Miller’s Landing History & Lowell Point Activities

Miller’s Landing Campground History and Lowell Point Activities

What is a “Miller’s Landing”?

Miller’s Landing is located in the small secluded community of Lowell Point just 2½ miles south of Seward. It has very special and unique Alaskan charm, and is literally the “end of the road”. Where the road ends on Lowell Point, The Alaska State Parks and the Kenai Fjords National Parks systems begin. The panoramic view from our campground and storefront porch is unbeatable – ask any Sewardite! It includes Resurrection Bay, the City of Seward, Mount Alice, Caines Head, and the barrier islands that protect the region from the Gulf of Alaska: Fox Island, Hive Island, and Rugged Island.

It’s a common mistake to refer to the whole community as Miller’s Landing which doesn’t always go over well with the local residents. Miller’s Landing is located in and simply a part of the community of Lowell Point.

We are surrounded by the awesome beauty of the contrast created as the mountains rise straight out of the ocean in every direction. Lowell Point is home to a large inner tidal zone which attracts marine wildlife of all types. It’s not uncommon to spot Humpback or Orca whales right from our beachfront, watch Harbor Porpoise roll and feed, and see Bald Eagles hanging out on the beach. Salmon of all types can be caught right from shore as the season progresses, from Kings to Silvers, Reds to Pinks and Chums, it is in fact common to watch them skip across the bay, sometimes in seemingly impossible number. Sea Otters eat the mussels and clams found out front, and if you’re quiet you can hear them cracking the shells open. They can be seen all day lounging about sometimes only a dozen feet offshore. Many locals and visitors alike over the last 30+ years Miller’s Landing has been in business have been taken in by the friendly Alaskan charm of this small oceanfront community.

The yellow area shows roughly the original area of the original homestead – inclusive of the submerged grounds on the shoreline, which were above water before the Great Earthquake and Tsunami of 1964

Lowell Point is not crowded, nor commercialized. There are still many remnants of the Miller homestead in place, from the subsistence farm that supported Grandma Penny and her 6 children to the heavy equipment required to settle raw country. There was no road or other utility here, and everything that needed to be done to survive and prosper was done by the family.

It wasn’t until the late 80’s that running water and electricity made it to Miller’s Landing proper, and before then water was hauled or pumped by hand, and a small generator provided electricity a few hours per day. The original store was framed from the infrastructure of a wooden barge that washed ashore – absolutely nothing goes to waste on a homestead. In short, what you see when you come to Lowell Point today was done largely by the people you see living there. It has grown significantly over the last thirty years, and is full of the charm associated with a quaint Alaskan fishing and kayaking community.

Lowell Point originally had two homesteads; one dissolved and was subdivided. The other, the Miller’s Family homestead, was founded in territorial Alaska in the 1950’s by the Grandma Penny and her children. Today, the majority of the Miller’s Family homestead remains intact, and with it, a good number of the actual Miller Family. Four of the six children live on or maintain homes on Lowell Point, including Aunt Maggie and Uncle Steve, Aunt Mary, and Miller’s Landing Founder Mike Miller and his sons. Over the years Miller’s Landing has grown from a tiny campground with more skiffs than skiff trailers to a robust Fishing and Kayaking camp on the oceanfront.

We’ve been able to plumb potable water for fill stations, build a bathroom, laundry, and shower facility, run electricity along our beachfront RV park and to select sites in the woods, build our own fish cleaning table and launch ramp, develop a sizable kayaking fleet, and custom build water taxi and charter vessels to best handle the Alaskan environment we know best. Our store facility offers a large covered deck, wood fired heat and free coffee nearly 20 hours per day during the summer season, with a booking desk to help you plan every conceivable part of your Alaskan vacation. From transportation to or from the airport, to guided hikes, to helicopter rides – we work with everyone we possibly can and we don’t charge a commission or a booking fee for anything that we do. Whether you know what you would like or need some help planning, contact us and we’ll do everything we can to help!

Access Resurrection Bay from Lowell Point!

Lowell Point Activities:

Lowell Point is home to a ton of awesomeness, from Miller’s Landing’s Activity Center to Hikes, Berry Picking Spots, Beach Fishing, Boutique Lodging, and obviously Camping!
In addition to being great on it’s own, it’s a jumping off point for departures to the State Park Recreation Areas and private beaches of Resurrection Bay. It’s also the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park, Kayaking Trips, Fishing Charters, and Multi Day Expeditions.
Check out some of the exciting opportunities you can enjoy right from Lowell Point!

South Beach is a gorgeous black sandy beach, and just a short walk from Miller’s Landing or any of the Lowell Point Lodgings. Many kayaking companies use South Beach to launch from, as there’s a public use ramp for recreational boaters. As a State Park Recreation Area, the beach is off limits for fires or overnight camping. You will however see a few swimmers (believe it or not) from time to time. The South Beach blocks the summer winds, and is a popular place to walk dogs, catch fish, and even sunbathe.

Fish right from shore! Pink Salmon, Chum Salmon, Silver Salmon, Dolly Varden and even the occasional King Salmon swim along the shoreline and Lowell Point Road! Hip Waders optional, fly fishing and parking friendly!

Come see the day’s catch! The half day charter boats come in 3 times per day, and the full day boats generally come in between 5:00-6:30PM – watch the crews clean the fish – everyone is welcome! Watch your kids though, the fish are still hungry…

Lowell Point is that little bit of land in the distance to the top left. This photo was taken from helicopter on the 4th of July! The Sea Life Center is in the middle of the photo, and the road leading between ocean and mountain is the famous Lowell Point Road. Depths right off the dirt road leading to the point can be upwards of 150′ deep, and Whales, Sea Lions, and plenty of fish are often seen right there! A popular jog or walk on a nice day, but occasionally a little bumpy – drive slow!

The Inner tidal zone is full of neat things! Everything you see in this photo is underwater during a high tide. Lowell Point has a large area right in front of Miller’s Landing full of tide pool critters and creatures like limpets, sea stars, eels, hermit crabs, arthropods and more! Watch your step on the Bladdewrack, the seaweed covering the majority of the rocky areas as it can be slick, but also tasty, and even

Hanging out at the Miller’s Landing Store and watching the tide come in, listening to the sea otters crunch open crab legs and shells, eagles literally catch fish out of the water right in front of the shop, and we sight whales frequently. Sit back with a free cup of coffee and soak in the view!

Hike to gorgeous Tonsina Beach any time of day or year! Lowell Point is home to the start of the Caines Head State Park Recreation Area which includes two parking lots and the start to this amazing trail! In the summer time, pink and chum salmon run up the stream, and can be viewed from the bridge crossing it by the thousands. Fronted by a ghost forest of standing petrified trees resultant from the 1964 earthquake, a large grassland estuary leads down to the water. Tonsina is an easy hike, about 1.5 miles one way, and a great way to spend a few hours walking the dogs or bringing the kids out to see the fish! At certain times of year it can be a productive sport fishery just down the beach to the South, want to know more? Give us a call! We’ll do our best to tell you what’s going on! (Photo Credit: Sarah Thomas)

Check out interesting boutique lodgings and vacation rentals right on the water front, see the houses built on stilts, the breakwaters, the Bald Eagles perching on the petrified spruce in the grasslands – and if you’re lucky – stay in one!

Enjoy the view! Mountains come up to 3500-4000′ around the bay straight from the waters edge, where the depth can be upwards of 100′ right off the bat! This photo shows the vast inner tidal zone in front of the Miller’s Landing Campground, and the lights of our little town of Seward.

If you’d like to know all there is to do in Seward Click Here!

What is a Fox Willie? – Take a peak at the New Addition!