Alaska's Oldest State Park Is A Giant Gem Of Pristine Mountains, Wilderness, Glaciers, And Coastal Beauty

On a remote Alaskan peninsula, half an hour flight from Anchorage, is the state's oldest state park: Kachemak Bay State Park. This is around 400,000 acres of breathtaking wilderness, twice the size of New York City, full of frozen mountain peaks, lush pine forests, beaches, and even glaciers. While it may not have the highest peak in North America (that honor goes to Denali National Park) there are plenty of opportunities here to see awe-inspiring natural sights. The steely ocean waves are home to whales while the rugged landscape is populated by mountain goats and bears.

In Kachemak Bay State Park, you can explore miles and miles of icefields, lagoons, and woods. People explore this landscape both by boat, taking in the staggering natural sights from the Kachemak Bay, and on foot, immersing themselves in the kind of wild, natural landscape that no longer exists in most of the world. Even the park's most popular trails are little-known, so if you're prepared for the challenges of leaving civilization behind, there's no better or more beautiful place to explore than Kachemak Bay State Park.

In Kachemak Bay State Park, you can experience a truly wild place, seemingly untouched by human interference, and take in the unparalleled natural landscape. The best place to take in the majesty of the land might just be the Grewingk Glacier Lake Trail. Believe it or not, this is actually a pretty easy hiking trail, which may be why it's a favorite of locals and travelers alike. The views along the trail are beautiful, but the really incredible sight is at the end of the trek: the lake. Here, you can walk on the chilly beach in the shadow of the towering mountains as blue icebergs float by.

For more of a challenge, rock climbers may want to attempt the impressive Poot Peak Trail which, despite being only a little over 4 miles long, takes more than three hours to climb to the top of the mountain. Those who want to try a difficult route without climbing should try the more than seven-hour route known as the Red Mountain Mine trail. You'll find yourself high in the rocky peaks, looking down on the landscape below — and chances are the only other people you'll see along the way are the ones you brought with you.

You might not see many other humans along the trail as you explore the park, but you'll probably see other creatures. This isn't one of those parks where you're almost guaranteed to see a bear, but there are plenty of black bears living in the park, along with moose, coyotes, and many, many species of birds. Because of this, the park is a fantastic destination for birdwatchers. Keep your eyes peeled for birds of prey like gyrfalcons swooping overhead and adorable puffins hopping along the coast.

Just like the relatively nearby Katmai National Park (which is home to the internet's favorite bears) the first challenge that the park poses for potential visitors is how to get there. There's no way to drive to Kachemak Bay State Park — you either have to fly or take a boat from nearby Homer, Alaska. The prices of charter flights fluctuate, but at the time of writing you can expect to pay around $400 each way. If you'd rather see the landscape from above, many of the same companies offer sightseeing tours from the sky, from small planes and helicopters. A cheaper option may be to travel by water taxi, which typically has prices starting around $90 per person and offers a lot of flexibility in terms of where along the coast you are dropped off.

If you want to spend the night in Kachemak Bay State Park, plan to camp. It's allowed throughout most of the region, but if you're looking for established campsites, there are some available. You will even find some public use cabins around Halibut Cove Lagoon. If you're planning to spend a significant amount of time in the park, however, make sure that you're prepared for time in the wilderness. There generally isn't cell reception and it can be hard to navigate the trails. Make sure you come prepared with more supplies than you think you'll need, just in case.