Alaska State Parks

Chugach State Park: One of the four largest state parks in the United States with approximately 495,000 acres of land within its boundaries. It is mostly located within Anchorage.

Lake Aleknagik State Recreation Site: The departure point for Lake Aleknagik and Wood-Tikchik State Park

Wood-Tikchik State Park: The largest state park in the nation at nearly 1.6 million acres as well as the most remote. It contains half of the state park land in Alaska and 15 percent of all of the state park land in the United States. The park protects the area’s wilderness as well as its fish and wildlife. It is named for two systems of interconnected lakes that compose 12 lakes totalling over 1,000 acres and 60 miles of rivers. The 4.7 million acre Togiak National Wildlife Refuge is located west of the park.

KENAI PENINSULA / PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND REGION

Anchor River State Recreation Area: A 213 acre recreation area on the Kenai Peninsula that is one of Alaska’s premier fishing destinations.

Blueberry Lake State Recreation Site: This park contains a high alpine lake popular for grayling fishing that is located in Thompson Pass

Caines Head State Recreation Area: The site of an abandoned World War II fort about 2.5 miles south of downtown Seward. It can be reached by foot or by boat. Backpacker Magazine called the Caines Head Coastal Train one of the top ten coastal hiking trails in North America.

Captain Cook State Recreation Area: A remote area on the Kenai Peninsula coast between Cook Inlet and the Kenai National Moose Range.

Clam Gulch State Recreation Area: This park is located on the bluffs overlooking Cook Inlet and has a panoramic view of the Aleutian Mountain Range. It is named for the hundreds of thousands of razor clams harvested from the adjacent sandy beaches annually.

Crooked Creek State Recreation Site: A popular site in early summer for king salmon fishing from the bank of the Kasilof River.

Deep Creek State Recreation Area: A 172 acre park on the coast of Cook Inlet along Sterling Highway. It is known for its runs of halibut and king salmon through Deep Creek.

Eveline State Recreation Site: A park in Homer known for its panoramic views, trails for hiking and cross country skiing, and wildflowers in the spring/summer.

Johnson Lake State Recreation Area: A wooded 332 acre park surrounding Johnson Lake on Kenai peninsula off the Sterling Highway near Kasilof. Popular activities include wildlife watching, trout fishing, canoeing and hiking.

Kachemak Bay State Park and State Wilderness Park: There are roughly 400,000 acres between Alaska’s first state park (established in 1972) and its only wilderness park. Popular activities include fishing, boating, hiking, camping and bird watching.

Kasilof River State Recreation Site: This park near the town of Kasilof is a popular summer recreation destination with wildlife watching, scenic views, camping and fishing.

Lowell Point State Recreation Site: A 19 acre park along Resurrection Bay south of Seward offering wildlife watching for marine mammals, shorebirds and intertidal life.

Ninilchik State Recreation Area: This park is on the west side of Kenai peninsula, about 40 miles south of Soldotna. It is in one of the most popular areas for digging razor clams in Alaska and has a good salmon run in the Ninilchik River for fishing.

Starski State Recreation Site: This park is located north of Anchor Point on a high bluff overlooking the Cook Inlet. It has amazing views of part of Mount Augustine, Mount Iliamna and Mount Redoubt, which are on the Rim of Fire.

Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site: A 113 acre park in Thompson Pass north of Valdez on the Richardson Highway. Worthington Glacier is one of the most visited spots in the Copper River Basin and one of the most road accessible glaciers in Alaska.

KODIAK REGION

Afognak Island State Park: A 75,047 acre island park northeast of Kodiak Island on the Alaska Peninsula. The park is largely undeveloped and known for its rugged terrain with dense old-growth Sitka spruce forests.

Buskin River State Recreation Site: This park is located on Kodiak Island bordering the Buskin River near the state airport. The Buskin River is a popular place to fish for sockeye and coho salmon.

Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park: A 182 acre park on the eastern shore of Kodiak Island that is rich in cultural and natural resources. It contains the historic ruins of a World War II coastal defense installation.

Pasagshak State Recreation Site: This park offers public access to the lower section of Pasagshak River for sport fishing, camping and picnicking. It is the only designated park land outside of the city which is located on a road within an hours drive from Kodiak.

Shuyak Island State Park: This park on the northern part of the Kodiak Archipelago composes most of the island’s 47,000 acres accessible by boat or float plane.

Woody Island State Recreation Site: A 112 acre recreation site on the north end of Woody Island, located in Chiniak Bay 2.6 miles east of Kodiak.

MAT-SU / COPPER BASIN REGION

Big Lake North State Recreation Site: A campground west of Wasilla located on Big Lake that is popular for fishing and boating in the summer.

Big Lake South State Recreation Site: Popular activities on Big Lake include camping, fishing, boating, water skiing and jet skiing.

Denali State Park: A 325,240 acre park that is the fourth largest in Alaska and almost one-half the size of Rhode Island. It is adjacent to the east side of Denali National Park and Preserve in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Dry Creek State Recreation Site: This park with camping, fishing and hiking is located on the Richardson Highway 4 miles north of Glennallen.

Finger Lake State Recreation Site: A 69 acre site with lakeside campground between Palmer and Wasilla.

Independence Mine State Historical Park: A hard-rock gold mine where workers recovered 140,000 ounces before it was shut down after World War II. There were two mines here: The Alaska Free Gold (Martin) Mine on Skyskraper Mountain and Independence Mine on Granite Mountain.

King Mountain State Recreation Site: A campground and scenic area on the banks of the Matanuska River near Chickaloon. It is located less than one hour from Palmer on the Glenn Highway.

Lake Louise State Recreation Area: A popular area near Glennallen in the Copper Valley with camping, fishing, berry picking and views of Tazlina Glacier.

Liberty Falls State Recreation Site: A picturesque campground on the Edgerton Highway in the Copper River Valley near Chitina.

Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site: A 229 acre recreation area adjacent to Glenn Highway providing access to views of the Matanuska Glacier and the headwaters of the Matanuska River.

Matanuska Lakes State Recreation Area: This park is located at the intersection of the Parks and Glenn Highways outside of Palmer. It was formerly known as the Kepler-Bradley Lakes State Recreation Area. Popular activities include fishing, hiking and biking.

Montana Creek State Recreation Site: Popular activities include camping and fishing.

Nancy Lake State Recreation Area: It is located a ninety minute drive north of Anchorage along the Parks Highway. Unlike most Alaska state parks, it does not have mountain or ocean views. This is one of the few flat landscapes with a lake that was preserved for recreational purposes.

Nancy Lake State Recreation Site: A 36 acre site with a 30 site campground in the Nancy Lake area.

Porcupine Creek State Recreation site: A 240 acre site near Glennallen with campground and fishing. It is a remote area of mostly birch forest sitting beside Porcupine Creek on the south coast of Turnagain Arm.

Rocky Lake State Recreation Site: A 49 acre site with tent and RV campground in Wasilla adjacent to a small lake.

Squirrel Creek State Recreation Site: A small campground near Glennallen in the Copper Valley that is bounded by Squirrel Creek, Tonsina River and a small lake.

Summit Lake State Recreation Site: A small cirque lake amidst glacially carved terrain with a trail around it. A nearby valley is popular for winter recreation. The park is near Independence Main State Historic Park.

Willow Creek State Recreation Area: A 3,583 acre park with large campground and a popular fishing stream.

NORTHERN REGION

Big Delta State Historical Park: A 10 acre park 8 miles north of Delta Junction that was a key crossroads for travelers, traders and the military during the early 20th Century. Inside the park is Rita’s Roadhouse, located at a crossing of the Tanana River on the Valdez-to-Fairbanks Trail.

Birch Lake State Recreation Site: A 48 acre park on the Richardson Highway about 60 miles southeast of Fairbanks.

Chena River State Recreation Area: This 250,000+ acre park is located approximately 30 miles northeast of Fairbanks.

Chena River State Recreation Site: A 29 acre park in Fairbanks on the banks of the Chena River.

Clearwater State Recreation Site: A campground and boat launch providing river access to the Delta Clearwater River.

Delta State Recreation Site: A popular tent and RV campground for travelers between Tok and Fairbanks.

Donnelly Creek State Recreation Site: A scenic campground on the braided Delta River with views of the tall peaks of the Alaska Range.

Eagle Trail State Recreation Site: A campground on the Tok Cut-Off Highway 16 miles south of Tok. It has several historical featured including its location on the Valdez-Eagle Trail and the Old Slana Highway

Fielding Lake State Recreation Site: A scenic campground in the Alaska Range at an elevation of 2,973 feet. It is located two miles west of the Richardson Highway and offers a boat launch (when the lake isn’t frozen) to catch Arctic Grayling, lake trout and burbot.

Harding Lake State Recreation Area: A campground and boat launch in one of the longest standing state park facilities in Alaska.

Lower Chatanika State Recreation Area: An approximately 400 acre park an hour north of Fairbanks. Popular activities include camping, rafting and fishing.

Moon Lake State Recreation Site: A popular getaway with water recreation opportunities including camping, swimming and boating.

Quartz Lake State Recreation Area: A popular area for camping, fishing and hiking located on Quartz Lake. It offers some of the best road accessible fishing in the Alaska interior.

Salcha River State Recreation Area: A 61 acre park on the Salcha River with a campground and boat launch located 40 miles southeast of Fairbanks.

Tok River State Recreation Area: A popular 9 acre park with campground on the Alaska Highway running between Canada and Alaska. It is on the east bank of the Tok River with a hiking trail, sandy beach and float opportunties.

Upper Chatanika State Recreation Area: A popular park for launching an all-day float trip on the Chatanika River, ending at the Lower Chatanika River State Recreation Area.

SOUTHEAST REGION

Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve: A 49,320 acre preserve established to protect the world’s largest concentration of Bald Eagles and their habitat.

Baranof Castle State Historic Site: A National Historic Landmark accessed by boat or plane that is commonly referred to as Castle Hill or the American Flag-Raising Site. It was once occupied by Russia and was transferred to the United States in 1867.

Beecher Pass State Marine Park: An undeveloped 660 acre park west of the city of Wrangell on Big Saltery Island.

Betton Island State Marine Park: An undeveloped 480 acre park on the east side of Betton Island in Clover Passage.

Big Bear/Baby Bear State Marine Park: An undeveloped marine park 35 miles north of Sitka with camping, fishing and hunting.

Black Sands Beach State Recreation Area

Chilkat Islands State Marine Park: A near pristine wilderness area for boaters in a group of islands south of Chilkat State Park.

Chilkat State Park: A 9,837 acre park with campground, hiking trails and an information center seven miles south of Haines.

Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Site: An 80 acre park and campground at the south end of Chilkoot Lake near the outlet to the Chilkoot River. It is home to some of the best salmon fishing in southeast Alaska, and a popular area for bears to feast.

Dall Bay State Marine Park: An undeveloped 585 acre marine park on the southwest end of Gravina Island where there is no road access.

Ernest Gruening State Historical Park: A historic rural cabin where Territorial Governor Ernest Gruening wrote the majority of the manifesto for statehood in 1953 called The State of Alaska.

Fort Rousseau Causeway State Historical Park: An undeveloped park west of the Sitka airport runway that is accessed via boat or kayak. Visitors can explore the park’s World War II features which landed it on the U.S. Army Coastal Defenses National Historic Landmark list as it was formerly the headquarters for the harbor defenses.

Funter Bay State Marine Park: A 162 acre park located in the northern part of Admiralty Island in Funter Bay. Popular activities include fishing, whale watching and bear viewing.

Grant Island State Marine Park: An undeveloped 592 acres with excellent fishing. There is no road access.

Grindall Island State Marine Park: A remote park accessible only by boat or plane that is located 18 air miles from Ketchikan and 40 air miles from Craig. The area is known for its salmon and halibut fishing.

Halibut Point State Recreation Site: A popular day use area four miles north of Sitka with an ocean beach for beachcombing, picnic sites and a half mile hiking trail.

Hole in the Wall State Marine Park

Joe Mace Island State Marine Park: An undeveloped 62 acre marine park in Summer Strait near Point Baker. There is no road access; popular activities include fishing.

Juneau Channel Island State Marine Park: This park consists of 14 islands between 12 and 30 miles northwest of Juneau. It is accessed by small boat or sea plane. Popular activities include fishing, boating, photography, camping and wildlife watching.

Juneau State Trails System: There are over a hundred trails in the City and Borough of Juneau, including state park trails such as the Perserverance/Granite Creek Trail, Granite Creek Trail, Mt. Roberts Trail, Sheepcreek Trail, and Mt. Juneau.

Magoun Island State Marine Park: An undeveloped park near Krestof Sound 12 miles north of Sitka which is primarily accessed by boat.

Old Sitka State Historical Park: A National Historic Landmark seven miles north of downtown Sitka along Starrigavan Bay which had a Russian settlement built here in the early 1800s

Oliver Inlet State Marine Park: This park is located on the northern end of Seymour Canal, which has the greatest concentration of nesting bald eagles in the world, on Admiralty Island.

Pavlov Harbor State Marine Park: An undeveloped park located on Chicagof Island accessed by boat or seaplane.

Petroglyph Beach State Historic Site: A beach and historic site with the highest concentration of Native American petroglyphs in the southeastern Alaska region.

Point Bridget State Park: A 2,850 acre park located forty miles north of Juneau.

Portage Cove State Recreation Site: This recreation site is located on the waterfront about one mile south of Haines. Popular activities include marine mammal watching, bicycling, hiking, camping and enjoying the scenic views of Chilkoot Inlet and the surrounding mountains.

Refuge Cove State Recreation Site: A 13 acre park with picnic sites, sandy beach and scenic sunset views.

Sealion Cove State Marine Park: This remote marine park is located on the north end of Kruzof Island. It is approximately 25 miles northwest of Sitka and typically accessed by a boat to Kallinin Bay. Popular activities include hiking, beachcombing, bird watching and camping.

Security Bay State Marine Park: This marine park is located on the north end of Kuiu Island about twenty miles to the east of the village of Kake.

Settler’s Cove State Recreation Site: This recreation area is located in the temperate rainforest of Southeast Alaska in the Ketchikan Region. It has a small campground, sandy beach and day use parking area.

St. James Bay State Marine Park: A marine park with boat harbor approximately 35 miles northwest of Juneau and 45 miles south of Haines.

Sullivan Island State Marine Park: A 2,720 acre park on the southern end of Sullivan Island. It is located south of Chilkat Island State Marine Park.

Taku Harbor State Marine Park: A 700 acre marine park on the eastern shore of Stephens Passage about 22 miles southeast of Juneau. The harbor was once home to a major salmon cannery.

Thom’s Place State Marine Park: A 1,198 acre park on Wrangell Island that is popular for wildlife watching and fishing.

Totem Bight State Historical Park: This park preserves totem pole carved by Native artists of Southeast Alaska. It is located about ten miles north of Ketchikan.

Wickersham State Historic Site: A historic house at 213 7th Street in the Chicken Ridge area of Juneau. The museum commemmorates the life of James Wickersham, a political leader in Alaska.