- Great for Beginners!
- Best for 8+
- Half Day
Take a relaxing kayaking trip in one of Resurrection Bay’s hidden gems, Humpy or Thumb Cove!
Quick Details
Want to do the Full-Day Caines Head trip but don’t have the time or energy for the whole trip? No worries! Paddle out to awesome Fort McGilvray, and we can pick you up with the water taxi vessel for the ride back!
This Alaskan adventure tour includes paddling and hiking but with a relaxing water taxi back to Miller’s Landing! It is very popular with birders and naturalists. Paddle from beautiful Miller’s Landing area of Lowell Point to Caines Head State Park on the western side of Resurrection Bay, and enjoy a one-way water taxi back for wildlife watching — see eagles, sea lions, sea otters, Dall’s porpoises, and mountain goats. It’s a great way to save a few hours and a bit of energy after an exciting day exploring Alaska!
Paddle by Tonsina Creek, where salmon are spawning (when in season), and the beautiful “ghost forest” remains from the ruins of the 1964 Alaskan earthquake. Traversing further, we pass Bridal Veil Falls, a beautiful cascading waterfall. On this Alaskan kayak excursion, we often see eagles, sea otters, sea lions, and sometimes mountains goats, black bears, and orcas and humpback whales.
This combo tour offers a 4-mile hike to explore the historical Fort McGilvray and its army bunkers and gun embedments left from World War II. The hike is fairly easy (650 feet vertical gain over the 2-mile ascent to the fort), and awaiting you at the top is a beautiful panoramic view of the Gulf of Alaska. No experience is necessary but, be prepared for an exciting, physically stimulating day. This trip is best for ages 12 and up!
Meeting Time |
Ending Time |
Meeting Place |
7:30 am Plan to arrive at 7:30 to check in and get ready. We depart at 8 am |
1:30 pm Expect to be back at Miller’s Landing around 1:30 pm. This time can change depending on water and wind conditions |
Meet at the main office, 13880 Beach Drive Seward, AK. Check in early to meet your guide and even enjoy a cup of coffee on our porch that overlooks the water |
Age Requirements |
Difficulty |
What to Bring |
We require a minimum age of 12 years old to take this trip | This is a great paddle for beginners who want to kayak and hike. Paddle 5 miles to Caines Head State Recreation Area, then hike 4 miles before getting picked up by a water taxi! | Warm synthetic/wool layers A lunch or snacks Shoes that could get wet Rain gear Snacks Water bottle |
Start your morning by meeting your guide, getting geared up and ready to paddle along the coast to Caines Head State Recreation Area.
From there we paddle past Tonsina Beach, where salmon spawn (when in season), and view the beautiful yet mysterious ghost forest remains from the ruins of the 1964 Alaskan earthquake. We continue on to Caines Head State Park. Paddlers often see eagles, sea otters, sea lions, and sometimes mountain goats, black bears, and orca and humpback whales.
Hike up to Fort McGilvray through the stunning Chugach National Forest, admiring the blankets of moss and picking berries late summer. Then you will find yourself at the entrance of the WWII bunker. Hopefully, you brought your flashlight because it’s dark inside.
After the hike, you will take a relaxing water taxi ride back to Miller’s Landing on one of our landing crafts.
This paddle is ideal for those wanting to paddle, hike, and explore all that Resurrection Bay has to offer. No sea kayaking experience is necessary; however, be ready to paddle 5 easy miles and do a 4 mile hike.
The water taxi ride generally takes 30 minutes depending on the weather, tides, and if we see any wildlife. While the water is usually calm, it can sometimes get bumpy if the weather comes in. We always do our best to make the ride comfortable, but we can’t control the weather!
Please note: Miller’s Landing encourages only guaranteed prepaid reservations. Unlike many other states, Alaska has a very short tourist season, which can make it difficult for us to rebook when we have cancellations without ample notice.
If you are booking a charter and lodging and your charter, water taxi, or kayaking is canceled due to weather, you are still responsible for the lodging or camping reservations and the normal cancellation policy applies. All of our activities are possible during rain, so rain does not constitute a cancellation. Miller’s Landing is not responsible for vehicle break downs, personal emergencies, flight delays, health issues or other unforeseen hardships. We will try very hard to work with you, but the cancellation policy will need to be applied if we cannot issue a raincheck or find an alternative solution that appeals to both parties.
Please understand that Miller’s Landing also incurs a hefty financial merchant fee from our bank for the cost of charging your credit card and again for the cost of refunding it, and there is also a cost involved for the time involved in processing and refunding your reservation in employee costs. Our goal when taking your reservation is to have a solid, guaranteed prepaid reservation. We strongly discourage the practice of making reservations without having an airline ticket or making tentative reservations. Thank you for your understanding.
Our Guides come from all different backgrounds; from being ski instructors, snowmobile guides, wranglers, or passionate outdoor enthusiasts. Everyone comes from a customer service-rich background with a passion for interpretation, protecting the outdoors and safety. Our team is trained for two weeks to refine their skills together and learn all they need to know to safely guide our clients. We instruct and certify our guides as ACA II kayakers, practice cold water rescue techniques, and require that all guides have an up-to-date Wilderness First Responder Certification. Learn more about our training process by reading our blog from the 2022 training session!
Check it out here: https://www.millerslandingak.com/blog/kayak-guide-training-summer-2022/
Spend a summer outdoors and in the Stunning Kenai Fjords National Park and Resurrection Bay, teaching, guiding, and enjoying all the amazing experiences Alaska have to offer. Miller’s Landing is a family-run business that started operations shortly after Kenai Fjords National Park was established in 1980 and the tourism industry began to form in Seward. We work hard to provide every guest with a memorable experience, with a focus on safety, education, stewardship, and fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment.
We begin our hiring process in the winter, between December and January, and suggest you apply in December. Our training begins May 1st and the season runs until September 15th. We ask that guides are able to attend training and can stay until at least mid-August.
Learn more about our requirements and the hiring process here: Kayak Instructor / Guide | Miller’s Landing in Seward Alaska (millerslandingak.com)
Take a relaxing kayaking trip in one of Resurrection Bay’s hidden gems, Humpy or Thumb Cove!
Travel to the breathtaking Bridal Veil Falls.