance.