Seward Alaska - Hiking to Caine's Head
The Caine’s Head hike is a beautiful 5 mile coastal hike from
Lowell Point (where Miller’s Landing is) to Caine’s Head State
Marine Park. This hike was listed as one of the top ten hikes in
Alaska by Alaska magazine. Once there, there is a hike up to Fort
McGilvary too (*see hiking on Caine’s Head to Fort McGilvary
section).
 Something
is always happening along the beach on the five-mile hike to Caine's
head. You might see a sea lion gorging himself on a fish, a humpback
whale cruising the bay, or a flotilla of harlequin ducks, and the
fishing could be hot for silvers or sea-run Dolly Varden.
Backpackers also can get a taste of Alaska history by exploring the
remains of Fort McGilvary, built to protect Seward during World War
II, two miles beyond Caine's Head.
 You
must walk part of this hike on the low tide.
To find the low tides
for the day that you will be hiking the trail, click
HERE: It is
important to time your trip around the tides. The three mile stretch
of beach between Tonsina Point and North Beach can be hiked only
during very low tide.
It is not safe to hike a tide higher than a
2.5 foot tide on the tidelines. Miller’s Landing will be happy to
help you plan your trip and answer questions for you. Plan to stay
at least until the next low tide or arrange to have Miller’s Landing
water taxi pick you and your gear up.
 The first mile and a half of the trail is all upland, through the
woods. It starts near Miller’s Landing and goes to Tonsina Beach
Bridge. You will know you are there because that is the first bridge
you come to. There is also a picnic shelter there. In late June,
July, August and September, there are also salmon spawning in the
stream. You can fish from the beach here for salmon in late June
through September for pink, chum and silver salmon. Dolly Varden are
also caught here. You should allow about one hour from Miller’s
Landing to get this far.
From Tonsina Beach you must walk
the rest of the hike on the low
tide. It is all coastline the next 3 miles. The trail goes past
eagle’s nests, 1,000-foot cliffs, and tidal streams bulging with big
silver salmon in late July and August. You may share this fishing
hole with a few kayakers camped amid the driftwood, but otherwise
your only company will be the sea otters, sea lions, eagles and
breaching whales. Mid to late August is peak salmon spawning season.
 You will not make it any further than this on the trail unless you
plan this part of the hike on the low tide. Allow 1½ to 2 hours to
get from Tonsina Beach to the North Beach of Caine’s Head (the part
you must walk on during the low tide).
While walking the low tide, you will walk past the Callisto Cabin,
located between Tonsina Beach and Derby Cove, and also the Derby
Cove Public Cabin (somewhat secluded in the back woods area). You
can rent these cabins for $50 a night from the Alaska State Park
System. For more information on renting the cabins, click
HERE:
 At Derby Cove (one cove north of Caine’s Head beach) you have the
option of continuing to hike the beach trail around to Caine’s Head,
or hiking upland on another trail that will take you to the North
Beach of Caine’s Head.
There is a trail from Derby Cove to North Beach. The 2½ mile
Alpine Trail splits off from this trail and takes you up to several
mountain valley clearings and by a beautiful waterfall.
Planning the times to hike the tides: Depending on the height of the
tide and how low it is going to be, you can hike from Tonsina Beach
to Caine’s Head from about 2 hours before low tide till 2 hours
after. So if low tide is at noon, you can walk the beach portion of
the trail from about 10 till 2 and you should leave Lowell Point
around 8 am to allow yourself the most time to enjoy this area.
With a negative low tide you can probably walk the beach from 3
hours before low tide till 3 after low tide.
 With a plus 3 foot low
there is probably not enough time for the
average person to go from Tonsina to Caine’s Head without getting
trapped somewhere along the way. We do not recommend hiking this
section of the trail unless the tide is at least a 2.5 foot tide or
lower.
With anything in between it is very important to leave Lowell Point
at least 4 hours before low tide so that you can be at the points
waiting for the tide to go out instead of watching it come in as you
go along.
Remember to plan the return trip so that you will be walking on the
low tides too. The tide will be low again in approximately 12 hours.
You can also arrange for a water taxi pick-up (or drop-off) from
Miller’s Landing. Please be sure to make your water taxi
arrangements in advance as there are no phones at Caine’s Head.
Miller’s Landing has a 32 foot twin engine landing craft water taxi
vessel that runs the bay every two hours or so, departing from
Miller’s Landing. The water taxi holds 14 passengers at a time.
Once at Caine’s Head’s North Beach, there are picnic shelters,
campsites, and latrines near the main trail. A ranger station,
staffed seasonally, is located near the north end of the beach. The
trail to Fort McGilvary and the South Beach starts here. (Please see
the details on that hike also.)
Caine’s Head is the scenic site of an abandoned World War II fort.
From the North Beach of Caine’s Head, there are historic roadbed
trails leading to Fort McGilvary and the South Beach. (Please see
the hiking section for Fort McGilvary and South Beach for
information on hiking these trails.)
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What to do if the Tides Are Not Right For You
To Hike?
Take the Miller’s Landing Water Taxi…. If the tides are too
high to walk the trail in the morning or they are too late in the
evening for an enjoyable round trip hike, or perhaps you only want to
hike one way only, you can still get to Caine’s Head by water taxi. You
can make your water taxi reservations
online or
calling
907 224-5739 or Toll Free Number 1-866-541-5739 or emailing us
at millerslanding@alaska.com
We generally will do Water Taxis 7 days a week from 8 AM to 5 PM and if
you need it, we can usually arrange later pickup times by request. |
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-of-buncha-fish.jpg "FISHING CHARTERS: HALIBUT, SALMON, BASS")
