Kachemak Bay State Park
Encyclopedia
Kachemak Bay State Park and Kachemak Bay Wilderness Park is a 400000 acres (1,618.7 km²) park in and around Kachemak Bay
, Alaska
. Kachemak Bay State Park was the first legislatively designated State Park in the Alaska State Parks system. Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park is the state's only legislatively designated wilderness park. There is no road access to most areas of the park, visitors normally fly in or travel by boat from Homer
. Kachemak Bay is considered a Critical Habitat Area due to the biodiversity
in the area. Wildlife within the park includes marine mammals such as sea otters, sea lions, and whales, large land mammals such as moose
and black bear
s, and numerous sea and land birds. Terrain consists of both rocky and sandy beaches, dense mountain forests, and higher up, glaciers, and icefields. Because of the rugged conditions and unpredictable coastal weather, visitors are advised to be prepared for sudden wind, rain, or snowstorms at any time of year, especially at higher elevations, and to file a travel plan with rangers. The park is mostly wild land, although there are a few cabins and semi-developed campgrounds. The park ranger station is located in Halibut Cove Lagoon. The Kachemak Bay area was infested with spruce bark beetles during the late 1990s, and thousands of acres of dead trees are still standing within the park. There has been at least one wildfire, the Mile 17 fire
that burned areas of dead standing spruce on park land.
Kachemak Bay
Kachemak Bay is a 64-km-long arm of Cook Inlet in the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southwest side of the Kenai Peninsula. The communities of Homer, Halibut Cove, Seldovia, Nanwalek, Port Graham, and Kachemak City are on the bay as well as three Old Believer settlements in the Fox River...
, Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. Kachemak Bay State Park was the first legislatively designated State Park in the Alaska State Parks system. Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park is the state's only legislatively designated wilderness park. There is no road access to most areas of the park, visitors normally fly in or travel by boat from Homer
Homer, Alaska
Homer is a city located in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population was 5,364. One of Homer's nicknames is "the cosmic hamlet by the sea"; another is "the end of the road"...
. Kachemak Bay is considered a Critical Habitat Area due to the biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
in the area. Wildlife within the park includes marine mammals such as sea otters, sea lions, and whales, large land mammals such as moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
and black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
s, and numerous sea and land birds. Terrain consists of both rocky and sandy beaches, dense mountain forests, and higher up, glaciers, and icefields. Because of the rugged conditions and unpredictable coastal weather, visitors are advised to be prepared for sudden wind, rain, or snowstorms at any time of year, especially at higher elevations, and to file a travel plan with rangers. The park is mostly wild land, although there are a few cabins and semi-developed campgrounds. The park ranger station is located in Halibut Cove Lagoon. The Kachemak Bay area was infested with spruce bark beetles during the late 1990s, and thousands of acres of dead trees are still standing within the park. There has been at least one wildfire, the Mile 17 fire
Mile 17 fire
The Mile 17 fire was a wildfire that began at about mile 17 of East End Road outside of Homer, Alaska on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 and lasted until Sunday, May 17.-Background:...
that burned areas of dead standing spruce on park land.